While pricey, the Netgear Orbi is one of the fastest, most powerful routers we've tested, even without its mesh extension.

Phenomenal performance; Dedicated router-to-extension data channel; MU-MIMO technology; Choice of app or browser setup

Relatively large devices; Expensive; Limited functionality on mobile app for now

I've been using the Orbi for more than 3 months now. During those 3 months I haven't had a single instance of instability, and the performance has been outstanding! I've installed a few mesh products for friends and family, and while this was probably the least straightforward installation of them,...

Bought this based on the rating - it is the worst wifi equipment I have ever owned and the least supported. Beware - go online to Orbi support groups to find out about how much maintenance this takes to work properly and that is if the firmware updates are done in the proper order for the...

Sometimes, no amount of prime router placement can get you decent Wi-Fi coverage throughout your house. Netgear isn't the first to try and solve this problem, but its new Orbi Wi-Fi system tackles it pretty handily.

Excellent coverage; Easy setup; Approachable design

Mighty pricey; Finicky Wi-Fi band settings

A great wireless router is an essential element of tech life, whether you're building out a smart home or you just want the best experience streaming music and video at home.

Strong Wi-Fi performance (with a satellite, Three-port gigabit ethernet switch on the router; four-port switch on the satellite, Dedicated 4x4 radio for backhaul, Robust feature set, Exceptional performance under stress (and at range, with two nodes or more, Attractive, unobtrusive industrial...

Not nearly as fast as the competition when operating solo; Physically larger and more visually obtrusive than the competition; USB port is currently dormant; Only two ethernet ports; No USB port for storage or printer support; Expensive; No dedicated channel for data backhaul; Must use a smartphone...

When it works, it works well. Unfortunately it is very inconsistent with iPhone devices and bandwidth appears to degrade over time. The devices require frequent reboots of the central and satellite device.

I got the Orbi AC3000 kit yesterday. It took me 15 minutes to install after I read the 3 pages booklet and some internet info. I was rigged with a switch, an Apple time capsule Extreme router and three airport express extenders.

The Orbi RBK50 Wi-Fi system from NETGEAR is not a recent launch and is in fact over a year old now, having launched at an MSRP of $399.99. It got rave reviews at the time by being what was then possibly the best-performing mesh Wi-Fi system, and today, it has just gotten better with updates to...

User friendly Wi-Fi mesh system (if you stick with one tool to set up and monitor; Excellent routing performance with a strong signal and low attenuation in the test area; High throughput maintained across both wireless N and AC networks in the test area; A high degree of settings and options...

Expensive; A confusing collection of setup and monitoring options that can potentially overwhelm customers; USB port on either unit is not accessible with a storage device; Warranty of only a year

It's pricey but worth it. Was having issues with streaming Netflix / Hulu in certain areas of the house. This solved the problem. Easy set up and no more buffering. Simple and effective.

Mesh Wi-Fi networks have been all the rage ever since Eero introduced its first router system last February. These Wi-Fi systems are designed for large houses or offices that would typically need to be served by multiple routers or Wi-Fi range extenders.

Great range; Excellent performance; especially over large distances; Easy to set up

Expensive; Barebones app