My Comcast Cable modem handles TV, Internet, and two telephone lines. Is the new Orbi Cable Modem/WiFi Router a replacement?

Yes it would me used as you modem and router. It does not have telephone lines built into it like your current modem does. DarrenM

if you have voice, CBK40 wont work. Ideal option is to keep existing Comcast Gateway, Turn off WIFI and add a RBK50 system. That way, you will get Orbi WIFI benefits and also get to keep your voice from Comcast. However, you will still pay rental charges.

If you get a RBR system, use the ISP modems DMZ for the Orbi router if you want to use the Orbi in router mode. Works well for this configuration.

Sorry for the long winded question but i not super techie. I have about 25 lifz lifht bulbs, several laptops, several iphones, and only increasing my home automation devices around the house. House size is roughly 3800 sf. I am a comcast customer and considering a mesh unit to get away from the comcast monthly equipment fee. I would like opinions on a few thing: Is my best move to go with the orbi cable modem/router? Currently my modem/router is on my main floor in the middle of my house. I have switch downstairs connected to the router which currently houses apple tv and an av receiver. Most of my lifx bulbs are on the main floor and located no further then 150 ft from the router/modem. My connectivity upstairs in my bedroom is not good as its the farther from the router/modem. I'm also having issues with my lifx bulbs in front of my house (roughtly the same distance as my bedroom - east). I also better connectivity to my pool outside (roughtly the same distance as my bedroom - west). I guess here I'm looking for how many hubs i need and best placement of those hubs. Last few questions - will WPA3 Protocol be an sortware update ? Also, is docsis 3.0 good enought for the near future or should i be considering 3.1. I'm not a gamer but I do plan on expanding my home automation hardware . Im an apple homekit guy by nature if that matters. Thank you in advance for your time and answers.

For a 3800sqft home, any Orbi system would work well. I presume you may need more then just one satellite due to the nature of how many devcies you have connected. Having more devices wirelessly connected to one wireless AP source will be taxing upon it. Having additional sources like a satellite or two will help spread the load of having so many devices online. What is the Mfr and model# of the switch your using? There are some known user experiences with managed switches not working well with Orbi systems. So NON managed switches are recommended. I have several and haven't seen any problems with my CBK40 system. I use wired back haul as well with my one satellite. Whats the Mfr and model if your current modem/router. My home is 5000sq ft and have the Orbi cable modem/router at one end of the house up stairs and at the far end, 40 feet away, is the 1 satellite. I get great coverage and performance since I installed it. The CBK is based on the NG CM700 D3.0 cable modem. Its supposidly can handle up to 1Gb ISP speeds on the down. It would be up to the ISPs to support D3.0 going forward and since 3.1 has been released into the wild and it's slowly getting integration, at some point, ISPs will eventually stop 3.0 support. I would only imaging that 3.0 would not be supported for several or many more years to come. 3.1 has to fully take over before 3.0 will go away. Again, will be up to ISPs at that point. Since I got my CBK40 in house, and considering it's longevity, eventually the modem may become out dated or not supported. Balencing that with ISP support and new future products 5-10 years from now, the one draw back I see is that, if the modem isn't supported any more, there no way to take the system to a AP mode only configuration, thus disable the cablemodem and router and still have the flexibility to use the wireless MESH system by it self. Unfortuneately this is a standard for these kinds of cable modem/router combo products. So if some thing should happend to the cable modem portion of the CBK40, then the entire system is kind of hamstung due to it's dependency of the cable modem connect and it's tied to the router portion which NG has told me, there will be no support for disabling the cable modem on the CBR40 and have the use of a router/wireless AP configuration. Theres only Gateway mode and Briddge mode, so this means the CBK40 runs as the cable modem, DHCP, router and main wireless in Gateway mode. Bridge mode means that when this is set, The DHCP, Router and wireless portions are ALL disabled, leaving the cable modem portion enabled and acting like a cable modem only. Ya, kind of a spendy cable modem in this configuration if you ask me. :smileyfrustrated: To me this is the only draw back. One suggestion would be to get your own ISP Modem, Motorola, Arris and others have stand along ISP modems that you can buy and ISPs will support them on there network. Then you could by the non cable modem version of the Orbi, RBK40 or 50 series and connect it up. Otherwise the Orbi has been working for me well. I just installed a non cable Orbi version at my friends house after I loaned him mine, he liked it and wanted his own. His is running well. Seen some issues over on the non cable Orbi system regarding problems with Apple Home Kit. I believe those problems have been addressed by NG. I think I only have the Apple TV. I don't use it much. Just as a wireless to Digital audio interface to listening to music. I don't do much home kit off at all. More of a gamer here. WP3 has been ratified, however the chipset Mfrs have to develop, test and update there stuff before getting to Mfrs like NG. Probably will not see anything if at all on current Orbi systems and other products any time soon. If we do, it may not come to current products depending if chipset Mfrs and Mfrs choose to include current and prior products. Im sure there will be some decisions regarding this at some point. I wouldn't be looking for WPA3 to hit for at least another year or two. Depending on how fast they work to get it going. Could be longer. Theres many many devices out there that would need upgrading and future products included. Seems momumental.

Orbi Cable Modem | NETGEAR Communities

11 Replies

DarrenM
Sr. NETGEAR Moderator
May 30, 2018
Yes it would me used as you modem and router. It does not have telephone lines built into it like your current modem does.

