Netgear Orbi vs. Nighthawk AX8 – A Wi-Fi router for home and office
Picking the best router can be challenging but with the knowledge of the area covered by the network connection and additional features, this guide can make this task easier for you.
Netgear Orbi is a mesh router system that quite out of the world. It has the ability of filling a large urban home with strong and securer internet connection. It has an easy set up as the devices come pre-paired. It also has more range and power than most routers out in the market even when single without its mesh. It has a dedicated channel for router to extension data traffic that helps the entire system to squeeze the maximum throughput.
For Nighthawk AX8, on the other hand, it is a high-performance networking device with many perks like in-built amplified antennas for stable and strong connection throughout every session. It quite literally has it all and also a price tag to match. What makes it even more efficient with data traffic management is the latest MU-MIMO(multiple-user, multiple-input and multiple output technology) on 6 LAN ports. This ensures that your router can quickly deliver data to many devices connected on the same network.
Table of Contents
What are the differences between Netgear Orbi and Nighthawk AX8?
Model |
Netgear Orbi |
Nighthawk AX8 (Winner) |
MU-MIMO &Beamforming |
Yes |
Yes |
Chipset |
Four 1Gbps LAN, USB 2.0, power, Qualcomm IPQ4019 and QCA9984 for backhaul control, Quad-core ARM 710MHz. |
1 Ethernet port, 2 USB 3.0 ports, 64-bit quad-core 1.8GHz processor |
Speed (Long range) |
1.26Gbps |
6Gbps |
Antenna |
6 |
4 |
Netgear Orbi vs. Nighthawk AX8 – How do they compare?
Hardware
Beyond its high-speed LAN ports and Qualcomm IPQ4019 chipset, Netgear Orbi has its own unique hardware specs. For example, it has the color coded LEDs which all mean differently things. First, white is to mean the router is starting up, blue shows the the connection is ok, amber lets you know when the connection is weak and magenta is when there is no connection. With time, you will be able to easily tell the status of your network by just looking at these colors.
For Netgear nighthawk ax8 there 13 LED lights that are subdued thus blending in the background. It also has a total of four stubby antennas all around its perimeter. They can be bent and rotated in order to have a strong signal. They are also integratedamplifiers that help extend the range.
Coverage
When going for a Wi-Fi router you ought to go for one that covers a wider range automatically. Netgear Orbi can handle two streams of data to properly configured devices seamlessly. For a single router, it is rather powerful as it can deliver up to 552 Mbps at a total of 15 feet.However, the strength of this connection drops with distance as the throughput average 510.9Mbps at 15 feet, 447.1Mbps at 50 feet and 371.4 Mbps at 100 ft.
On the other hand, Nighthawk ax8, it supports the MU-MIMO and Beamforming technology to help on getting the most out of its coverage transmission. It performs rather well andis a strong device as it transmits an average of 736.8 Mbps throughout its three data bands at a total distance of 15 feet.
Speed and capacity
Netgear Orbi is designed with Qualcomm’s IPQ4019 Wi-Fi control chips. It also has 710MHz quad-core processor with 512MB of RAM and 4GB of solid state storage.Together, these features including the QCA9984 chip work together to control the backhaul data channel. In turn, it transmits data at 552.1Mbps at 5 feet.
With Nighthawk AX8 it also performs well with a wide number of devices without having any problems. It transmits data across its 3 total frequency bands at an average of 736.8 Mbps at 15 feet which is relatively fast.
Performance in speed tests
Aside from its theoretical speed, the Orbi router can deliver up to 552.1Mbps when within close range (5 feet). This is according to Ixia’s IX Chariot software.
Nighthawk AX8 new generation routers that support 802.11ax are fast routers. Within 30 feet they deliver up to 930Mbps.
Accessories
These two routers also come with other additional features. For example with Netgear Orbi,it has the Browser Interface which is the Netgear Genie software. It is more detailed than the normal mobile apps that usually comes with these routers. First, it shows you the current internet speed, has a usage monitor and you can also set up a guest network through the software. This allows your visitors to connect to the internet without accessing your main access password. To add, there is also the availability of parental controls that can be accessed through the genie app where you create an open DNS account.
For Nighthawk AX8 one of its notable additional features is the dynamic quality of service. This basically means that the router can figure out which devices or applications are taking up the most data. Once it does this, the router can then equally distributed bandwidth based on a priority list. You can create this list with an open DNS account. AX8 also has the ReadyShare vault application which stores data for you online and a backup can be connected to PCs through an USB drive. This app basically has the power of turning Nighthawk AX8 into a file server.
Netgear Orbi vs. Nighthawk AX8- A comparison overview
Netgear Orbi
- Ultra-performance Mesh WiFi network blankets every inch of your home in super fast and seamless WiFi...
- Eliminates WiFi dead zones and buffering - 5,000 square feet of consistent coverage - with speeds up to...
Netgear Orbi primarily comes in white big towers that can prove rather difficult to hide. These three towers all transmit data in a total of 3 radio frequency bands. The [primary ones 2.4GHz and 5GHz give a theoretical output of 1.2Gbps of data flow to other devices. Then there is the third band which is another 5GHz with throughput of 1.7Gbpspurely dedicated to the back haul.
