Best Wireless Mesh Network for a Large Home

Wireless Mesh Kit, By Netegar Orbi

In the year 2017, the “internet of things” has evolved into a wide array of wireless “smart home” devices for your house that just rely too much on a strong wireless signal to be using some old weak wireless technology that frequently drops off at any point. If you’re paying for Netflix HD streaming in your upstairs bedroom, you demand instant high speed picture and perfect high definition quality. Buffering is unacceptable and needs to be fixed.

With an old depreciated wireless N signal, you could never cover a 2,000+ foot home full of connected devices. You simply have to get Wireless AC and in many cases, not even a wireless extender will work. You just flat out need a “Mesh Wireless Network” such as the highly rated Netgear Orbi RBK50. This is the technological advance in home wireless that changes everything for your multilevel house.

What Makes Mesh Networking Better?

• Covers multi floor up to 5,000 square foot home
• Long range, no dead spots
• Wireless AC3000
• Dual channel 2.4Ghz & 5Ghz
• Dedicated 5ghz backbone between access points
• Tri-Band technology
• Full AC throughput
• Smart network
• Single WiFi SSID for entire home
• Works with any internet service provider
• Eliminates video buffering
• Constant speed throughput
• Enterprise Business Class wireless infrastructure for your home
• One button setup
• SEE AMAZON PRICE

With wireless mesh topology, you have one SSID casting concurrently from two locations providing what seems like one super long range full power wireless signal. Where as with an extender, your first wireless SSID casts to the extender, meeting in the middle and picking it up to recast it. Effectively losing half of the internet speed in the hand off. With the old extender option you also run into the issue of having to switch between networks as you travel around the house. Both SSID’s may have the same name, but as you leave the range of the base station and into the extended wireless, you switch to that SSID causing an interruption or momentary drop off of your connection while transitioning to the second router. The wireless extender set up may work for a device that does not roam around the house because it will stay on one SSID, but it is not the best choice for roaming or any laptop or TV that you want full speeds from. The Wireless Mesh presented here is the absolute best possible wifi solution for a large home. There are a few others on the market but they had big problems and that is why Netgear created the Orbi, the best in home wireless yet.

Easiest Set Up Possible
The Orbi WiFi is so easy to set up, I’m not even sure I want to call it installing anything. You really just press a button and they sync up on a dedicated backbone 5Ghz channel. You do not have to log into it or do anything to get them to talk to each other.

The Orbi device also has easy to use apps for both the iPhone and Android phones. You won’t really need this but some people like it. You can control things such as the name of your wireless network, aka SSID.

But most importantly, for the advanced user, The Orbi kit uses the same premium web interface as the Netgear Nighthawk series routers. Fully configurable firewall built in. This is a huge step up over any possible contenders. They all use proprietary configs that have not stood the test of time and lack essential features for any home network geek.

Orbi RBK40 Mesh Kit

Features
Easy to use app for iPhone and Android	Parental controls
Smart Network Technology	Works with Airport Express
WiFi Multimedia Quality of Service (WMM QoS)	Air Print
Guest networks	Automatic firmware updates
Secuirty Features
Full Firewall built in	WiFi Protected Access (WPA)
Denial of Service (DoS) attack prevention	Supports 801.11k and 801.11kv
WiFi Protected Access-Pre-Shared Key (WPA2-PSK)	Network Address Translation (NAT)
WiFi Protected Access-2 Enterprise (WPA2)	[AES] [TKIP] [AES] encryption options

Penetrate Thick Walls In Any Home
Many people have problems with their internet signal in the basement, 3rd floor or even the 2nd floor. Usually because of an obstruction between the two devices. With AC3000 Mesh Networking, this issue is eliminated and you will still obtain full speeds on the other side of the wall.
The 5Ghz will break through cinder block, solid concrete, steel, electrical signals, halogen bulbs, sheet rock, lathe plaster, and much more. You no longer have to worry about your wifi being too weak to get to the bedroom. No matter what kind of walls you have. Unless they’re lead, then you might have an issue.

