The Orbi WiFi system from Netgear has one of the best metrics in speed and coverage performance among the WiFi mesh products in the market right now. Together with Linksys Velop, Eero, Google WiFi, amplifi etc, these products are categorized as the new generation of WiFi network systems, also called Mesh WiFi.
Orbi also shines in other areas, in addition to pure speed and coverage, such as vast selection of product options, extensive software features, flexible connectivity options and much more.
Click to See our Recommended Orbi Model
People looking to buy an Orbi system often get confused about the various models available and have a hard time to decide which kit is the most suitable for their home or office.
In this article we’ll describe the different models and compare them so that you can get a better idea of what each one offers.
Table of Contents
Comparison Table
The table below summarizes some important specs of the most popular Orbi models. In this article we are comparing some other models in addition to the ones below so make sure to read the whole article for more comparisons.
Last update on 2019-08-19 at 03:49 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Models Notation
First lets start with the notation that Netgear uses to name the various models.
Orbi Kit Models
As you might know already, Orbi systems are usually purchased as kits which have a main Router unit and one or more Satellite units which are connected to the main Router either via WiFi Backhaul (dedicated 5 Ghz backhaul link with 1.7 Gbps data speed or 866Mbps speed depending on model) or via wired Ethernet cable.
The main Router unit is connected to the ISP modem or router offered by your Internet Service Provider.
Therefore, people usually buy a kit when starting out and for implementing a whole-home WiFi mesh system.
Netgear names the “Kit” models as RBKxx with the letter K showing that this is a Kit system having one Router and one or more Satellites.
The following are the most popular and best selling models:
- RBK30: 1 router + 1 wall-plug satellite (AC2200 wireless max speed of 2200 Mbps)
- RBK40: 1 router + 1 satellite (AC2200 wireless max speed of 2200 Mbps)
- RBK50: 1 router + 1 satellite (AC3000 wireless max speed of 3000 Mbps) (MOST POPULAR MODEL)
- RBK23: 1 router + 2 satellites (AC2200 wireless max speed of 2200 Mbps) (smaller size units)
- CBK40: 1 router + 1 satellite (AC2200) with built-in Cable Modem
Note:
The CBK40 is a special kit system whereby the router unit includes an embedded Cable Modem (DOCSIS 3.0). This means that if your internet connection is via a cable provider, you can replace the ISP cable modem with CBK40.
Here are some more 3-unit kits which have 1 router and 2 satellites (for wider coverage).
- RBK33: 1 router + 2 wall-plug satellites (AC2200 wireless max speed of 2200 Mbps)
- RBK43: 1 router + 2 satellites (AC2200 wireless max speed of 2200 Mbps)
- RBK53: 1 router + 2 satellites (AC3000 wireless max speed of 3000 Mbps)
Orbi Individual Models
In addition to purchasing a kit of Orbi units (i.e Router + Satellites) you can also purchase the Router and Satellite units individually for expansion of an existing network.
The individual standalone Router units are named as RBRxx with the letter R showing that this is a Router unit.
The individual Satellite units are named as RBSxx with the letter S showing that this is a Satellite unit.
The individual wall plug-in Satellite units are named as RBWxx with the letter W showing that this is a wall-plug Satellite unit.
- RBR20: 1 standalone Router (AC2200) up to 2000 sq.ft coverage (1 LAN port)
- RBR50: 1 standalone Router (AC3000) up to 2500 sq.ft coverage (3 LAN ports)
- RBW30: 1 individual Add-on wall-plug Satellite unit (AC2200) for extra 1500 sq.ft coverage
- RBS40: 1 individual Add-on Satellite unit (AC2200) for extra 2000 sq.ft coverage
- RBS50: 1 individual Add-on Satellite unit (AC3000) for extra 2500 sq.ft coverage
- RBS50Y: 1 individual Add-on Satellite unit (AC3000) for Outdoor use for extra 2500 sq.ft coverage
Orbi Kits Comparison
Since most people are interested in purchasing a kit model for whole-home wireless coverage, we will compare the most popular kit models below in terms of area coverage, speed, connectivity options etc.
RBK30 Vs RBK40
Area Wireless Coverage
- The RBK30 covers homes up to 3500 sq.ft
- The RBK40 covers homes up to 4000 sq.ft
WiFi Speed
- Both models have max combined WiFi speed of 2200 Mbps (AC2200 wifi models)
Connectivity
- The Satellite of RBK30 is wall-plug and does not include LAN ports.
- The Satellite of RBK40 includes 4xLAN Ethernet ports for wire connections.
- The Router unit of both kit models includes 1xWAN and 3xLAN ports.
RBK30 Vs RBK50
Area Wireless Coverage
- The RBK30 covers homes up to 3500 sq.ft
- The RBK50 covers homes up to 5000 sq.ft
WiFi Speed
- The RBK30 has max combined WiFi speed of 2200 Mbps (AC2200)
- The RBK50 has max combined WiFi speed of 3000 Mbps (AC3000)
Connectivity
- The Satellite of RBK30 is wall-plug and does not include LAN ports.
- The Satellite of RBK50 includes 4xLAN Ethernet ports for wire connections.
