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Add to SafariWhen comparing AmpliFi HD vs Netgear Orbi, the Slant community recommends AmpliFi HD for most people. In the question“What are the best wireless routers?” AmpliFi HD is ranked 4th while Netgear Orbi is ranked 7th. The most important reason people chose AmpliFi HD is:
The Amplifi HD provides industry leading wireless connectivity coverage of up to 20,000 square feet. The included router and two extenders are best suited for large homes.
Question Ranking
Pros
Pro Excellent coverage
The Amplifi HD provides industry leading wireless connectivity coverage of up to 20,000 square feet. The included router and two extenders are best suited for large homes.
Pro Great throughput
The Amplifi HD averages around 705 Mbps of throughput at a close distance of 5 feet. At 140 feet, that throughput drops to 177.5 Mbps — more than enough to share a 100 Mbps broadband connection, which is the top speed that majority of computers, phones or tablets can handle.
Pro Better performance through walls than any other mesh network solution
AmpliFi HD uses 3x3 MIMO which allows it to perform better and more consistently in houses with lots of thick/plaster walls than any other mesh network solution.
Pro A snap to set up
To set up the router you just need to download the app and follow the step-by-step guide. The whole process takes a few minutes.
Pro Looks cool
The AmpliFi HD router has a unique design. It is a small white cube, with a round 1.6-inch touchscreen, that can show date, time or your upload and download speeds.
Pro App is intuitive to use
Pro Easy network management through a companion app
It has an intuitive companion app that enables instant setup, includes powerful reporting metrics, and provides easy guest access. If there’s a network problem, you can resolve it via your app. There’s also constant reporting on network security.
Pro A small or midsize home can be covered with just the router
AmpliFi router on its own has a range of 90 feet, which should be more than enough for a small or midsize home.
Pro Great performance
This tri-band AC3000 device can deliver theoretical throughput speeds of 1,266Mbps (400Mbps on the 2.4GHz band and 866Mbps on the 5GHz band). Third 5GHz band can reach maximum speeds of 1,733Mbps. In real life testing the Orbi router turns in a score of 480Mbps, and the satellite delivers 470Mbps. At a distance of 30 feet, the Orbi router scores 223Mbps, and the satellite scores 220Mbps.
To maximize routers performance Orbi uses a separate 5GHz band that’s used only for communications between the router and the satellite. In comparison, other Wi-Fi extenders use the same bands to extend signal, which results in a 50% signal loss each time the signal is wirelessly extended.
Pro Good covarage
The Netgear Orbi WiFi system can cover up to 6,000 square feet home. The router itself can cover 2,000 square feet and one satellite unit covers additional 2,000 square feet. It’s possible to add a second extender for a total coverage of 6,000 square feet.
The idea is that you would put the main router near your ISP's modem and then just add the extender where it’s needed the most.
Pro Simple setup
Setting up the Orbi is very easy. All you need to do is to turn on the main router, download the Orbi app, and follow few simple steps. Then you need to find a place for satellite where you can get best possible coverage. Connection between main router and satellite will be done automatically.
Cons
Con Mesh access points don't look as appealing as the router itself
The two mesh access points looks like antennas that you would put on the roof of your home. They are 9.6 inches tall and can take up much space on your outlets.
Con Mesh networks can be overkill in many instances
Mesh networks are a very good choice for bigger homes but they can be overkill in many instances. If you're living in an apartment or smaller home, the Amplifi HD system won't be the best solution.
Con Lacks ability to place device in DMZ
Users may need the ability to specify an IP that needs zero port restrictions and needs to be placed in the DMZ. This isn't an available option on the router; therefore, as a work around you must use port forwarding to open ports 1-65535 for a specific IP address. Hopefully this becomes an option in the future...
Con Currently lacks MU-MIMO for efficient network management
In situations where two people would try to start video streams at the same exact time on different devices, one of them would be prioritized over the other and it would have to wait until the first had buffered a few bits of data for itself. But usually, you won’t notice a slowdown. This technology will be implemented with AmpliFi HD in the nearest future.
Con Expensive to buy 1 individual satellite
If you find out that a pair of two is not sufficient, you will be paying a lot more for 1 extra satellite.
Con Expensive for bigger homes
Orbi Home WiFi System is available for just under $400. It includes a router and an extender which will cover 4,000 square feet. However if this isn’t enough for you and you need better coverage, you can get a third device for an extra $250, which makes it a total of $650.
