Netgear Orbi is the most famous name in the mesh Wi-Fi system kind of products currently in the market. Orbi 970 extends the capabilities of Orbi systems any further by bringing in the improved Wi-Fi 6 standard. In this article, I am going to discuss about the major aspects of the Netgear Orbi 970 Wi-Fi 6 mesh system and discuss why it is a good option for expansive homes and home with multiple devices.
Introduction
It has been always difficult when it comes to creating a stable and rather fast wireless network throughout the entire large homes utilizing the traditional Wi-Fi routers. This is where mesh networking systems such as the Netgear Orbi comes in handy more so given that it can be configured in various settings. Orbi systems are made up of a main form of a router and one or more satellites which help in covering the whole house with a strong signal.
The Orbi 970 system employs the current Wi-Fi 6 to provide a much higher speed as well as capacity than older Wi-Fi standards. It has a tri-band mesh architecture and has dedicated backhaul radios that make it easy to roam from one area to another in the house without disconnecting from the internet.
Accordingly, the Orbi 970 is compatible with the latest wireless standards and internet connection rates of 6Gbps, therefore making it a strong mesh system for big homes with multiple connected devices and high-data consumption: video streaming, for example.
Key Features and Specifications
Tri-band Wi-Fi 6 Mesh Networking: The Orbi 970 router and satellite units each feature a dual-core processor with 3 Wi-Fi radios – one for Wi-Fi connections to devices and two dedicated 5GHz radios for wireless communication between units. This tri-band mesh architecture ensures smooth hand-off and reduced congestion as you move between different coverage zones in the home.
Wi-Fi Speeds Up to 6Gbps: Wi-Fi 6 brings significant speed boosts over older standards, with combined Wi-Fi speeds of up to 6Gbps (2.4Gbps on 5GHz and 1.2Gbps on 2.4GHz). This is enough bandwidth to stream multiple 4K videos, play online games, and do bandwidth-intensive tasks simultaneously without any lags.
OFDMA and MU-MIMO Support: Orbi 970 supports OFDMA and MU-MIMO features of Wi-Fi 6 that boost capacity and efficiency. OFDMA allows users to share the same channel, while MU-MIMO allows the Wi-Fi router to simultaneously service multiple devices providing faster throughput.
Gigabit Ethernet Ports: For a wired backhaul and connectivity, the Orbi 970 router and each satellite unit have 4 Gigabit Ethernet LAN ports.
Coverage for Large Homes: With a coverage area of up to 5,000 sq. ft. per satellite unit, the Orbi 970 mesh system is capable of blanketting multi-story homes, apartments and other large spaces with robust Wi-Fi coverage. Additional satellite units can be added for even wider reach.
Other Functions
Fast and Easy Setup: Netgear’s Easy Install mobile app guides you through the quick and hassle-free setup process of the Orbi 970 system. You can also manage key settings and features from the Orbi app.
Automatic Firmware Updates: The Orbi system ensures all units automatically receive latest firmware updates from Netgear with improved features and security enhancements.
Device Prioritization Features: Orbi Home app allows you to pause Internet for certain devices or bandwidth management to prioritize bandwidth. You can also set up access schedules to control Internet usage.
Advanced Security: Features like NETGEAR Armor cyber threat protection, content filtering, website blocking, etc keep all connected devices safe from malware and intrusions.
Works With Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant: Voice assistants can be used to power on/off guest networks, check Internet speeds, pause the network and more through simple voice commands.
Differentiating Features of Each Unit
Orbi 970 Router
- Dual-core 1.8GHz processor and 1GB RAM.
- 4x Gigabit Ethernet LAN ports.
- USB 3.0 port to connect external storage devices.
Orbi 970 Satellite
- Dual-core 1.4GHz processor and 512MB RAM.
- 4x Gigabit Ethernet LAN ports.
Setting up the Netgear Orbi 970 System
Setting up the Orbi 970 Wi-Fi system is very simple with the help of Netgear’s user-friendly Orbi app. Here are the basic steps:
- Download the Orbi app on your smartphone and sign in or create an account.
- Place the Orbi 970 router in a central location at your home, like on the first floor. Connect it to your internet broadband modem.