- The Router unit of both kit models includes 1xWAN and 3xLAN ports.
RBK40 Vs RBK50
- Eliminate WiFi dead zones and buffering - Whole home Mesh Wifi is a new type of connected system for seamless wireless coverage throughout your home
- Replaces your current router, and works with your modem and internet service. Compatible with major internet service providers including Comcast, Time Warner, and Verizon Fios
- Covers up to 4000 square feet with high performance WiFi - WiFi points work together so you can add more if you need additional coverage
Last update on 2019-08-19 at 03:49 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
- Ultra performance Mesh WiFi network blankets every inch of your home in super fast and seamless WiFi connectivity room to room, wall to wall, floor to floor
- Eliminates WiFi dead zones and buffering 5,000 square feet of consistent coverage with speeds up to 30 Gbps
- The most award winning Mesh WiFi system on the planet: PC Mag, CNET, Wirecutter, Forbes, SmallNetBuilder
Last update on 2019-08-19 at 03:49 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Area Wireless Coverage
- The RBK40 covers homes up to 4000 sq.ft
- The RBK50 covers homes up to 5000 sq.ft
WiFi Speed
- The RBK40 has max combined WiFi speed of 2200 Mbps (AC2200) and the backhaul band is 866 Mbps (the link connecting satellites with main router).
- The RBK50 has max combined WiFi speed of 3000 Mbps (AC3000) and the backhaul band is 1733 Mbps (the link connecting satellites with main router).
Connectivity
- The Satellites of both RBK40 and RBK50 include 4xLAN Ethernet ports.
- The Router unit of both kit models includes 1xWAN and 3xLAN ports.
Our Recommendation
- If your Internet connection is lower than 150Mbps and also you don’t have much internal home network traffic (i.e sharing files within your home, streaming video within the home network etc) then go with RBK40 model.
- If your Internet connection is more than 150Mbps and you also have some heavy internal traffic requirements (sharing files, streaming etc) then we suggest you to go with RBK50 model.
RBK23 Vs RBK50
The RBK23 is a newer and more economical model launched by Netgear to cover the needs of medium to large sized houses and with some reductions in hardware to lower the price.
The main hardware differences of the RBK23 compared to RBK50 (which is the best selling kit) are the following:
- Smaller size: (5.6 x 2.4 x 6.6 in) compared to (6.4 x 3.1 x 8.0 in).
- Fewer Internal Antennas: The RBK23 has 4 internal antennas compared to 6 antennas of RBK50.
- Fewer Wired Ethernet Ports: The RBK23 has 2 Ethernet Ports while the RBK50 has 4.
- Wireless Backhaul speed: The RBK23 has 866Mbps backhaul speed compared to 1733Mbps of the RBK50
Other than the above hardware differences, the main features of the RBK50 are also supported by RBK23 as well (such as Tri-band WiFi, wireless backhaul on 5Ghz band, beamforming, excellent speed performance etc).
So if you want to save some money and you don’t care much about the reduced hardware specs, then the RBK23 is an excellent choice.
- Creates a Mesh WiFi network that blankets your home in super fast, seamless WiFi ? room to room, wall to wall, floor to floor. Replaces your old router, works with your modem and internet service provider
- Eliminates WiFi dead zones and buffering ? 6,000 square feet of consistent coverage ? at speeds up to 2.2 Gbps (gigabytes per second)
- NETGEAR Armor Built in anti virus and data theft protection for all of your smartphones and computers. Protects your connected home from internet threats. Included trial covers unlimited devices
Last update on 2019-08-19 at 03:49 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Let’s see the rest of the main specs comparison below:
Area Wireless Coverage
- The RBK23 covers homes up to 6000 sq.ft
- The RBK50 covers homes up to 5000 sq.ft
WiFi Speed
- The RBK23 has max combined WiFi speed of 2200 Mbps (AC2200) and the backhaul band is 866 Mbps (the link connecting satellites with main router).
- The RBK50 has max combined WiFi speed of 3000 Mbps (AC3000) and the backhaul band is 1733 Mbps (the link connecting satellites with main router).
Connectivity
- The Router and Satellites of RBK23 include 2xLAN Ethernet ports (on Router there is 1WAN and 1LAN).
- The Router and Satellites of RBK50 include 4xLAN Ethernet ports (on Router there is 1WAN and 3LAN).
RBK33 Vs RBK50
The RBK33 kit contains one main Router wifi device and two wall-plug satellite units. All of the devices work with AC2200 wireless speed which means they support a maximum of 2200 Mbps theoretical combined speed on the wifi network.
- Creates a Mesh WiFi network that blankets your home in super fast, seamless WiFi - room to room, wall to wall, floor to floor. Replaces your old router, works with your modem and internet service provider
- Slim profile wall plug satellites make it super easy to extend your WiFi to any room with a standard electrical outlet, just plug it in and stream with speed
- Up to 123percentage faster than the leading brands, as certified by an independent study, makes Orbi the highest performance Mesh WiFi system on the market
Last update on 2019-08-19 at 04:19 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Although the RBK33 has a total of 3 wifi units compared to RBK50 (which has 2 units), the main limitation of the RBK33 is that the satellites are wall-plug units. This has two main disadvantages in my opinion:
- Wall-plug satellite units do not have LAN Ethernet wired ports.
