I went back 5 pages and didn't see this topic but I know from lurking that it comes up from time to time. So sorry if already recently discussed.

Which name brands and models are solid but budget-friendly right now?

My Amplifi HD w/ Mesh APs has been rock solid for over a year.

My Netgear Orbi system has worked great for me. I got the faster 3.0 Gbps router+2 satellite pack from Costco ($299 right now). You can also get the 2.2 Gbps router+2 satellite pack from Amazon for $200.


https://www.amazon.com/NETGEAR-Orbi-Whole-Home-System/dp/B07CQDHPFT

bearamedic99 said:

---

I went back 5 pages and didn't see this topic but I know from lurking that it comes up from time to time. So sorry if already recently discussed.

---

https://texags.com/forums/30/topics/3018613

Google's version has worked well for the 6 months we've had it

I got a Google Wifi for Christmas and haven't had any issues. The dead spots we had upstairs are gone and we even get great signal in the back yard and garage now.

Like my orbi. The new Ubiqiti dream router has been awesome too but haven't added a second AP yet but should be great.

Got a Linksys velop system a little over a year ago and have been very happy with it. Made a huge difference

Linksys works for me! Had difficulty with Orbi and returned it. Plus their phone app is constantly trying to sell you additional services.

I'm about to be in the market for one of these in the next month or two. $300 budget. Currently considering one of these two options:

[url] https://eero.com/shop/home-wifi-system-2-pack[/url]

[url] https://www.tp-link.com/us/home-networking/deco/deco-x60/[/url]

The tp-link comes out in March and has WiFi 6. The Eero has been around for a while and I've heard nothing but good things about it.

Which system would you guys choose?

(Edit): I'm about to have 1gb fiber optic installed.

Wirecutter updated their recommendations about a month ago, but the Eero system still their top recommendation for most people.

I have the Linksys Velop system and have been happy with it for the last two years. The two satellite kit is enough for most people.

https://thewirecutter.com/reviews/best-wi-fi-mesh-networking-kits/amp/

I have the Netgear Orbi RBR50 (router) and one RBS50 (satellite). I would not recommend it if you have gigabit internet. There is too much speed drop on the download side. I can connect my pc directly to the fiber ont and get 930-940 mbps download and upload. I wire the same pc to the orbi router and the upload speed is fine but the download speed drops down to the high 700's/low 800's. This is after updating firmware, hard reset, and pc is the only device connected to the orbi. Others on the netgear forum are having the same issue.

I've been using the Orbi in a two story house for a couple years now. No issues, no gaps in coverage. Really love how the satellite has a couple hard lan ports as well

AdamsBQ06 said:

---

I've been using the Orbi in a two story house for a couple years now. No issues, no gaps in coverage. Really love how the satellite has a couple hard lan ports as well

---

Yeah, I really do with the Velop satellites had more than two Ethernet ports. I'm running wired backhaul between them, so I'm stuck with need for extra switches at each location.

I have Xfinity and was thinking of XFi pods as the cheapest option. Anyone use them?

I have the Netgear Orbi system which seems to work pretty well.

I have a question though, does anyone know if the WiFi extenders work with a mesh system?

This thread pushed me over the edge. I upgraded to the Orbi yesterday. So far, so good. It's kind of showing me how far my previous router had been lagging. I had let it live a little too long. But so far I'm happy with the Orbi. It was quick to setup. The app is nice to have, but lacking when you want to get into the details. But still cool to have at your fingers when you want to shut your 12 year old off the network

I now declare the 'Great Bandwidth Wars of 2020' over for my household.

I use Eero and have had no complaints. Especially now with both me and my wife working from home and twin 7th-graders streaming school/netflix/gaming. No chugging noticed.

exitone said:

---

This thread pushed me over the edge. I upgraded to the Orbi yesterday. So far, so good. It's kind of showing me how far my previous router had been lagging. I had let it live a little too long. But so far I'm happy with the Orbi. It was quick to setup. The app is nice to have, but lacking when you want to get into the details. But still cool to have at your fingers when you want to shut your 12 year old off the network

I now declare the 'Great Bandwidth Wars of 2020' over for my household.

---

If you use the Orbi web interface instead of that dumb app, you will see all those "details".

dubi said:

---

exitone said:

---

This thread pushed me over the edge. I upgraded to the Orbi yesterday. So far, so good. It's kind of showing me how far my previous router had been lagging. I had let it live a little too long. But so far I'm happy with the Orbi. It was quick to setup. The app is nice to have, but lacking when you want to get into the details. But still cool to have at your fingers when you want to shut your 12 year old off the network

I now declare the 'Great Bandwidth Wars of 2020' over for my household.

