Best Gaming for RBR50 router

[wv6971]

My son is going to be staying with us for a while and he has a gaming computer he wants to hardwire into the Orbi extender. We currently have RBR50 router and I'm looking to buy something adequate for his needs as a satellite, without spending a ton of money. Can someone recommend a couple models that work well that are under $300? Thanks!

[plemans]

You don't have any satellites for your RBR?
compatible models are: 

RBS20

RBW30

RBS40

RBS40V

RBS50

RBS50Y

The RBW30/RBS50Y dont' have ethernet ports 

[CrimpOn]

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@wv6971 wrote:

My son is going to be staying with us for a while and he has a gaming computer he wants to hardwire into the Orbi extender. We currently have RBR50 router and I'm looking to buy something adequate for his needs as a satellite, without spending a ton of money. Can someone recommend a couple models that work well that are under $300? Thanks!

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1. An Orbi satellite is not necessary. The benefit of real Orbi satellites is that devices can roam seamlessly between them with no user action. Devices can even change from a 5G connection to a 2.4G connection without the user doing anything.  A gaming computer that is hard wired cannot roam. Thus, what is needed is a very high speed connection from the gaming computer location to the Orbi system.  There are many "WiFi Extenders" (from numerous companies) that will connect to the Orbi 5G channel and provide an ethernet jack for the computer. 
   The EX6150 is an example ($80 on Amazon)
   https://www.downloads.netgear.com/files/GDC/datasheet/en/EX6150.pdf 
   For gaming, the goal will be to use the 5G channel to talk only to the Orbi and nothing else, disable the 2.4G channel and 5G channel on the user side.
2. Gaming is a really complicated situation.  The Orbi product lines are not advertised as "Gaming Routers".  (Netgear does sell routers advertised for gaming.)  With two WiFi "hops" between the gaming computer and the internet, there is a potential for lags that will make gaming less enjoyable.  If at all possible, I recommend stringing an ethernet cable from the gaming location to the Orbi router.  Ethernet cables are not expensive and this will totally eliminate problems caused by the two WiFi links.  (Alas, I fully understand how impractical it is to run ethernet cables in an existing building.  I have a bunch of devies that would be better off hard wired, but getting cables strung is beyond my capability.)
3. Gaming also can run into "issues" such as:
   a. Depending on the games, ports may need to be opened on the router.  This is not difficult unless
   b. The Orbi is connected to a router rather than "just a modem". This is called a "Double NAT" which makes opening ports much harder.  Thousands of Orbi owners have connected the Orbi router to their ISP device and are blissfully unaware of this issue.  There are ways to overcome this if it is actually a problem.