Re: Costco has them!

tagteam · ‎2019-12-16

But only a 2-pack! Still the price is good for members comparatively - $549.99

https://www.costco.com/routers-networking.html

tagteam · ‎2019-12-16

But this is the RBK842 (AX5700) -- 900 + 2400 + 2400Mbps

DBV · ‎2019-12-16

Any difference between the Costco ones and the Best Buy ones? Must be something since it is $100 price difference. Thanks!

Bandito · ‎2019-12-16

The Costco system is an RBK842 AC5700 vs. Best Buy's RBK852 AC6000. From the spec sheet on the Netgear website, it appears that the 842 uses a different, 300 Mbps slower, radio on the 2.4 GHz band. That must account for the price difference.

farmrt88 · ‎2019-12-16

It is the RBK842 which is AX5700 rated (900MHZ on 2.4GHZ Band vs 1.2GHZ on the 2.4 Band of the RBK852 AX6000)

However, everything else seems the same. Not sure if AX6000 is that beneficial over AX5700.

https://www.netgear.com/orbi/rbk842.aspx

DBV · ‎2019-12-16

So - would you buy the Bestbuy one then since it is faster or not worth the extra $100. Guess Costco has better return policy.

Bandito · ‎2019-12-16

I would think that you'd probably not notice the difference in speeds unless you have a large number of 2.4 GHz 802.11n devices on your network. Even so, the $100 price difference seems a little steep for the relatively small speed difference.

tagteam · ‎2019-12-16

@DBV wrote:
So - would you buy the Bestbuy one then since it is faster or not worth the extra $100. Guess Costco has better return policy.

Yeah, I wouldn't despite being a Costco member and having bought my RBK53 system there over 2 years ago.

The downside, for me personally, is the fact that the Costco system only has 1 satellite. As a result, I'd just pay the extra $100 to get the extra speed.

In my experience with routers, and other electronics, if the hardware is going to go bad, it's going to happen fairly soon after being deployed. If I were really paranoid, I'd just buy the extended warranty but, at this point, I'm sticking with my RBK53 setup.

DBV · ‎2019-12-17

I noticed the BestBuy has the Linksys MX10 on sale for $100 off. Maybe Orbi will follow suit. They both sound competitive on WiFi 6 based on very limited reviews.

tagteam · ‎2019-12-17

@DBV wrote:
I noticed the BestBuy has the Linksys MX10 on sale for $100 off. Maybe Orbi will follow suit. They both sound competitive on WiFi 6 based on very limited reviews.

Competitive and Linksys offers a single unit (MX5) for those who might need more than the MX10's 2-Pack. I mean, an MX10 + an MX5 would cost $1,000 but at least Linksys is offering that configuration. Netgear needs to do the same and, actually, both companies need to offer a 3-Pack.

DBV · ‎2019-12-17

Agree with you. I think both companies should offer a 3 pack for the price they are charging. Orbi needs to match Linksys price now, as I don't think there is any significant differences between them.

FURRYe38 · ‎2019-12-17

NG did the same thing with there XR gaming routers. The XR500 was public while the XR450 was sold at Costco only. Same HW and FW everything accept for the 2.4Ghz radio which was slower than the XR500 is all. The XR450 was $100 cheaper at Costco. How I got my XR450.

tagteam · ‎2019-12-17

Yep, it's kind of strange -- some are the same and some are slightly different, such as the units you mentioned and something like the Nighthawk AX8 AX6000, which is the AX8 AX5700 at Costco. Then, the original Orbi units appear to be the same at Costco as those sold everywhere else. Go figure.

FURRYe38 · ‎2019-12-17

NG is milking the market.

DBV · ‎2019-12-17

I guess so. Just found out I can get the Linksys MX10 2 pack for $419 through work benefit. Guess will try them. Feel bad though, as I have liked all my Orbi products so far.... 🙂

@FURRYe38 wrote:
NG is milking the market.

tagteam · ‎2019-12-17

@FURRYe38 wrote:
NG is milking the market.

Yeah -- LOL! But it's confounding to me because. although I realize the component might be cheaper, creating two separate manufacturing lines would create additional expenses.

FURRYe38 · ‎2019-12-17

Not really as they are using the same HW and case design. There just making changes to the 2.4Ghz wifi aspect is all in FW. Same code base as the 850 series with minor changes. Majority of the testing with beta has been done on the 850 so bugs would be the same for the 840 series. Easy way to get additional market value. Same happened with a number of NG routers they did between public and Costco. R8000P and R7960P was based off the R8000.

@tagteam wrote:
@FURRYe38 wrote:
NG is milking the market.
Yeah -- LOL! But it's confounding to me because. although I realize the component might be cheaper, creating two separate manufacturing lines would create additional expenses.

tagteam · ‎2019-12-17

@FURRYe38 wrote:
Not really as they are using the same HW and case design. There just making changes to the 2.4Ghz wifi aspect is all in FW. Same code base as the 850 series with minor changes. Majority of the testing with beta has been done on the 850 so bugs would be the same for the 840 series. Easy way to get additional market value. Same happened with a number of NG routers they did between public and Costco. R8000P and R7960P was based off the R8000.

Huh! So, if one had access to the 850 FW the Costco 840 could be transformed into the 850?

FURRYe38 · ‎2019-12-17

HW/FW restricts this. Not sure why you would want to do that anyways, if the only difference is the 2.4Ghz wifi then something one wouldn't need to change.

tagteam · ‎2019-12-17

@FURRYe38 wrote:
HW/FW restricts this....

OK, but that's what I don't understand. If the HW is not IDENTICAL, then there has to be more than one line.

FURRYe38 · ‎2019-12-17

2.4Ghz would only be the difference....wheather one could force 850 series to 840 series and try to make it work. Don't know. Otherwise the HW is the same as so would be the FW. However NG I presume prevents any 840 series FW from loading on 850 series systems with in the FW.

I I know that Linksys had problems with there WRTx32 router FW being loaded on the WRT1900ACS. Or was that the ACM. Someone found out that the x32 FW as compatible on the ACS back then. I think Linksys closed that gap.

At any rate if the only thing that differs is the 2.4Ghz HW and speeds is a bit lower, I wouldn't see a need to modify the system to make ti work like the 850 system. If your getting the same 5Ghz and 5Ghz wireless backhaul speeds, seems like too much hassle to make a 840 series like a 850. I thought about the same for my XR450, however nothing I can do for it. Just limited by HW and FW with the 2.4Ghz radio. Otherwise, it's a XR500 with a slower rated 2.4Ghz radio is all. Works the same though. Good gaming router. Currently running it front of my RBK852 in AP mode.

tagteam · ‎2019-12-17

@FURRYe38 wrote:
2.4Ghz would only be the difference....wheather one could force 850 series to 840 series and try to make it work. Don't know. Otherwise the HW is the same as so would be the FW. However NG I presume prevents any 840 series FW from loading on 850 series systems with in the FW.

Right! So, I suppose it's just the FW loaded initially that cannot be circumvented (overwritten) with another version - makes sense anyway because as you stated there isn't really a distinct advantage. Just kind of weird that they would even bother with it but.......marketing!!

FURRYe38 · ‎2019-12-17

Exactly.
@tagteam wrote:
marketing!!