Introduction

With an Ubiquiti Labs product being the focus of attention in TechPowerUp's renewed coverage of networking products earlier this year, I wanted to get a better feel for the market by checking out products from other companies next. When it comes to networking and routers in general, NETGEAR has become synonymous with the field over the years by branching out to various specific niche applications and adapting to the needs of the ever-connected world. Their Orbi family of Wi-Fi systems offers mesh networking and promises excellent performance across a range of coverage areas while being simple enough to set up and monitor for the lay person. Today, we examine how well the product stands up to these claims, and thanks again to NETGEAR for sending a review sample to TechPowerUp.


As of the date of this article, there are over ten different Orbi Wi-Fi systems already, and this is on top of standalone accessories, including a new satellite unit for outdoor coverage that was announced at CES this year. This may seem like a minefield to navigate, but NETGEAR does make things simple by using product names that are linked to the total wireless bandwidth, with a larger number typically having higher specifications. For example, this review is of the RBK50 that consists of a router unit (RBR50) and a satellite unit (RBS50), both of which support wireless AC and a maximum wireless bandwidth of 3000 Mbps, thus explaining the AC3000 added to the name in most places. The RBK50 system supports tri-band Wi-Fi with a dedicated radio for wireless backhaul and also has had support for Ethernet backhaul added recently, making this a product that should interest a large section of customers looking to establish a new home network. We begin the review with a look at the specifications below.

Specifications

Packaging and Accessories

First impressions are often long-lasting, and NETGEAR wants to make sure you remember it all. The product box for the Orbi RBK50 is a big cube that comes wrapped in plastic and inside a four-sided cardboard sleeve over a blue cardboard box. No side of the sleeve has been left empty as we see a nice illustration of the Wi-Fi system along with the company and product name on front, although without the actual RBK50 part here. On the two sides of the sleeve, we get more information pertaining to the marketing features, including another illustration of the coverage area and a quick visual reminder to have the two units located at different places in your home/office. Similarly, we see some snippets from a few chosen reviews and media coverage on the box, but we will obviously judge the product ourselves for an informed decision in our conclusion.


The back of the sleeve houses more useful information—a quick list of contents inside to check and compare against your own kit, technical specifications and support, and a few QR codes to help get you started towards setting up the product via mobile apps if you decide to go that route. Turning the box over to one of two exposed sides the sleeve does not cover, we see that the inner blue cardboard box is actually made of two pieces. Sliding the sleeve off, it is recommended to have the larger part of the inner box facing upwards such that when you remove it the contents do not just spill out. Here, we can see the snug fit given to the router and satellite units via the packaging, as well as the accessories, such that they are held in place during shipping and handling.


A quick start guide comes placed between the two units, and is naturally the first place to start examining things more carefully, so good placement there. I recommend keeping it close until the system is set up, if only because there are multiple ways to set up and monitor the Orbi system and you may want to be aware of your options. The guide is also good about giving you information on what the LED colors at the top of the units signify, which may save you some frustration and time. Between the two units comes also the accessory box, which houses a manual for more information about the unit as well as the relevant accessories neatly packaged in their own compartments for a flat fit. Here, we get two power adapters and two Ethernet cables, which will be used to get the system up and running.


The power adapter, in white to match everything else we have seen so far, works for a wide range of input voltages (100 to 240 V), but with a limited frequency range of 50-60 Hz. On a 110 V/60 Hz line, say, it takes in 1 A of max current for a rated power input of 60 W and outputs a max of 42 W over 12 VDC and 3.5 A. In theory, the two units could thus draw a max of 84 W in total, although power adapters tend to play it safe. I am not a fan of the plug configuration, however, since it ends up taking a lot of room sideways and could block more ports on a power adapter. If you plan to use this with a standard wall socket, you should be good to go. Another thing to note here is that the label on the adapter specifies 3.5 A whereas the product page says 2.5 A; in cases of such a discrepancy, always go with the certification label.

The provided Ethernet cables are flat and two meters long, which allows for a decent amount of room for cable management along a wall if needed. They terminate in a standard RJ45 connector on either end and are compatible with the 1 gigabit Ethernet LAN ports on the two units. The AWM style, 32 AWG 2854 hook-up wire used in the cable has been reliably used by other industries for harsher applications, so I am confident these two cables will work just fine.