DarrenM
vkdelta
NETGEAR Employee Retired
Jun 02, 2018
if you have voice, CBK40 wont work.

Ideal option is to keep existing Comcast Gateway, Turn off WIFI and add a RBK50 system. That way, you will get Orbi WIFI benefits and also get to keep your voice from Comcast. However, you will still pay rental charges.
FURRYe38
Guru - Experienced User
Jun 03, 2018
If you get a RBR system, use the ISP modems DMZ for the Orbi router if you want to use the Orbi in router mode. Works well for this configuration.
- mlhart06
  Aspirant
  Jun 27, 2018
  Sorry for the long winded question but i not super techie. I have about 25 lifz lifht bulbs, several laptops, several iphones, and only increasing my home automation devices around the house. House size is roughly 3800 sf. I am a comcast customer and considering a mesh unit to get away from the comcast monthly equipment fee. I would like opinions on a few thing: Is my best move to go with the orbi cable modem/router? Currently my modem/router is on my main floor in the middle of my house. I have switch downstairs connected to the router which currently houses apple tv and an av receiver. Most of my lifx bulbs are on the main floor and located no further then 150 ft from the router/modem. My connectivity upstairs in my bedroom is not good as its the farther from the router/modem. I'm also having issues with my lifx bulbs in front of my house (roughtly the same distance as my bedroom - east). I also better connectivity to my pool outside (roughtly the same distance as my bedroom - west). I guess here I'm looking for how many hubs i need and best placement of those hubs. Last few questions - will WPA3 Protocol be an sortware update ? Also, is docsis 3.0 good enought for the near future or should i be considering 3.1. I'm not a gamer but I do plan on expanding my home automation hardware . Im an apple homekit guy by nature if that matters.
  
  Thank you in advance for your time and answers.
  - FURRYe38
    Guru - Experienced User
    Jun 28, 2018
    For a 3800sqft home, any Orbi system would work well. I presume you may need more then just one satellite due to the nature of how many devcies you have connected. Having more devices wirelessly connected to one wireless AP source will be taxing upon it. Having additional sources like a satellite or two will help spread the load of having so many devices online.
    
    What is the Mfr and model# of the switch your using? There are some known user experiences with managed switches not working well with Orbi systems. So NON managed switches are recommended. I have several and haven't seen any problems with my CBK40 system. I use wired back haul as well with my one satellite.
    
    Whats the Mfr and model if your current modem/router.
    
    My home is 5000sq ft and have the Orbi cable modem/router at one end of the house up stairs and at the far end, 40 feet away, is the 1 satellite. I get great coverage and performance since I installed it.
    
    The CBK is based on the NG CM700 D3.0 cable modem. Its supposidly can handle up to 1Gb ISP speeds on the down. It would be up to the ISPs to support D3.0 going forward and since 3.1 has been released into the wild and it's slowly getting integration, at some point, ISPs will eventually stop 3.0 support. I would only imaging that 3.0 would not be supported for several or many more years to come. 3.1 has to fully take over before 3.0 will go away. Again, will be up to ISPs at that point.
    
    Since I got my CBK40 in house, and considering it's longevity, eventually the modem may become out dated or not supported. Balencing that with ISP support and new future products 5-10 years from now, the one draw back I see is that, if the modem isn't supported any more, there no way to take the system to a AP mode only configuration, thus disable the cablemodem and router and still have the flexibility to use the wireless MESH system by it self. Unfortuneately this is a standard for these kinds of cable modem/router combo products. So if some thing should happend to the cable modem portion of the CBK40, then the entire system is kind of hamstung due to it's dependency of the cable modem connect and it's tied to the router portion which NG has told me, there will be no support for disabling the cable modem on the CBR40 and have the use of a router/wireless AP configuration. Theres only Gateway mode and Briddge mode, so this means the CBK40 runs as the cable modem, DHCP, router and main wireless in Gateway mode. Bridge mode means that when this is set, The DHCP, Router and wireless portions are ALL disabled, leaving the cable modem portion enabled and acting like a cable modem only. Ya, kind of a spendy cable modem in this configuration if you ask me. :smileyfrustrated:
    
    To me this is the only draw back. One suggestion would be to get your own ISP Modem, Motorola, Arris and others have stand along ISP modems that you can buy and ISPs will support them on there network. Then you could by the non cable modem version of the Orbi, RBK40 or 50 series and connect it up.
    
    Otherwise the Orbi has been working for me well. I just installed a non cable Orbi version at my friends house after I loaned him mine, he liked it and wanted his own. His is running well.
    
    Seen some issues over on the non cable Orbi system regarding problems with Apple Home Kit. I believe those problems have been addressed by NG. I think I only have the Apple TV. I don't use it much. Just as a wireless to Digital audio interface to listening to music. I don't do much home kit off at all. More of a gamer here.
    
    WP3 has been ratified, however the chipset Mfrs have to develop, test and update there stuff before getting to Mfrs like NG. Probably will not see anything if at all on current Orbi systems and other products any time soon. If we do, it may not come to current products depending if chipset Mfrs and Mfrs choose to include current and prior products. Im sure there will be some decisions regarding this at some point. I wouldn't be looking for WPA3 to hit for at least another year or two. Depending on how fast they work to get it going. Could be longer. Theres many many devices out there that would need upgrading and future products included. Seems momumental.

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