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If you’re considering a wireless mesh system

ckhokie

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I set up an Orbi AC3000 system last week and have been extremely happy with the results.

I moved into a row home in DC, so the electrical components hit the house from and alley, in the top, rear of the house. Fiber hadn’t been run through this old house yet, and with everything going on during our move, I just told the installer to install everything in the back room we’re using as an office.

I was having terrible connection to my phone (wife’s was okay) but streaming from our living room basically paralyzed our network speeds. I was doing speed tests that were literally yielding 1 mbps up/1 mbps down. Our plan is for 100 each. When I wired in directly to the router, I’d scrape 85 mbps download, 95 upload.

Bit the bullet and purchased the Orbi. The standard system comes with a router and single satellite. Additional satellites are available, but this pack claimed to cover a 5,000 sq foot house and up to 3000 mbps.

Yesterday, while streaming Netflix on the TV, was still pulling 100mbps download, and 120 mbps upload. Additionally, aside from there being no dead spots in the house, I went outside over the weekend and was able to stay connected to the network for over half a city block. It’s got tons of other usability features - dedicated guest networks, device mgmt, logging, speed testing, etc built into the app. Well worth the $350 or so.
 

Roy Munson

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I'm looking at purchasing one of the netgear mesh extenders for my house to get rid of the few dead spots.

I'd still rather run Cat-6 to everywhere I need it, but thats never going to happen, so this will have to do.
 

ckhokie

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The Orbi system I got is a Netgear product, and actually integrated pretty nicely with my other Netgear stuff (wireless Arlo cameras updated immediately and required no change on my part)

A mesh system will function significantly better than just an extender, as it’s actually creating multiple networks, not just pulling off the one
 

Roy Munson

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The Orbi system I got is a Netgear product, and actually integrated pretty nicely with my other Netgear stuff (wireless Arlo cameras updated immediately and required no change on my part)

A mesh system will function significantly better than just an extender, as it’s actually creating multiple networks, not just pulling off the one

There's a mesh extender too... so its the same thing as you bought... just the satellite.

Netgear Mesh Extender
 

ckhokie

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There's a mesh extender too... so its the same thing as you bought... just the satellite.

Netgear Mesh Extender

Gotcha. Definitely a good option I’d you have a router you like. I still had the shitty VZ one from our apt, so I needed to replace that as well.
 

Roy Munson

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Gotcha. Definitely a good option I’d you have a router you like. I still had the shitty VZ one from our apt, so I needed to replace that as well.

Comcast forces me to have their router with my business plan with static IPs, but I turn off the wifi and routing function and use my own. I have an older netgear with an internal bay for a "NAS" hard drive that I really don't want to get rid of.

One of these years I'll get a real NAS and replace the whole network, but it does the job for now outside of a few weak signal zones upstairs.
 
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