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Managing "Guest" access
Besides our "normal" SSID, I currently use one of the "guest" channels on my Netgear AC5000 for my connected house and the others for visitors. How are these needs addressed by the new Orbi?
I installed the most recent update to my Orbi system and now have "Guest" access control. This resolves my issue. Thanks, Netgear, for addressing this concern.
52 Replies
Hello MrBTC
The initial release will not have the guest network but it is planned to be added in a later firmware update.
DarrenM
no guest network until software update? how is that an after thought? deal breaker
We do appreciate your feedback.
The focus was to get the key features ready for the product launch especially the whole home Wi-Fi.
We had to prioritise when deciding which features to include in the initial release and which to add in later firmware updates.
A lot of thought and internal discussion goes into decisions like this, especially for an exciting new product like Orbi. We also received valuable feedback from beta testers as to what they would like to see added to Orbi. It's essential to have a good base of end user feedback to help to shape and validate post launch development plans before even launching a new product.
The relative importance of different features is subjective, but we feel we've provided a good set of features for an initial release.
I just set up my Orbi system with the satellite and people do not hesitate getting it! Sure having a guest access portal would be great and they addressed adding it soon which gives me piece of mind but it litereally took me all of 5 minutes to get everything in place. I think it took me more time to unpack it because I was in awe of the packaging! :smileylol:I'm a sucker for people who think things like branding through. I have the Linksys Max Stream router and the Range extender and I had to call them to help me set that system up. So far i'm in love with this system!
I have to agree with previous posters, I will not buy a router that has no guest account.
IMHO, purchasing new home networking hardware / software in the first year, is equal to setting yourself up for disapointment..
I decide last week to upgrade my old WNDR4000 router by the end of the month and the Orbi really seems to fit the bill for what we need ... I was all ready to rush right out and buy it tomorrow. But after 35 years of working with computers, I've learned that "it will be coming soon in an update" usually means "it is never, ever coming in any kind of workable form". Frankly, I'm astounded there's no guest access - they should have taken the marketing budget for that sappy "connected family ad" and put it towards perfecting a guest account. Who out there has $400 for a router but absolutely no friends that ever come over ? I sure as hell don't want every one of my kids friends stopping by having access to control my Sonos or popping on to my media server. Ridiculous.
Is the guest network even in Beta ?
Wow this is a let down, Just dropped the CC on purchasing this to replace the ASUS RT5300 and no guest network. Seriously considering returning the product as I use the guest network when we have friend and family over quite often. The last thing I want to give them is my secure password for whole network access.
Is there any update on when a release may be other then in the future. Working for a software company when that comes from us it means pretty much never.
Think I'll give this a 2-3 star due to the lack of this feature that pretty much everyone else has.
- How about just use your old wireless router for guest network until they add it to the Orbi firmware? That's what I'm probably going to do.
Using a second router for guest access is certainly possible, but the fact you would need to is unfathomable to me. This is being marketed as a whole house / all in one premium networking solution, marketed towards people who want ease of use for a "modern" family. Missing this super-basic feature common to most every router they might already be upgrading from is really kind of ridiculous.
I could but really didn't want to buy a router to use another router to have a feature like guest network. I'd be more interested in hearing just how long the future might be for this to be added.
I, too, just installed my new Orbi Router and Satellite. I am happy with the ease of setup and its great coverage and performance, but also very disappointed with the lack of any way to have a "guest" account for friends. I am really unhappy this common feature is missing. As a workaround, I am planning to connect my old router to the satellite in the living room and use that for my guests, but that is a jury-rigged setup that shouldn't be necessary after spending $400 on a high-end router/satellite pair. It's sort of like buying a Mercedes-Benz and discovering there are no passenger seat airbags. For the price, it ought to be there.
You shoud understand that a jury-rigged setup (connecting a router into the Orbi system) is not going to provide you with a secure, isolated guest network. Your guests will have full access to your home network.
Thank you for letting me know. I had assumed that if I plugged my old Linksys E1000 into a port on the Orbi Satellite and created a "guest" account on it for my visitors to use, it would restrict their access to files and peripherals. Do you know of a reasonable workaround, or should I consider exchanging the Orbi for a router with a guest account feature.
- This is such a basic request that an ETA will make us all feel at ease after spending the 400 dollars.
- I'm a proud owner of Orbi. As many of you I was dissapointed for luck of guest access however am totally glad that I get the speed and stable internet.
In the meantime I connected my nighthawk r8000 router on the back of the Orbi router and am using it for guest access.
I do not intend to return the Orbi and will be patient until netgear updates the firmware. What I will not do is to compromise the speed am currently enjoying with the Orbi regardless.Hey csk, glad you are happy with your Orbi. I, too, am very pleased with the speed, range, and stability of my Orbi after a month in service. I was going to do the same as you by plugging my old router into the Orbi for guest access, but decided not to when Ether responded to my plan with this comment.
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"You shoud understand that a jury-rigged setup (connecting a router into the Orbi system) is not going to provide you with a secure, isolated guest network. Your guests will have full access to your home network."
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I don't know enough about routers to understand how it allows guests to have full access, but I am trusting that Ether knows more than I do on this subject. I'm hoping Netgear will come out with the update to include guest access sometime soon, but not holding my breath.
- jagreedo is right. The guest network has full access to devices on the Orbi's network. As far as the Orbi is concerned, the R8000 and any devices using its guest network look like another home device.
If you must absolutely have a guest network, then set up the R8000 as the main router (i.e. plug it directly into the modem). Then plug the Orbi into the R8000 and set the Orbi to run as an Access Point. This will put the Orbi and its devices on the LAN side of the R8000 and they will be inaccessible by guests.I installed the most recent update to my Orbi system and now have "Guest" access control. This resolves my issue. Thanks, Netgear, for addressing this concern.
