Meet Orbi Voice - World's First Mesh WiFi System with Amazon Alexa Built-in and Harman Kardon Audio

[Dustin_V]

What do you get when you take award-winning WiFi, throw in Amazon Alexa voice control, and add the premium audio of Harman Kardon? You get the newest addition to the Orbi WiFi family; Orbi Voice, where WiFi meets HiFi!

As the world’s first mesh WiFi system with Amazon Alexa Built-in and Harman Kardon audio, Orbi Voice goes beyond WiFi to provide a smart home experience like no other. Not only do you get to enjoy the same worry-free WiFi from Orbi, you will also be able to control smart home devices all with the power of your own voice. You'll be able to stream from music streaming providers such as Spotify, Amazon Music, Pandora, iHeartRadio, TuneIn, Deezer, and more! Powered by Harman Kardon audio, Orbi Voice will provide superior sound clarity and a captivating listening experience second to none.

By combining a voice service, high-end audio, and high-performance WiFi in one device, Orbi Voice eliminates the clutter of three individual products to deliver the same features. Now that's Better WiFi and Sound. Everywhere!

Orbi Voice Features:

• Tri-Band Mesh WiFi
• FastLane3 Technology
• Single WiFi Name & Smart Roaming
• Circle with Disney Parental Controls
• Built-in Alexa Voice Assistant
• Audio by Harmon Kardon

The Orbi Mesh WiFi System 
WiFi Systems are designed for a broad range of home environments, from apartments and lofts to single family homes and sprawling estates. The new Orbi Tri-band Mesh WiFi System with Orbi Voice Smart Speaker and WiFi Satellite (RBK50V) delivers up to 3Gbps* high-performance WiFi coverage for homes up to 4,500 square feet (418 square meters) for a nearly zero buffering and no dead zones WiFi experience.

The new Orbi System is ready right out of the box and will work with current internet service providers. Setup for an Orbi System is easy using a mobile device through the free Orbi app. It offers easy network management and helps to keep the device current with automated Orbi software updates for new features and WiFi enhancements. Through the Orbi app, set Circle® Smart Parental Controls on NETGEAR to manage content and time spent online on a per-child or per-device basis. You’ll also benefit from a separate guest WiFi network and other advanced router features.

Each Orbi Voice Satellite offers two Gigabit Ethernet ports for connecting wired devices for even faster file transfers and reliable connections.

Pricing and Availability 
An Orbi Mesh WiFi System (RBK50V) consisting of the Orbi Tri-Band WiFi Router plus one Orbi Voice Smart Speaker and WiFi Satellite will be available later next month for an MSRP of $429.99 (USD) £429.99(GBP) and €499.99 (EUR).

For those who have an Orbi WiFi system, the add-on Orbi Voice Smart Speaker and WiFi Mesh satellite (RBS40V) by NETGEAR will be available this fall through authorized NETGEAR partners and other reseller channels, e-commerce sites, and major retailers, at an MSRP of $299.99 (USD), £279.99(GBP) and € 329.99 (EUR).

Learn more about Orbi Voice and Pre-Order yours today: https://www.netgear.com/Orbi-Voice

What are you most excited about with announcement of Orbi Voice? Tell us below!

[Jeffrey_tl]

I had a feeling that someone would combine a speaker, alexa and WiFi sooner than later...it just seemed logical.  But I just bought the Orbi with satellite about 6 months ago and I don't need to upgrade nor do I need another satellite.  I wonder if Netgear would offer a trade-in offer for the entire system or even better just a satellite. I believe I would trade-in my satellite for this product because it would be better to have

an all-in-one product instead of three different devices. 

[JeffLambert670]

Will this support Airplay, or Airplay 2?

[michaelkenward]

Not yet. Maybe later.

[Blanca_O]

Hi JeffLambert670, 

Thank you for your interest on this feature.We recommend posting your suggestion on our Idea Exchange board. Our Product Managers review the board for great ideas to be implemented in future releases. Link is https://community.netgear.com/t5/Idea-Exchange-For-Home/idb-p/idea-exchange-for-home

Regards, 
Blanca 
Community Team

[JeffLambert670]

Will this model be available in Canada, as the Orbi for outside is not available in Canada. If it will be available, will it be at the same time as in the US, that is, fall 2018?

[Dustin_V]

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@JeffLambert670 wrote:

Will this model be available in Canada, as the Orbi for outside is not available in Canada. If it will be available, will it be at the same time as in the US, that is, fall 2018?

---

Hi Jeff,

At this time we don't have a date for Canada availability. Please feel free to check back with us in the future.

[Kristopher]

Hello,

Will this work with Orbi Pro?

When will it be available in the UK?

Thank you,

Kris

[MagicMikez32]

Is it correct that the speaker is AC2200? And sold with BKR50 (AC3000)?

What implications does this have on the network?

[michaelkenward]

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@MagicMikez32 wrote:

Is it correct that the speaker is AC2200?

