Expert review of the Netgear Orbi RBK852
In short
- Thanks to WiFi 6, the stations have a much faster and more stable connection.
- Suitable devices set up a faster connection thanks to WiFi 6.
- With the 2 included stations, you'll have WiFi everywhere in an average house.
- You won't have to pull any cables.
- The stations of the Orbi system are quite large, so you can't really hide them.
- The build quality of the satellites isn't as reliable as I expected.
First impression of the Orbi RBK852
The Orbi RBK852 Multi-Room WiFi 6 Set comes in a large box. This box is also quite heavy. When I open the box, it's clear why. You have to go through quite a few layers to get to the Orbi stations. Besides, the stations are quite large and heavy. The weight makes them feel reliable, but the thin plastic has the opposite effect. The design isn't different from other Netgear Orbi multi-room WiFi systems. But, this version has silver details.
The current situation
I live in a semi-detached house of 100m². With just the modem of my provider, I don't have WiFi everywhere. Due to the concrete ceilings, a WiFi 5 multi-room system doesn't offer enough coverage wirelessly. I have to connect it wired, otherwise I'll be left with a speed of 88Mbps in my bedroom. Less than half of the 200Mbps of my fiber optic connection. In the attic, I barely have any reception with a classic multi-room WiFi system.
The installation
The most important test is whether the Orbi multi-room WiFi 6 system works completely wireless in my house. That's why I'm going to connect the Orbi stations wirelessly. I place the main station on the ground floor. I set up the satellite in my hobby room. After I've started the Orbi app, the setup is very quick. The app effortlessly guides me through the steps. I'm online within 5 minutes. The stations have a good wireless connection. This test succeeded.
Higher speeds in practice
Time to test the connection with my devices. My laptop and iPad don't have WiFi 6, but the connection is faster than before. My Samsung Galaxy S10 does have WiFi 6. That's why I can even go online with my smartphone in the attic. On the first floor, I reach the full 200Mbps of my connection in the speedtest. It's a little less in the attic, 130Mbps. Still a lot better than before. WiFi 6 is definitely an addition.
Conclusion
I wasn't able to work completely wirelessly in my entire house with a WiFi 5 mesh system. I also didn't get WiFi reception in the attic. But with the Orbi RBK852, this is possible. I notice a great improvement both with WiFi 5 and WiFi 6 devices. And, I can even go online in the attic. The streams don't slow down in the bedroom either. All devices can use the maximum internet speed. A good solution if you want WiFi throughout your entire house but don't want to pull cables.
