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Forum Discussion
VerneArase
Jan 25, 2022Apprentice
Netgear and thread support
Anyone know what Netgear's planning to do about thread/matter support? I'd hate to think I'm going to have to go eero to get this stuff working - they just don't have Orbi's speed. Not that I...
FURRYe38
Jan 26, 2022Guru - Experienced User
Also FW version being used on your Orbi AX system?
- VerneAraseJan 26, 2022Apprentice
If that was to me, I'm running V4.6.3.16_2.0.51.
Does anyone have any idea when Netgear will update their model list? I haven't had an RBK53 for two or three years, but it's still the closest thing to my RBK853 mesh.
As far as I've read, to function as a thread edge router your access points need to have Zigbee radios and software compatible with thread. Matter is a pretty big deal as it promises to unify most of your home control IOT islands and make them compatible without protocol exchange hubs (most of which have limited untility anyway).
Really, at Orbi prices they ought to have a trade-in program or an advance exchange program where they exchange the innards with updated hardware to support new features - after all, one of the selling points of wifi 6 and 6e mesh was to support all those IOT devices by handling more clients.
I get pretty jealous of folks with more recent hardware which things like thread edge router support, or LAN ports with greater than gigabit support. After all, my internet from Xfinity is now up to 1.2 gbps, and actually tests out to 1409.76 mbps on the RBR850.
I guess what I'm saying is that an RBK853 system is still around $1000 on Amazon whereas an eero pro is half that - a much easier to bear replacement cost if we have to replace our entire mesh systems for new technology. At Orbi prices, we should have an updatable platform - otherwise the acquisition cost just doesn't make sense.
Of course if you living in a sprawling ginormous home things may be different - but I have to cut down transmit power to get things working properly anyway.
- FURRYe38Jan 26, 2022Guru - Experienced User
The model list is going away so please stop using it. It's not needed to post anything here in the forums. Just make sure your posting in the right section is all.
I recommend you give v5 a try:
- VerneAraseJan 26, 2022Apprentice
Yeah, I just read the full thread on the new firmware and I think I'm going to have to hold off on that.
I'm retired, but my wife is still working from home and she gets really peeved if I mess with anything and it affects her laptop (I have the scars to prove it).
Just went through a kerfluffle with the kitchen Hunter Signal fan where the light was disabled for days on end - just got everything working again this morning.
Perhaps I should go back to the 4.6.7.5 thread and see if anyone's got a Dell Latitude 7480 working on it - sure don't want to take a chance of this (relatively) ancient beast having problems with it like that Chromebook.