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Forum Discussion
Is Google afraid of Orbi?
I ran across this article today, and was quite amused that Google entertains going head-to-head with eero and Luma, but not a single mention of Orbi. Granted, Orbi isn't "mesh" (yet?) as these three...
At a strictly technical level, I agree.
However, they are all designed to solve the same "business problem" and are marketed to the same user segments - the "fire and forget" less-technical crowd who want wireless to "just work". In that sense, with identical target markets, I think they are absolutely comparable.
Besides that, without Orbi being considered a part of that market, they are going to wither on the vine of obscurity - by now, many have heard of eero and Google Wifi. How many have even -heard- of Orbi? As a company, does Netgear really _want_ to distinguish themselves as being a "sole player"? Does the average consumer give a flip if the underlying technology is mesh or star topology, so long as it solves their problems?
The thing about wifi is - geeks aside - nobody wants to think about wifi. It's still regarded as something akin to magic by the masses, and noticed only when it *doesn't* function properly. Orbi seems to fulfill that mission better than any other product to date, and it's not because of Elfin magic - it's wide wireless backhaul, period (which is why the Ethernet-backhaul haters both amuse and confuse me - do they not get this?). If they want to take the marketing approach of "like eero and Google Wifi, only better - higher speed, and no wires! The mesh thing is SO yesterday!", fine - but they NEED to be considered a part of that crowd to be relevant. [Note: I doubt they will say that, and they probably shouldn't - at least the last part. There's no technical hurdle to providing the best of all worlds...star and mesh over wireless backhaul *and* Ethernet backhaul, but these things do take time. I'd personally prefer they keep their options open in that regard.]
Just my $0.02. :)
Rodney
i can assure you that the netgear orbi has made many stand up and paying attention , even those that just hate the netgear brand , was recently at a synology conference and all the geek talk and buzz from those attending was about the orbi , the orbi system isnt going to fade away
i can actually see most of these mesh systems fading away as they compete with each other and produce average results as a consequence of the approach they have taken in the mesh topology , while those that go the orbi system will just ignore it and enjoy its wifi :)