- Wall-plug units don’t offer much flexibility regarding the location to place them in the house since they must be plugged on a power outlet. Usually power outlets are hidden behind furniture and are located lower on the wall. This might limit the area coverage of the system.
On the other hand, the wall-plug satellites of the RBK33 are slim profile and much smaller compared to RBK50. You just plug them on a power outlet for easy expansion of the mesh network.
Area Wireless Coverage
- The RBK33 covers homes up to 5000 sq.ft
- The RBK50 covers homes up to 5000 sq.ft
WiFi Speed
- The RBK33 has max combined WiFi speed of 2200 Mbps (AC2200) and the backhaul band is 866 Mbps (the link connecting satellites with main router).
- The RBK50 has max combined WiFi speed of 3000 Mbps (AC3000) and the backhaul band is 1733 Mbps (the link connecting satellites with main router).
Connectivity
- The Router of RBK33 includes 3xLAN wired Ethernet ports plus 1WAN Ethernet port for connecting to a cable or DSL modem. The satellite units do not include LAN ports.
- The Router and Satellite of RBK50 include 4xLAN Ethernet ports (on Router there is 1WAN and 3LAN) for a total of 7 wired Gigabit ports for connecting devices.
RBK50 Vs RBK53
RBK53 is currently the biggest Orbi kit you can get. RBK53 is basically the same hardware as RBK50 but it has 1 router + 2 satellites instead of 1 router + 1 satellite of the RBK50.
Therefore, the RBK53 will have the same stellar performance as the RBK50 but with much larger house area coverage. It is designed for very large houses with thick walls (up to 7500 sq ft areas, more than 2 floors etc) but its more expensive than the RBK50 model.
Ofcourse you can buy an RBK50 for now and add an extra satellite later on if you still need to cover bigger area. However, the cost of buying the 50 model and then buying an extra satellite later on will be higher instead of buying the 53 model kit.
Last update on 2019-08-19 at 04:19 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Area Wireless Coverage
- The RBK53 covers homes up to 7500 sq.ft
- The RBK50 covers homes up to 5000 sq.ft
WiFi Speed
- The RBK53 has max combined WiFi speed of 3000 Mbps (AC3000) and the backhaul band is 1733 Mbps (the link connecting satellites with main router).
- The RBK50 has exactly the same wireless characteristics as the above.
Connectivity
- RBK53 has lots of wired ports (4 LAN ports on each satellite and 3 LAN ports on router) with a total of 11 Gigabit wired ports.
- The Router and Satellite of RBK50 include 4xLAN Ethernet ports (on Router there is 1WAN and 3LAN) for a total of 7 wired Gigabit ports for connecting devices.
AC2200 and AC3000 Description
I have written an article in the past explaining the meaning of the “AC” specification in the new IEEE 802.11ac standard.
As explained in the article above, the number after the AC spec (AC2200 or AC3000) represents the combined maximum speed of all wireless frequency bands of the device.
In summary:
AC2200: This has 3 frequency bands (1 band at 2.4 Ghz and 2 bands at 5Ghz). The max wifi speed supported on the 2.4 Ghz band is 400Mbps and the max wifi speed supported on the 5 Ghz bands is 866Mbps (thus combined data speed is 400+866+866 = around 2200 Mbps).
AC3000: This also has 3 frequency bands (1 band at 2.4 Ghz and 2 bands at 5Ghz). The max wifi speed supported on the 2.4 Ghz band is 400Mbps and the max wifi speed supported on the 5 Ghz bands is 866Mbps and 1733Mbps (thus combined data speed is 400+866+1733 = 3000 Mbps).
Related Posts
- How to Create Separate SSIDs for 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz on Netgear Orbi
- Netgear Orbi Vs Nighthawk WiFi Routers (RBK50 vs X10-X6S-X4S-EX8000)
- Some Questions and Answers about Eero 2nd Generation WiFi System
- Eero 2nd Gen. Vs Netgear Orbi – Which WiFi System is Better in 2019?
- Questions and Answers (FAQ) about Netgear Orbi
This was really useful info, thanks for taking the time to write it
Hi Gareth,
I’m glad you’ve found my article useful. Thanks for commenting and have a great day.
Harris
I couldn’t decide which model is best suited for me until I came across your article. Thank you!
Jason,
I’m glad my article helped you to decide between the various Orbi models.
Thanks for your feedback
Harris
i really found your article useful. I was searching for 1 stop for information on netgear mesh routers. you have consolidated it very nicely. Thank you for your effort.
You are very welcome Jithin. I’m glad I helped with my article.
Harris
How about a comparison between Netgear Orbi RBK40 and RBK23. Which one would you suggest for a single floor house with coverage area of approx 4000 sq ft and considering the fact that both have a same price tag?
Ashish,
Between RBK40 and RBK23 I would select the RBK23 product because it has 3 units instead of 2 (i.e it has 1 router unit to be connected to the ISP modem and 2 satellite units). This makes it more future proof compared to RBK40. For example if you still have any dead spots you will have the flexibility to move one of the satellite units closer to the dead spot and cover that area as well.
