Best wifi 6 tri-band mesh network?

This week I just installed a Netgear Orbi System. It comes with a router and one extender. There are a few different versions. I got the RBK852 (AX6000) which is supposed to provide excellent coverage and awesome speed. So far so good. If you don't have gigabit speed internet then you could get the RBK752 (AX4200) or the RPK50 which have lower bandwidth capability.

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We have no ethernet hardwired connections in any of our rooms

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Are you opposed to adding some, or to running cable for ceiling mounted APs?

I have the Orbi wifi6 with 2 satellites, seems to work well overall. My house is about 6K sq ft and I get good coverage overall throughout and even outside.

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So is the new 6g channel worse than the current 5g channel over long distances?

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To be clear, WiFi6 is the "friendly" name for 802.11ax. It operates in the 2.4ghz and 5ghz bands. WiFi6E is even newer and not finalized (not sure wifi6 is actually finalized either) and adds the 6ghz band.

But yeah, physics dictates that higher frequencies are worse at penetrating objects and require more power to propagate further.

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Are you opposed to adding some, or to running cable for ceiling mounted APs?

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We are planning some remodeling next year, where I could get this taken care of as part of a bigger project. Right now I just want more reliable and faster wifi.

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Orbi RBK853

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Seems like it has pretty good reviews universally. For our smaller sized home, I think we can get away with just a router and a single satellite, but even that is $699. Is it worth so much money?

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Seems like it has pretty good reviews universally. For our smaller sized home, I think we can get away with just a router and a single satellite, but even that is $699. Is it worth so much money?

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Personally I think that's pretty steep. Also personally I don't like the look of them, and they are huge. But if you don't mind them I'm sure they will give you great speeds and coverage, I really haven't seen any negative reviews of them.



That said, let me digress a bit and list a few reasons you might want to run cable during your upcoming remodel.

Most mesh systems seem to work great, especially ones with dedicated backhaul like the Orbi. The problem (well, more of a limitation) with wireless backhaul is if you want your backhaul to operate at top speed, the satellite has to be within a certain distance from the main unit. And that means the satellite's service radius will overlap with the main unit's radius by a lot. It's mostly a waste of probably 1/3rd of the device's range because a large area will be double covered. If you try to stretch that distance and make the satellite cover more uncovered area, then its backhaul to the main will be slower and thus its entire coverage area will be slower. Granted these "slower" speeds will still likely be plenty fast for 99% of people and hardly noticeable, the ISP will almost always be the bottleneck. But if you ever set up a NAS or something, it might be a consideration. Wired backhaul avoids this problem, so 2 wired APs can cover roughly the area that 3 wireless mesh units would.

Second, wireless units have to be plugged into a wall outlet, which means the unit itself is near a wall. Near a wall is almost never the best place for an AP. Wired ceiling mounted APs avoid this problem because they get power via the data cable, so they can be placed near the center of a room.

Third is personal preference I guess, but I just want as few extraneous things sitting on shelves and plugged into the wall as possible. I have 2 APs on the ceiling, and I never even see them unless I look directly at them. And the kids never trip over a cord. And the robovac never sucks up a cord.


The downside is usually the installation cost, but for $700 you can buy 2 units, pay someone to install and configure, and still have a couple hundred left over to upgrade something else. Maybe buy a PoE switch to get rid of the injectors and tidy up a bit, then pocket the other $100 you still have. The other downside is they're harder to pack up and move to another house, but if you're settled for 5-10+ then it's worth it IMO.

I just got a new Orbi system. I have the Wifi 6 RBK752 (AX4200) - It is on sale for $379 at Best Buy (regularly $449), and is very similar to the more expensive RBK852, which retails for $699.

A couple of things:

1.) If your house is smallish, as I believe you said, the router may provide solid coverage for your whole house. The Orbi covers a lot of ground, I have found. Having a satellite may help you get additional coverage outside, by strategically placing the router and the satellite near outside walls.

2.) You can put your router and your satellite in out of the way places (a closet, for example). If your house is not that large, the closer proximity of the two units will compensate for the less than ideal placement.

3.) This is a Wifi 6 router that should have you future proofed. I don't know how much better the RBK852 would be for you, but reviews I've read say that for most people, the difference is negligible.

Orbi RBK752 vs RBK852

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By all accounts, the Netgear RBK752 hits the sweet spot for overall performance in relation to its price and is one of the best systems on the market to buy right now.

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