Compatibility issues?
The Orbi Home Network setup is compatible with all Internet Service Providers. It is not a modem, it is a wireless networking system that plugs into your existing modem and casts the internet signal via wireless transmission to your computers, laptops, TV,s and phones.
That means Orbi will work with Comcast Xfinity, Time Warner Cable, Cox Communication, Century Link, AT&T, Brighthouse, Charter and more. Literally anyone. Cable, DSL, Uverse or fiber. You just plug into your modem.

Cons of Mesh Networking?

The biggest con is that it cost more because it is a newer technology and works better than the older wireless standards. This is something you just have to expect with electronics. It will not go down anytime soon because there is not going to be anything to replace this efficient system and there is no need.
The other con and a huge one for me, is it is not as advanced as an ASUS AC5300 which can get ranges up to 5,000sqft.

Orbi Vs. AC5300 Router?
Orbi range: 5,000 sq ft.
AC5300 range: 5,000 sq ft.

Sounds like the ASUS AC5300 is better for your home, right?

Well, maybe not. It really depends on your situation. While the AC5300 router has a bigger range, the speeds you will get on the outer perimeters of the coverage will not be full speed. It will be degraded over distance.
With the Orbi and the 2 router system, you will get full speeds at a much greater distance as the signal is recasts at full bandwidth without signal loss and degradation between access points. Yes, the Orbi can cover up to 5,000 sq ft, but you can buy an extra satellite receiver and extend the range in another direction or outside to a guest house. The ability to scale up by simply purchasing an extra receiver and pressing a button is a huge advantage, especially to those with really large homes.

I personally will always stand by the ASUS AC5300 for other reasons. Mainly, my house is not large enough nor will it ever be large enough to need an Orbi. Destined to be poor forever. If it was a big house though, I would have to get the Orbi regardless of my love for the AC5300. The ASUS works perfect for me and has the advanced option I need as a computer geek. It also has the USB 3.0 Ports in order too allow for me to set up external hard drives for my backups. It is highly unlikely you need any of this so the Orbi is surely for you.

Orbi versus eero home mesh kit (hint, the eero is terrible)

For some reason some claim the eero is a better home wireless mesh option but I think they are just old outdated websites if they recommend this equipment. Why? The eero cost a lot more, it only covers 1,000 square feet per router and you are forced to install a buggy app on your phone to manage it. It does not have Netgears high end long standing battle tested web interface and superior hardware. In fact the software is just garbage according to many. I have not even touched it because it lacks the technology. It was an early adapter from a company that just isn’t in the home or office wireless router business. I don’t even think it’s worth mentioning but some people have asked me how it stands up to the Orbi home mesh. It simply does not. It’s like comparing oranges to banana peels. Eero is a toy, stay away.

Orbi Versus Linksys Velop

The choice may be a lot harder when put side by side with the Linksys Velop so be sure to check the full comparison chart for details on why we still recommend the Orbi over the Linksys.

Summary of the Netgear Orbi Review

Bottom line is the Orbi is the best wireless range extender available today. It is an enterprise solution for a home network. Simple to set up and easy to add onto later. It will cover your entire home without signal loss or speed reductions while maintaining one large seamless wifi network so you can transition from router to router without interruption. It can handle up to 50 high usage devices and 250 normal usage devices at the same time without performance loss. So it can be used in an enterprise business application. It will easily cover a 5,000 square foot home and many report it works further than that. It will penetrate all types of obstacles to bring powerful speeds all over the house and even outside to guest houses and pool side. It is the ultimate solution with a one time cost that will last the lifespan of your home. It is going to be a long time before this wifi standard is replaced, if ever in our lifetime. Streaming 4k Ultra in the upstairs bedroom will never be a problem. However, if we switch to streaming holodecks into the backyard guest house, you may have to upgrade to whatever technology they come up with for that.

It should be noted that this does not act as a cable modem. If you use a service like Comcast or COX, you will still need to buy your own cable modem.