- Power on the router and wait for the status light to turn solid white.
- Place the Orbi 970 satellite/s in other areas or floors where you need Wi-Fi coverage.
- Select “Add satellite” option from the Orbi app.
- The app will guide you to connect both the router and satellite via their setup buttons.
- Once linked, the system will automatically assign the optimum Wi-Fi channel settings.
- You can now access the internet on any Wi-Fi device connected to the Orbi system.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. How many devices can an Orbi 970 system support?
A. The Orbi 970 system can support connections from up to 25 devices simultaneously thanks to the multi-user capabilities of Wi-Fi 6 standard.
Q. Can I add more than one satellite unit with the Orbi 970?
A. Yes, you can add up to 4 additional Orbi satellite units to the main router for extending coverage up to 5,000 sq. ft. per satellite.
Q. Is the setup and management of Orbi 970 simple?
A. Yes, the Orbi 970 uses Netgear’s easy to use app for simple setup in under 10 minutes. Key settings can also be managed from the app.
Q. Can I use my existing internet broadband modem with Orbi 970?
A. Yes, you need to connect the WAN/Internet port on the Orbi 970 router to one of the LAN ports on your existing internet modem. The modem must be in bridge mode for this.
Q. What is the maximum wireless speed supported by each device on Orbi 970?
A. Devices connected to Orbi 970 over Wi-Fi 6 can get speeds of up to 1.2Gbps on the 2.4GHz band and up to 2.4Gbps on the 5GHz band.
Comparison With Other Mesh Systems
The following table compares some key specs of Netgear Orbi 970 with other popular mesh Wi-Fi systems:
| Feature | Netgear Orbi 970 | TP-Link Deco X90 | Google Nest Wifi (Router+Point) | Linksys Atlas Pro 6E |
| WI-Fi Standard | Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) | Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) | Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac) dual-band | Wi-Fi 6E (802.11ax) tri-band |
| Max supported devices | 25 | 30 | N/A | 20 |
| Router bandwith speeds | 2.4Gbps + 2.4Gbps | 2.4Gbps + 2.4Gbps | 2.4Gbps | 2.4Gbps + 5.4Gbps |
| Satellite bandwidth speeds | 2.4Gbps + 2.4Gbps | 2.4Gbps + 2.4Gbps | 1Gbps | 2.4Gbps + 5.4Gbps |
| Ethernet ports on router | 4 | 4 | 1 | 3 |
| Ethernet ports on satellite | 4 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Additional units supported | Up to 4 | Up to 4 | Up to 2 | Up to 4 |
| Setup process | App-based | App-based | App-based | App/Software-based |
As seen, Orbi 970 offers Wi-Fi 6 mesh networking with great speeds and device support, decent amount of Ethernet ports and an app-based setup making it a top choice.
Should You Buy the Netgear Orbi 970?
- If you have a multi-story large home and need robust whole home coverage, Orbi 970 is an excellent choice.
- It is also ideal for households with many connected devices like smart home appliances, gaming consoles, streaming media players, and more that need strong and stable Wi-Fi.
- With support for the latest Wi-Fi 6 technologies, the Orbi 970 provides future-proof networking that can handle increasing demands.
- Multi-Gigabit speeds on both Wi-Fi and Ethernet allow you to utilize the full potential of high-speed fiber broadband plans.
- The easy plug-and-play setup process makes deployment hassle-free even for non-technical users.
- Ongoing software updates ensure long-term support and compatibility with new features.
However, the Orbi 970 system does come at a premium price tag. It may not be worth it if you have a small home and few wiress devices. In such cases, entry-level Wi-Fi 5 mesh systems work well too.
Conclusion
The Netgear Orbi 970 is among the strongest whole home, mesh Wi-Fi systems in the market today that is very-simple to use. Loaded with Wi-Fi 6 and Gigabit support, it delivers strong performance with blanket coverage for large homes and supports many high-bandwidth devices.
Its simple plug-and-play installation process, frequent security updates, and advanced networking features make it a breeze to manage and future-proof for smart homes. While it is an expensive investment, the Orbi 970 delivers unmatched throughput suitable for power users that demand nothing short of reliable multi-Gigabit speeds.
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