Also, if you move to another home in the future (e.g 2 floors) then RBK23 will be a better choice in covering two floors as well.
Hope that helps
Harris
Very insightful! I was lost in the Orbi model jungle and you showed the way out. Much appreciated. Thank you!
I’m glad I have helped Bjorn. I liked the term “Orbi model jungle”…. that’s a good one !!
Which would you recommend of these two on Cyber Monday Deal?
From Costco: Netgear Orbi Mini 2-Pack AC2200 Tri-Band WiFi System
https://www.costco.com/Netgear-Orbi-Mini-2-Pack-AC2200-Tri-Band-WiFi-System.product.100398382.html
or from Amazon:
NETGEAR Orbi Whole Home Mesh WiFi System – WiFi router and 2 satellite extenders with speeds up to 2.2 Gbps over 6,000 sq. feet, AC2200 (RBK23)
https://www.amazon.com/NETGEAR-Orbi-Whole-Home-System/dp/B07CQDHPFT?ref_=Oct_DLandingS_PC_ec9acec6_NA&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&th=1
Thanks in advance.
Thank you for the detail – extremely helpful. I’ve bookmarked to revisit.
I finally understand the AC2200 vs. AC3000 I’ve been seeing all over. I feel the 2200 must be a clear update to the 5+ year old router I’m looking to replace – however, unsure if I should clearly purchase the best that’s out there?
One question I have is on ethernet usage vs. wifi? Because my current system is fairly weak – I have portable / extender kits that run through the AC Current of my home – which are then plugged in with ethernet ports on the back. My kids were always complaining about the lag and dropping from wifi – so we purchased this system. Will the Orbi wifi 2200 or 3000 be strong enough to run several devices on multiple floors of home – or should I make the purchase of model that has multiple ethernet outlets in back of satellite and look to maintain the “hard wire” to these devices?
Thx, Steve
Lynsie I would go with the RBK23 kit from Amazon. This is more future-proof than the RBK22 from Costco. Also, with 2 satellites instead of one you have much more flexibility in covering your whole house.
Steve,
I would recommend the RBK23 kit. From what I understand, you have multiple floors and devices and the RBK23 is ideal for such cases. Having the flexibility to place the 2 satellites in the house wherever you want is very useful in “fine-tuning” the wifi coverage. Also, each unit of the RBK23 has 2 Ethernet ports therefore you can mix-and-match your connectivity options.
Thanks so much for writing this. The range of options is confusing and your article does a great job of clarifying some areas of doubt I had around which option to go for.
Hey Mark thanks for stopping by and leaving your comment. I’m happy my article has helped you.
Harris
Thank you so much for your effort in sharing your knowledge. It is very helpful for me to understand every model/kit. I have a question: I have a Verizon Fios Gigabit plan internet only, is the CBK40 (modem-router combo) compatible to replace their quantum gateway combo? (which i am renting for a year now).
Thank you.
goodyl
Regarding Orbi CKB40 and Verizon Fios, the answer is NO it will not work. The CBK40 is a cable modem whereas Verizon Fios is fiber optic connection so its not compatible.
Great article on a confusing subject. many thanks.
We have a 2 story wood frame about 4500sqft. It is long and thin and the main modem is about the middle top of the home.
We are an Apple family wanting to update our aging Airport Extreme/Express set up. We have a Drobo disk array and another HD connected to the main Extreme router both running Time machine.
What would you recommend as our best system? RBK23, 50 or 53?
Can we still use some or all of our Airport system with it, say the Express for streaming music via its built in D/A converter?
Mahalo and aloha!
Hi Ray,
I would suggest to get the RBK50 and place the router on the floor with the main modem and satellite on the other floor. You will have plenty of wired ports to connect the disk arrays etc.
I don’t know the exact model of you disk arrays but the best option would be to have a network attached storage (NAS) system for backups etc. This means it should have a wired ethernet port to be connected to one of the Orbi units. That would be the best setup. Also, I’m pretty sure you can still use the existing Airport system e.g by connecting it to one of the LAN ports of the Orbi units.
Thank you for this information. I have a 1500 sq ft brick house on the coast and need to extend into my yard to access a smart watering device. Which unit is right for my situation?
WHen states 5000 sq ft coverage, how much area does 1 device cover?
Generally speaking and according to the manufacturer, each Orbi unit (router or satellite) covers around 2500 sq.ft. but of course WiFi signals are affected by many factors such as thickness of walls, types of wall material etc. For your case you will probably need to place one of the Orbi units inside the house but as close to the smart watering device as possible.
Thank you so much for the information. I would like to know what is is the difference or which would be a better choice the RBK23 or RBK43 ? Thank you in advance
The differences between RBK23 and RBK43 are mainly the size of the units (RBK23 is smaller) and the number of LAN ethernet ports (the RBK23 has 2 wired ports on each satellite unit while the RBK43 has 4 ports on each satellite).
