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Friasfamily2's avatar
Friasfamily2
Aspirant
Apr 12, 2020

WiFi system

Need a network geek help NetGear orbi rbk13 vs rbr20. How can help with one will be better. My speeds at home are 400mpbs and we stream and play videos games and work from home. ? I currently use Apple AirPort Extreme 

3 Replies

  • CrimpOn's avatar
    CrimpOn
    Guru - Experienced User
    Apr 12, 2020
    Friasfamily2 wrote:

    Need a network geek help NetGear orbi rbk13 vs rbr20.

    How about comparing the product Data Sheets:

    RBK13 - https://www.netgear.com/images/datasheet/orbi/RBK13.pdf 

    RBK23 - https://www.netgear.com/images/datasheet/orbi/RBK23.pdf  (The RBR20 is the router component, just as the RBR10 is the router included in the RBK13)

     

    • Both have one router and two satellites
    • The RBK13 has only two ethernet ports on the router and no ethernet ports on the satellites.
      The RBK23 has two ethernet ports on the router and every satellite.
      This means (a) that the RBK13 satellites cannot be connected to the router using ethernet cable, while the RBK23 satellites can be connected using ethernet cable.  Most people do not have ethernet cables in their walls, so this is a minor concern.
      However, it does mean that there is no method to connect a device near a satellite with ethernet, such as a TV, computer, NAS system, or a cheap ethernet switch to allow more than two devices to connect.
    • The RBK13 units are physically smaller and thus easier to find a place for.
    • The RBK13 has two radios and two antennas.  The 5G radio is shared between user devices and the "backhaul" to the router.
      The RBK23 has three radios and four antennas.  The 5G backhaul is separate from the user channel. So, the RBK23 has higher "capacity" overall in the 5G world, as each radio can communicate at the same time, whereas the RBK13 radio switches from one use to the other.  How much this will affect performance depends on how strong the backhaul link is and how much traffic there is.
    • The claims of how many square feet the products will cover is marketing hype.  Notice the disclaimers in tiny print at the bottom of the page.  When a WiFi system is located next to an exterior wall, for example, half of the radio signal goes toward the wall and outside.  How much use is that coverage?  Physical building construction and location of WiFi devices make huge differences in performance and coverage.
    • AC1200 vs. AC2200 sort of "tells it all."  (I should note that other mesh products are "AC1200", so that is not a "deal breaker."

    So, the RBK13 is less costly because it has fewer components and lower performance.  Neither of these products were on the market when I purchased the initial mesh product (the RBK50).

     

    Hope this helps.