---

If you use the Orbi web interface instead of that dumb app, you will see all those "details".

---

Yep, the web app is pretty similar to what they are using for the rest of their products and is pretty detailed. At least detailed enough for me.

My current internet is only 15 Mbps (rural WISP), but my router is not great. I thought it would have better coverage than my last one, or at least equal, but that's not the case.

When my internet was originally setup, they just ran it to the attic, which is fairly central and does a decent job in most places, other than a couple corners of the house and the garage.

Would the Orbi solution be ideal for me? Eventually I will be at 100 Mbps or more when my electric company runs fiber to my house, but that will probably be a year or more.

Or should I just get a better router?

Is the actual router in the attic?

If yes, move it down into the house.

dubi said:

---

Is the actual router in the attic?

If yes, move it down into the house.

---

Yes, because that's where the cable comes in from the antenna and the tower that was required to install to be able to receive the signal from the WISP. So the router has to be in the attic for now.

I don't feel like spending the money to do a drop down into the living room because it still wouldn't help our upstairs room that already has issues with a weak signal. The router is pretty much in the center of the house in the attic and would be a straight down drop to the living room.

Also, we have an Arlo camera mounted above the garage door that probably would not receive the signal if the router was inside.

It was never this bad with the fairly basic Asus RT-AC66U I had (still have but have to use tape to keep power on so it's not always reliable). When searching for a new one I thought I had reviewed enough and picked one that was going to have a better signal than the Asus. My new router is a TP-Link AC-1750.

khkman22 said:

---

dubi said:

---

Is the actual router in the attic?

If yes, move it down into the house.

---

Yes, because that's where the cable comes in from the antenna and the tower that was required to install to be able to receive the signal from the WISP. So the router has to be in the attic for now.

---

Could your router be over-heating up in the attic?

Orbi, 1 router and one satellite, 4000< 1 story home, no issues.

Home automation company continually says "urc will have issues" but so far no problems. Urc currently is only running the media room a/v and lights, and technically can control the lights I have on Lutron but I have Alexa scheduling those. About to add backyard speakers and a tv. I'm curious to see if it ever actually has problems keeping up as we complete phases of home automation.

Snoopy03 said:

---

I have the Netgear Orbi RBR50 (router) and one RBS50 (satellite). I would not recommend it if you have gigabit internet. There is too much speed drop on the download side. I can connect my pc directly to the fiber ont and get 930-940 mbps download and upload. I wire the same pc to the orbi router and the upload speed is fine but the download speed drops down to the high 700's/low 800's. This is after updating firmware, hard reset, and pc is the only device connected to the orbi. Others on the netgear forum are having the same issue.

---

Same system and same issue. Direct connect, I'm getting >900 mbps, but the best I can get over WiFi is 300-400 mbps. Not sure why so much loss. Firmware is updated, reboot complete. But I have about 30 devices connected.

With Orbi is there any way to disable 5G? I need to do this for a smart device but haven't figured out how to do it in the settings

Worm01 said:

---

Snoopy03 said:

---

I have the Netgear Orbi RBR50 (router) and one RBS50 (satellite). I would not recommend it if you have gigabit internet. There is too much speed drop on the download side. I can connect my pc directly to the fiber ont and get 930-940 mbps download and upload. I wire the same pc to the orbi router and the upload speed is fine but the download speed drops down to the high 700's/low 800's. This is after updating firmware, hard reset, and pc is the only device connected to the orbi. Others on the netgear forum are having the same issue.

---

Same system and same issue. Direct connect, I'm getting >900 mbps, but the best I can get over WiFi is 300-400 mbps. Not sure why so much loss. Firmware is updated, reboot complete. But I have about 30 devices connected.

---

If it was me, I would look into the free tools that are available for checking/analyzing your home WiFi that I linked to here: https://texags.com/forums/30/topics/3102636

BBQ4Me said:

---

With Orbi is there any way to disable 5G? I need to do this for a smart device but haven't figured out how to do it in the settings

---

Have you logged in to the web settings? The app has the dumbed down options.

Can't do it in the app. App is basically limited to changing the WiFi password. In the web interface I can disable the 5G SSID broadcast, but I don't think that stops my smart device from switching to it?