Other than the above hardware and size differences, they are the same with regards to features and WiFi speed (both are Tri-band with maximum 2200Mbps – AC2200 on wireless speed).
The RBK23 is a newer model compared to RBK43 and was manufactured as a more economical alternative to other models. If you don’t need so many wired ethernet ports, I would suggest to get the RBK23 (better value for money).
Great atricle! I was so confused before reading this. I think I know what I want now.
Would it be best to get the RBK23 model and put the main router upstairs with the modem then put a satellite on the 1st floor of my house and the other in my basement?
I would say I have about a 1700 sq. Ft. House with a finished basement. If not that way I may do just the router and one satellite and dismiss the basement. Thanks in advanced!
Joseph,
I think the RBK23 model is an excellent choice for your specific house structure. The router unit has to be hardwired to the modem (using the yellow Internet port on the router) so it must be close to the modem. Therefore your 2 satellites should be placed in the other floors (ground floor and basement). Therefore what you suggest is correct.
If the basement satellite has a hard time to sync to the router on top floor, you will need to look into daisy chaining (see this link from Netgear: https://kb.netgear.com/000048458/What-is-daisy-chain-and-how-does-it-work-with-my-Orbi-WiFi-System).
Regards
Harris
Excellent and helpful article.
I spotted an RBK23 in our local Costco today for an attrative price of AUD375 (about USD270) which is pretty good as it includes taxes.
So I’m thinking of getting a set of three to replace the collection of wifi router, powerplugs and access point into one neat system.
A few things I’d like to ask:-
Background:
We are a retired couple so the house if not filled with people downloading and streaming all day long.
We have a longish single story house. Distance from where the router will be in the TV room (at the back end of the house) and my study (towards the front of the house) will be up to 20 metres. The house is 2300 square feet and we could if needed place an additional satellite in one room mid way (or sell it if not required).
– How does the back-haul work – I assume it uses the 5Ghz band which is usually associated with performance drop off through walls. So how does it make maximum use of the available bandwidth – or does it suffer degradation to the extent of the weakest link in the chain.
– If I have my server in my study which streams via Plex to the TV at the back of the house will back-haul bandwidth not be a limiting factor (usually stream at 1080p).
– a further more general question about bandwidth (Orbi’s > clients) – is bandwidth allocated to clients according to the requirements of the activity of that client (so that if client A is composing an email but client B is streaming Netflix, client B would be allocated more bandwidth – or is bandwidth just allocated equally irrespective of the demands of the process.
Thanks
Malcolm,
The RBK23 will be a very good choice in your situation. Since it has 3 units, you will have much flexibility in placing the devices around the house to achieve best coverage.
The backhaul of RBK23 is on 5Ghz band and has a theoretical speed of 866Mbps. This is the maximum theoretical speed which is never reached in any WiFi device. However around 150-200Mbps on the backhaul is achievable which is more than enough to stream 1080p video.
Hi.
Thanks for a really great article, it has answered a heap of questions. I see people have asked about a few specifics in the questions above (and the answers are really helpful). So I am keen to get your input on my specific situation too, if you’d be so kind.
I have a timber framed, longish house. I am building an office in my garage at the far end, approx 20m from existing router. We recently upgraded to a new fibre package with 900mb/s down 450mb/s up. I have found the 5ghz on the new router sucks for range and stability. However when close to the router speed tests indicate around 450mb/s download, which is great. Forcing to 2.4ghz for the network gets my range back, but speeds plummet. Apart from my office (which is going to be mostly just big emails and offsite storage traffic), we have a family who stream video a far bit. So…
I am trying to decide between the RBK50 and the 23. It seems it comes down to a) 3 units will be an advantage (but maybe overkill), and b) the backhaul speed of the 50 being much better.
I do not want to have ANY loss of speed as I pay slightly more for our 900/450 fibre. Given that, am I best to just spend the extra on the RBK 50 to ensure the mesh system does not bottleneck and reduce speeds? (I am also not keen on spending more if I dont have to, of course lol). Will the difference in backhaul speed make a noticeable difference to my download/upload speed of around 450mbs that I currently achieve?
Thanks in advance
Richard
Hi Richard,
In your situation (since you want to maintain a down/up speed of around 450Mbps) I would suggest the RBK50 model. Having a theoretical speed on Backhaul of 1733Mbps (1.7Gbps) it will maintain that speed even with the loss in signal and overhead of the wifi network. Ofcourse, you will have to place the router at the same point of your existing router and then place the satellite close to the office. Then you must connect with the satellite using the 5Ghz band to achieve higher speeds.
What a great article. Clearly explained and helpful answers to follow-up questions as well. I was pretty confused before I read your explanation. Excellent. Thank-you
I’m glad I’m helping you guys here. Thanks for your feedback.
Harris
Thanks for the prompt reply.
I suspected the RBK50 was the way to go with those speeds, but you have confirmed that for me. Unfortunately it will cost me a little more, of course. But at least I now know it is not money wasted.
Thank you very much again.
Regards
Richard
You are welcome Richard,
Of course my suggestions are based on what I’m reading from you and I’m not guaranteeing that everything will work exactly as you want them to be. WiFi coverage and performance are based on so many variables like environmental conditions, interference from other devices, house materials and structure etc.
