By knocking out a wireless band, the Netgear Orbi WiFi 6 Dual-band Mesh System (RBK353) is much cheaper than other Wi-Fi 6 Orbi products. It’s still a good performer, and it’s nice to see a decent collection of Ethernet ports. However, the system is still quite expensive and you can get similar performance for less with other products.
Professional
- Good price for a three-node system
- Stable and reliable Wi-Fi
- Easy to set up
Cons
- There is no parental control
- More expensive than similar nighthawk systems
Key specification
- Review Price: 329.99
- Wireless mesh system
- Wi-Fi 6 (2-stream 5GHz 1200mbps, 2-stream 2.4GHz 600mbps)
- Gigabit Ethernet WAN
- 3x Gigabit Ethernet (Router), 2x Gigabit Ethernet (Satellite)
- 178 x 145 x 61 mm
Wi-Fi 6 may be the future of home networking, but basic products, especially counterfeit systems, are more expensive. Now, with the Netgear Orbi WiFi 6 Dual-band Mesh System (RBK353) you can get a Wi-Fi 6 Mesh system with a router and two satellites for just 250.
It is assumed that this system has less wireless stream and is only a dual-band system, where most of the Arabic line-up is tri-band.
Netgear Orbi WiFi 6 Dual-Band Mesh System (RBK353) Design and Setup – Easy and easy to operate with the Arabic app
- The Arabic app takes you through the installation
- New routers and satellites are too small
- Decent number of Ethernet ports
The original Orbi WiFi 6 product was quite chunky, but the RBK353 is much smaller. In the box, you will find a router and two satellites, although there is a cheaper version with two satellites (RBK352). Each device is a small box with rounded edges (178 x 145 x 61 mm). They are easy enough to place where you want them.
The router needs to be connected to your internet modem via the Gigabit Ethernet WAN port. Keep in mind that you won’t get the fast 2.5Gbit / s port you’ll get with a more expensive Arabic system. Even so, owning one is still beyond the reach of the average person.
You also get three gigabit Ethernet ports to connect the device, which gives you a fair chance.
Although the satellites look physically identical, they have two gigabit Ethernet ports. This is more of a Netgear Nighthawk Mesh WiFi 6 system. Not only can you connect more devices to the satellite, but there’s an added bonus: you have an extra port if you decide to connect the Arabian satellites together via Ethernet.
For most people, the Orby system will be configured in wireless mode, with routers and satellites communicating via Wi-Fi 6.
The setup is done through the Netgear Orbi app, which takes you through the installation of the router, its connection to your Internet, and the installation of the satellite. Everything takes a few minutes to complete and at the end, you have a secure wireless network ready to go.
Netgear Orbi WiFi 6 Dual-Band Mesh System (RBK353) Features – Easy to control but lacks parental control
- Optional security features to protect your home network
- The Orbi app gives you easy control
- There is no parental control software
For the main, RBK353 is controlled from your phone via the Orbi app. If you’re signed in to a Netgear account, you can remotely control the system, even reboot when you’re out. This is a simple problem solving tool.
From the app, you can see what’s connected to your network and you can change the network name and password. You can also enable or disable guest networks. In fact, in most cases, it gives you all the levels of control you need every day.
From here you can turn Netgear Armor on and off. It is a security system, powered by BitDefender, that protects all your devices from Internet security threats. In the face of increasing attacks against smart devices, this is a useful tool if you want. You’ll get a 30-day trial in the box, though you’ll have to pay £ 59.99 per year to increase your coverage.
What you don’t get is Circle Parental Control, which is not yet available on any Orbi Wi-Fi 6 system; It is only available on older Wi-Fi 5 Orbi systems. This is a real shame, as it is a useful tool for parents, providing you with Internet filtering and access control features on children’s devices.
There’s also a web browser interface that mimics the features you get in the Orbi app, and you’ll also get some extras. From here, you can choose which wireless channels you want to use and you can also turn on BT IGMP support, if your BT TV is delivered via a set-top box, this is required.
It is through the web interface that you gain access to less frequently used features, such as port forwarding. But for the most part, you don’t have to wander outside the Orbi app.
Netgear has support from Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant, so you can use your voice to restore your current wireless settings and turn guest networks on and off.
Netgear Orbi WiFi 6 Dual-Band Mesh System (RBK353) Performance – Good for reliable speed and range
As a child of the Wi-Fi 6 range, the system operates a dual-band AX1800 network, which means there is no dedicated wireless network for communication between satellites. Instead, client and network communications need to share two networks.
Here you will find a two-stream 5GHz network running up to 1.2Gbps and a 2.4GHz network running up to 600Mbps. Streams are important with Wi-Fi 6, as they can be thought of as separate networks For example, your router may have up to four devices connected, each receiving its own bandwidth. Alternatively, a multi-stream device may use multiple streams, say all 5GHz bands are available.
Four streams per device, a total of 12 streams around your home. If you place your satellites well, you will get a fair amount of bandwidth per device. Wi-Fi 6 backwards compatible with Wi-Fi 5 Although you lose some speed advantage and bandwidth sharing is not so good, you can see in the commentator, what is Wi-Fi 6?
Leaving the router through my normal throughput test, I first set up the router at the bottom and a satellite at the top. In fact, it is set up just like the cheap Orbi RBK352 system. Here, Arabic did well. In the near range, using a Wi-Fi 6 laptop, I got a throughput of 417.59Mbit / s. Moving to the first floor, throughput dropped to a decent 199.87; On the second floor, I got a throughput of 188.64Mbit / s.
With the Netgear Nighthawk Mesh WiFi 6 system you can see from the graph that this is a very similar performance.
Compared to the RBK852 and this new system is a fairly backward. Larger orbs have a lot more channels and a lot more power, although it is much more expensive. Needless to say, the older Wi-Fi 5 Orbi products, which have a dedicated backhole, work better on the first floor of my house, although they struggle to a greater extent.
Thanks to the third satellite, I can even get a reception in my kitchen, which usually suffers. Here, I get a throughput of 174.25Mbit / s. For the price, the new Orbi RBK853 is a decent performer.
Netgear Orbi WiFi 6 Dual-Band Mesh System (RBK353) Conclusion
If you want ultimate power, Netgear Orbi RBK852 is a great choice. If you’re after a cheap Wi-Fi 6 system, the RBK353 must fit the bill. If you can connect the cable to your home, you can connect the satellites via Ethernet to get rid of the major downside: there are no dedicated wireless channels for communication. However, the Netgear Nighthawk Mesh WiFi 6 system should be considered, as it is cheaper. Of course, it has fewer features and the satellite has a single Ethernet port, but this is a better value if you are after a cut-price Wi-Fi 6 system. If you’re after anything else, check out the Guide to the Best Routers.