What does that mean? Are asking about the wifi on the RBS40V?

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@MagicMikez32 wrote:

What implications does this have on the network?

---

In what sense?

[MagicMikez32]

Speaker functionality asside, the speaker satellite functions like an RBS40, is that correct?

If the above is correct, how does using an RBS40 in conjunction with an RBR50 affect the max potential performance of the network? This question has been asked before many times, and I have yet to find a relevant answer.

[michaelkenward]

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@MagicMikez32 wrote:

This question has been asked before many times, and I have yet to find a relevant answer.

---

That's the first time I have seen it asked.

Possibly it hasn't been answered because it isn't something that either makes sense or no one has bothered to investigate. Or they don't know what you want measured.

The Voice is a satellite. The only devices that will be any different from the rest of the network will be those that connect to the Voice.

The router, in my case an RBR40 in AP mode, will determine the overall performance of the network.

If I run speed tests with a connection to the the Voice, the AP or the (R7800) router I see no difference. But that is the internet connection. I'm not into measuring local speeds. Life's too short.

Among fellow users, no one has bothered to discuss the issue. But I'd better not say any more.

[MagicMikez32]

As you say, your RBR40 will be the limiting factor in your case.

Now imagine you bought the voice kit including the RBR50 and the RBS40v, I'm (obviously) no network expert, but this would no longer make the router the limiting factor?

The question around using lower model satellites with the RBR50 (and also pro spec) routers, and the implication is one I have searched, seen asked multiple times, and largely gone unexplained. For me, the interest is because the price for a single RBS50 is outragous, when I can get a pair (or sometimes 3) 40's for similar price. If the 40s work just as well, why would I buy a 50?

[martyfp]

---

@Kristopher wrote:

Hello,

Will this work with Orbi Pro?

When will it be available in the UK?

Thank you,

Kris

---

I would also like to know UK plans.

Also, is the speaker available as a stand-alone unit to add to an existing Orbi-system or is it only available as part of a kit?   

If available stand-alone it would be an interesting proposition.   We have a Google-Home in the kitchen which sits not too far from our Orbi-sat and we use it regularly for radio or spotify while cooking.  Our main gripe is the sound quality from the GH is not great so have been considering an upgrade to something better - this might fit the bill if the price is right (& sound quality is decent)

[michaelkenward]

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@martyfp wrote:
I would also like to know UK plans.

Also, is the speaker available as a stand-alone unit to add to an existing Orbi-system or is it only available as part of a kit?   

---

At a price:

NETGEAR RBS40V-100EUS Orbi Home Mesh Wi-Fi, Expansion, Smart Speaker, Amazon Alexa Built-In, White: ...

[martyfp]

hmm - I suppose the price is about on-par with something like a google-home-max  but a lot more than a sonos-one. However it does have the satellite built-in which is a bonus.

For me, a lot would depend on how good with sounds compared to the others.

[michaelkenward]

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@martyfp wrote:

For me, a lot would depend on how good with sounds compared to the others.

---

Indeed. But that's a very subjective issue.

It sounds OK to me, but it is mono, which bothers some people. No problem with most radio, but music?

[ekhalil]

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@MagicMikez32 wrote:

As you say, your RBR40 will be the limiting factor in your case.

Now imagine you bought the voice kit including the RBR50 and the RBS40v, I'm (obviously) no network expert, but this would no longer make the router the limiting factor?

The question around using lower model satellites with the RBR50 (and also pro spec) routers, and the implication is one I have searched, seen asked multiple times, and largely gone unexplained. For me, the interest is because the price for a single RBS50 is outragous, when I can get a pair (or sometimes 3) 40's for similar price. If the 40s work just as well, why would I buy a 50?

---

@MagicMikez32, The difference between the satellites in the AC2200 range (RBS20, RBS40, RBW30 and RBS40V) and the AC3000 range (RBS50) is in the backhaul links. The AC3000 satellites have 4x4 backhaul antennas (giving a 1.7 Gbps backhaul throughput if connected to AC3000 router) while the AC2200 satellites have 2x2 backhaul antennas (giving 867 Mbps throughput). WHich means that if you get the RBS40V Voice satellite and connect it to an RBR50 (AC3000 router) you will only get a max of 867 Mbps backhaul throughput from that specific satellite. The rest of the network will not be affected by this, that is all other satellites and the router's throughput will not be affected.

[MagicMikez32]

Thank you for the response! Appriciate this has taken the thread off topic... So if a network of AC2200's and a network of AC3000's have wired backhaul, the AC2200's and AC3000's would function the same?

[ekhalil]

Correct. If wired backhaul is used then both will have same throughput.
On the other hand the AC30000’s are made with bigger and more powerful antennas, and therefore provide better coverage.
I used both the RBR20/RBS20 and RBR50/RBS50 and I noticed a big difference both in front- and backhaul coverage between the two.