Harris
I’m just beginning to educate myself on the Orbi system, and this article has already answered more questions for me than I ever would have thought to ask.
So, this simple question: regarding the extenders, does it make any difference in performance if I purchase the plug-in vs. the stand-alone model?
Hi Les,
There is no difference in performance between the plug-in and the stand-alone satellite extenders. The only difference is that with the stand-alone models you have the flexibility to place them on top of furniture (such as tables etc) or move them around to improve the reception. On the other hand, the plug-in models must be placed on a power outlet so this might be somewhat limiting.
Thank you for your excellent article. I am writing from France where we have a very large 400+ sq ft and are building a studio in the barn that will add another 100+ sq ft. Our WiFi speeds are very slow, 16mps, but generally fast enough for our needs if we are next to the router. Our house is L shaped and walls 18inches thick in most places. The modem is in the center of the house. I am thinking we need two satellites but don’t know if I should go with RBK23 or RBK53. Which would you recommend ? Many thanks in advance.
Donelle,
As you describe your home with such thick walls, I would go with the most powerful Orbi model which is RBK53. You will have to place the router Orbi next to your existing modem/router and the two satellites evenly placed inside the house. Definitely you will need at least two satellites so the RBK53 is a very good choice.
Harris
Really great article. I’ve read it several times. I’m trying to decide between the RBK23 vs 50 vs 53.
I have a 5000 sq ft house, 2 floors, generally in a stretched out U shape. I currently I have 2 airport extremes (downstairs- 1 directly connected to modem, 1 via powerline extender) and 1 airport express (upstairs) to get coverage. The biggest problem is the only place I can connect my modem is at the far end of the house on the first floor. My ISP provides 400/400 mps speed, which I get in the part of the house near the router, but only 5-15 mps at the other end of the house and upstairs.
Would really appreciate your opinion.
Thanks,
Mike
Mike,
Considering the structure of your house, you definitely need a three-unit kit. This means the RBK50 is not an option in my opinion. You are left with either RBK23 or RBK53. I believe the cheaper RBK23 will work fine according to the following scenario:
I hope this helps
Harris
This is a great article and thank you very much.
I am considering either the RBK23 or RBK50 and was wondering what would fit best for my house and circumstance. House is a typical 2 story colonial 3000sqft and will be fixing up basement soon adding another 1500sqft. I have Netflix used regularly in 3 different rooms all approx 30 feet from each other and I work from home in a separate office. Kids do lots of gaming and video streaming on Xbox and iPads.
If I purchase the RBK50 they would be placed on either side of the house on the first floor, I the RBK23 is purchased I would place in those two room plus the master bedroom upstairs. Will placing the unit upstairs make a big difference would be my question as it would be smack in between the RBK50 placement just one level up.
Also if I buy either of these models can I just add more units at a later point in time if needed and can I swap units say I buy the RBK50 will it work with the RBK23 unit?
Erik
Hi Erik,
I would suggest getting the RBK23 and place two units downstairs (router+satellite) and one satellite unit upstairs. If the upstairs satellite unit has strong enough backhaul wireless link towards the router, then great. Otherwise, you can buy two powerline extender adopters and use those to connect the upstairs satellite with the downstairs router. Ofcourse if you have ethernet wired cabling running between the floors that’s even better.
Thank you very much. Really appreciate your advice.
Mike
I have a 3100 +/- sq. ft. home, but we don’t really use the second floor. We are limited to dsl, since neither Verizon nor Cox want to spend the money to run cable the third of a mile back to my house. My download speed runs about 26 – 29 Mbps download an 0-2 up. Since it comes into the house at one end, we get no wi-fi at the other end. Would any of the Orbi products help us?
Barbara,
From what you describe me, one of the lower-end Orbi kits will be sufficient for you since you essentially have only one floor and the Internet speed is fairly low.
I would recommend either the RBK22 or the RBK40. They are both two-unit kits so you will connect the router unit to the DSL router and then place the satellite unit at the other end of the house.
You will have to disable WiFi on the DSL router and provide wifi only from the Orbi units.
Hi, thanks for the great info.
I’ve read a couple of times people grumbling about mesh wifi not being able to dedicate devices to a single band 2.4 or 5, does Orbi do this? Or does it jump between is it not really an issue? What issues does it cause?
Thanks for your help.
Usually mesh systems work with a single SSID (for both 2.4 and 5 GHz bands) as this is one of their advantages.
The Orbi works the same way out of the box (i.e single SSID) and will arrange each device to connect to an appropriate band (either 2.4 or 5 Ghz).
If the above feature causes any problems with your devices, there is a workaround to create two separate SSIDs (one for each band) but this requires some technical knowhow (you need to connect to the Orbi units with Telnet and change some settings). See this link:
https://community.netgear.com/t5/Orbi/How-to-set-a-separate-SSID-for-the-5-GHz-network-on-your-Orbi/td-p/1396594
Harris
Wow! Great article. I am searching for the best option for our current home and for the next home we will be moving into later this year.
