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Forum Discussion
How does the orbi compare to the AC5300 Nighthawk X8 Tri-Band WiFi Router
Is the orbi better or should I keep the x8 I know one thing before I could get a signal all the way out in the yard with the AC1900 Nighthawk Smart WiFi Router but with the x8 I can't so I'm just wo...
hi guys and as i have suggested the orbi wifi coverage is its strong point and def what its good at and what its designed around and if all you are looking for is better coverage all around your house the orbi is for you , however if your looking for it to work like an r series netgear router feature wise you may be disapointed , all im really saying is dont jump in on the orbi expecting what you get in other top end routers as thats not what your paying for with the orbi
pete
Wi-Fi transmission power is regulated by the government and walls will play havoc on signals, so there is only so much a single router can do versus a distributed system like the Orbi. The Orbi is purpose-built for expansive coverage. The Orbi has a key feature of using a separate, dedicated wireless connection between the base and satellite, so there isn't the usual 50% speed penalty typically experienced with a router + wireless extender setup. Against a router + wired Access Point, however, the Orbi may not perform as well; the dedicated wireless connection between the base and satellite still can't beat the performance and reliability of a Gigabit Ethernet connection. IOW, if your house is wired with Ethernet, the Orbi may not provide any significant advantage.
Judging from the manual, the Orbi doesn't seem to be lacking too many features. It appears to have basic features (QoS, port forwarding, site blocking). Guest networking is the only major omission. If Netgear is able to add this with full isolation, even through the satellite, then this will be a major advantage over a router + extender setup. Getting it to work will require Netgear to internally use VLANs, so that's probably the reason for the delay.