Current home: 2 story, 3500 sq.ft., 1st floor-office/living/master/pool area, 2nd floor-loft & 3 bedrooms.
New home: 1 story, 5500 sq.ft. 3 bedrooms on one side, living in the middle, master on the other side, pool/patio out back. There’s a detached garage with an office in the back so need to reach that area too.
Would you please recommend the best option for both homes? I don’t mind adding satellites later if that’s recommended but would be willing to buy a larger kit too for less hassles later. Thank you in advance!!
Hey Lisa,
For Current Home:
I recommend to buy the RBK50 kit because it will serve you for the new home as well. Install the router unit on 1st floor and satellite on 2nd floor. I assume that the ISP modem comes in at the first floor because you must connect the Orbi router to the ISP modem.
For New Home:
Use the RBK50 above and maybe you will need to buy one more satellite to cover outdoor spaces. You can use the “daisy-chain” functionality (https://kb.netgear.com/000048458/What-is-daisy-chain-and-how-does-it-work-with-my-Orbi-WiFi-System) if you can’t connect all satellites to the main orbi router.
Great article. Right now I am trying to decide between the RBK50 and the RBK23. My home is about 3800 square feet two story home with a finished basement. Currently the router and modem are in the basement and I would like to keep it that way. How does the throughput speeds compare between the RBK50 and the RBK23?
The RBK50 has larger internal antennas and the wireless backhaul speed between satellite and router is higher (1.7Gbps vs 866Mbps). So the RBK50 has theoretically better throughput speed on the backhaul compared to RBK23. However, if you have a cable run between basement and ground floor, you can connect with ethernet a satellite on ground floor with the router in basement and thus wireless backhaul speed will be irrelevant.
I have a 1200 sq ft concrete block home with an outdoor shed about 50 ft away from garage. The modem & router are on the complete opposite side of the house. Would the rbk50 be sufficient (1 satellite 3000) or the rbk23 or rbk43 (2 satellites 2200)?
Hello, you don’t specify how many floors you have. The RBK50 will be sufficient for the home but maybe there will be a coverage problem in the shed.
We have a 2000 sq ft home it’s a side split style two floors at one end of the home. Our wired connection is at the other end of the home so the basement and bedroom at the far end have weak connections. Looking at the RBK23 & RBK50 thinking the RBK23 would be sufficient any advice or recommendations?
Sherry, yes I believe the RBK23 would be sufficient. You will have to connect the router unit to the wired modem and the satellites can be spread in the rooms accordingly.
This’s an tremendous detail article for Orbi product line with all the info. we may need. Thank so much for your help! It’s been soooo useful!!!
Great reading, placed a offer $85 for never used RB43 2200 , 2000 square foot house , 2 floors ..would you recommend..thanks
Philip, yes the RBK43 will be more than enough for 2000 sq.ft house. You will have 3 units to distribute wifi everywhere. I recommend placing the router unit somewhere in the middle of ground floor and the two satellites at first floor (on each end). However the placement always dependents on the layout of the house, structure etc.
Quick question. Can you combine a satellite with ac2200 specs with an ac3000 router? For example, if I buy a rbk50 (1 router + 1 satellite) and then add a 2nd satellite with ac2200 specs?
Yes it will work but the clients connecting to the satellite will be using the ac2200 specs.
Need a bit of help if you can? We have “ok” internet provided by Spectrum. We have a 2 building motel, first building offers 2 apartments on an upper level then 5 more motel rooms, 3 of them are two floors and 2 rooms are basic single story rooms. Then a 6 foot walkway Between our second building which offers two floors with six room. We have approximately 4500 sq feet in the first building and then approximately 3400 sq foot in building 2. Our wireless for our guest is always spotty even after we purchased two WiFi bullet extenders. Can you recommend a system for us?
Kathy,
For such a property, a normal home wifi system will not be enough. The best way to cover both buildings is by using access point wireless devices on each floor (more than 1) and connect those access points with wire cabling to the main router/modem connected to Spectrum. Wireless repeaters and extenders don’t work well in crowded environments because the signal degrades by half with each extender.
The best way is to use ethernet cabling.
Hope I helped
Harris
Great article and based on the info provided decided to go for the RBK30 + RBW30 as it was a special offer of £85 on Amazon. I bought another RBK30 + RBW30 as well because I needed an additional satellite. The question I have is though, do you know if there is away of turning the spare RBK30 into a satellite?
CheerZ
Glenn,
Each Orbi RBK kit includes one router unit and 1 or more satellite units. The router unit can’t be turned into a satellite though.
Hello. I live in a townhouse (1,500 sq ft) and I have Spectrum internet coverage. I am not a “gamer;” however, I have computers, smart tv’s and I stream. I have issues with intermittent signal. Someone suggested that I purchase the Orbi. One store sold the RBR20 for $179 and another store had RBK30 for $159. I purchased the RBK30, because it was a better deal. Is this product sufficient for coverage?
Hello Melanie,
Certainly the RBK30 is more than enough for covering a 1500 sq ft home. The manufacturer advertises up to 3000 sq ft so even if the system does not reach the whole spec coverage it will still be sufficient for your home.
Thank you BlogAdmin. I am not very tech savvy and I value your opinion.
You are welcome Melanie
Thanks for your support and guidance. Read the article and the blog questions thereafter.
Question: I was told by Netgear tech support if I bought a router with a bigger coverage area for a smaller zone then there could be some interference from the zone which is not being used- gave me an example of filling a small sand box with the sand of a large sand box. For example, RBR20 covers approximately 1500 sq. ft. versus the RBR40 covers approximately 2 to 2500 sq. ft. and so on with the RBR50 covering 5000 sq. ft. ( the numbers here in may not be accurate but do confirm the range area differences). If this is true, and I get the smaller zone specific router, I may not be able to take advantage of the higher backhaul and bandwidth of the large zone areas. Can I get a smaller zone router where I can avoid the bigger zone interference, and still have the higher bandwidths .
Your blog on 4/26/19 states: “The RBK50 has larger internal antennas and the wireless backhaul speed between satellite and router is higher (1.7Gbps vs 866Mbps). So the RBK50 has theoretically better throughput speed on the backhaul compared to RBK23. ”
In the end my thinking is how bad is the negative(the interference) compared to the larger speeds?
Thank you!
Hi there,
Don’t worry much about interference because you can minimize it by changing the operating wifi channel of your orbi. There are software tools available (e.g Windows WiFi Analyzer: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/p/wifi-analyzer/9nblggh33n0n?activetab=pivot:overviewtab) which can help you to find the best channel in your home to minimize interference.
So, what I’m saying is that you should look into covering your own home area with the best model which provides also the best speed and don’t worry much about interference.
Blog admin,
Discovering your article has been a Godsend and responses you’ve provided to questions has been enlightening .
I have Fios service to the house (Verizon now Frontier) and an ISP supplied ONT box which is connected to the coax cable running throughout the house. The existing Fios compatible modem/router has difficulty providing Wi-Fi to our 3 “smart” TVs. The house is two story 3800SF. I was planning to purchase the RBK53 and replace the modem/router. Would you please recommend a Netgear modem that will work on my existing set up and connect properly with the RBK53? Thank you. (it’s a darn shame Netgear doesn’t offer their Orbi modem/router in the AC3000 spec) I also have Netgear Arlo wireless security system.
John,
I believe this article/guide will help you: https://medium.com/@davidmartinez/enable-your-onts-optical-network-terminal-ethernet-for-internet-service-with-a-phone-call-to-2a11c58c574d
Basically, if you want to use the Orbi RBK53 you will need to have an ethernet cable (Cat6) coming from the ONT box to the WAN (Internet) port of your Orbi router unit. This specific setup however is good only for Internet access service (not TV).
Hi! Such a great article! We have a hundred year old house, 3 stories + basement (plaster walls/ceilings). Two gamers, plus 5 other who stream/surf. The gamers are in the basement and the streamers are on the third floor… modem is on second. Which of their systems would be better? The ac2000 with three units or the ac3000 with two units? Thank you in advance!
Heather, thanks for your kind words.
In such a house, any Orbi model will have a hard time to cover the whole area and all traffic demands. If I were you, I would get the ac3000 with 3 units (that is RBK53) and also I would implement some ethernet wiring as well (maybe from second floor to basement). Place the router unit on second floor (connect with the modem) and the other two units on floor 3 and basement.
Hi there, thanks for your time and effort.
I’m a newbie here and I’m looking to upgrade my coverage area.
I have a double story home( brick and steel) high ceilings 13ft+ each story. Unfortunately it’s kind of partitioned with walls etc. Each floor.has a built up area of about 1000sq ft
I can’t get a handle on of I should go for an RBK 50 or 53.
Or if I should just get the rbk 23 and save a ton of money.
Any help is appreciated.
Many thanks.
If you interested mainly for coverage I would suggest a kit with 3 units (either the RBK53 or 23). If you don’t need have a lot of demanding speed needs, then RBK23 is a great option.
Thank you for putting this article together!
FYI Amazon has the RBK44 for sale
Thanks again
Hi – just purchased the Orbi RBK20W. We are switching to Spectrum 400mbps/20mbps from Verizon 100/100 and switching from cable to streaming tv. Hope I didn’t make a mistake, but that is why we purchased the router. We have a 1650 sqft home, mostly plaster walls but pretty open. Lots of devices, probably 16-20. Really concerned about the gaming, tv streaming and internet connectivity. Is this the proper router? The store reps were divided between this and the Google mesh. We chose the RBK20W because of the square footage limit of up to 3,500. Also, had read something about if the house is too small (router and satellite too close together), connectivity could slow down. And is it advisable to hook up one of the gaming systems to the router via ethernet?
Teresa,
I believe you will be ok with this model although you didn’t describe the layout of the house (i.e how many floors etc). The only disadvantage I see is that the router unit has only 1 ethernet wired port so you are limited to that. I’d definitely recommend to connect the gaming system to the ethernet. Also, if you want more wired connections you can get an ethernet switch (4-5 ports) and expand the wired ports for connecting more devices.
If you place the satellite plug-in unit to a position where will expand the wifi signal to areas which the router doesn’t cover then you will be fine.