Secondly, it also has the added feature of the latest multiple-user, multiple-input and multiple-output (MU-MIMO) technology which is used to send focused data streams to several devices at the same time. It is a powerful beast as it offers you 512 MB of RAM and 4GB of solid state storage. It is also proven to be able to deliver 552.1Mbpss at an average of 5feet but performance does drop with distance.
To add, Netgear Orbi comes pre-paired making it easy to install it. The set up can be done through an app on a smartphone or on the browser interface that takes you step by step. You can also create a guest network where visitors can connect to your Wi-Fi without having access to your main password. This can be done through the app to protect your personal files and data. In case of anything, technicians are on call 24/7 for help. You can reach them on phone, email or online chart. Netgear Orbi offers one year warranty and three month technical support.
One drawback with the Netgear Orbi is it does cost a pretty penny. Also, the mobile app lacks some essential features thus making it not so efficient. You also cannot adjust Orbi’s network transmission either by strength or channel width.
Pros
- Great overall performance
- Latest MU-MIMO technology
- Availability of an app, the browser set up and a genie software
- Exclusive router to extension data channel
Cons
- Cost is on the higher side
- Limited functions on the mobile application
- You cannot assign static IP addresses
Nighthawk AX8
- input voltage：100 -240V
- FAST WiFi 6 PERFORMANCE: Get wireless coverage for large homes with AX6000 speed (Dual band up to 1.2 +...
This angular all black router has a curved top surface with lots of vents for efficient cooling of the system. It has a pair of 5GHz radio frequencies data channels that theoretically hit a peak throughput of just over 5.3Gbps. It also connects to a variety of devices through a single 2.4 GHz (1Gbps) channel. It offers data 736.8Mbps across all its 3 data bands at an average distance of 15 feet and performs well with a wide range of devices without facing any hiccup or hitch.
To add, AX8 has inbuilt amplified antennas and also the MU-MIMO technology that is efficient for traffic management to 6 high speed wired LAN ports. This ensures efficient delivery of data to a large number of devices at a record speed. The integrated antennas also extend the range for both connections. AX8 also has a total of 6 Ethernet ports where by 2 of them can be used exclusively for top speed transfers from online gaming to streaming a 4K video.
This router can also operate as an access point, wireless range extenders and a media server. It is easy to set it up as it takes up only 3 minutes to complete a set up. Underneath the router there is a label with the random name and a passcode that you are advised to change as soon as possible. AX8 also comes with is a one year warranty.
For its drawbacks, this router is quite big and lanky hence might not be easily wall mountable. You also cannot get away with hiding it anywhere. With all its features, you can also tell that the Nighthawk AX8 also costs a pretty penny.
Pros
- Fitted with active amplified antennas.
- Customization options available
- Many LAN ports with support for data aggregation
- Impressive speeds due to tri-band operations
Cons
- The app has a sluggish interface
- Big in size thus cannot be mounted on the wall or easily hidden away
- Quite costly
Conclusion
This article has analyzed Netgear Orbi and Nighthawk AX8 with their impressive features. For example, both devices have the option of a mobile application, browser interface set up or the Netgear Genie software. With these, you can be able to find extra features to make your experience with these routers even more enjoyable.
Netgear Orbi blasts off as the best performing W-Fi router boosters. It also has an easy set up. It is also a mesh-system that is quite costly. For the Nighthawk AX8 it has amplified antennas and 3 frequency bands that deliver data at excellent throughput. It also has the latest MU-MIMO technology with customization options.
Verdict: Between Netgear Orbi and Nighthawk AX8, which one is better?
As already stated, Netgear Orbi and Nighthawk AX8 are two formidable devices with many quality features. They are both very powerful devices with the ability of delivering adequate and stable internet connection to you. They even allow you to create a guest account for other visitors who want to connect to the network.
However, if you had to go for just one router the Nighthawk AX8 would be a better pick compared to Netgear Orbi. It covers a larger area and also transmits data on a higher speed. Also the added LAN ports definitely make it worth the high price for its power users.
Frequently asked questions
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What does back haul traffic mean
Back haul traffic basically means the data that is transmitted from the router to the satellite and back again. It usually happens when there are many devices that are connected to the internet all with different requests. For a mesh router system like the Netgear orbi should have a channel that is dedicated to manage backhaul in order to keep up with traffic by allocating some tasks to an available bandwidth.
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How do parental control works on Netgear Orbi and Nighthawk AX8?
This is an additional feature that is available in both of these routers. In order to be able to access them, you have to open an open DNS account on the browser interface or the Netgear genie software. Once done, you can allow Netgear to take care of all the details by just adjusting the overall filtering levels between none and high. This is an advantageous feature as it helps to control what children are viewing or even limit their time online.
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What are some of the key aspects to look out for when picking a Wi-Fi router?
The availability of the MU-MIMO technology, theoretical Wi-Fi speeds, Ethernet ports, internet speed, internet range and also if there are additional features like the parental controls. Size also matters as you need to plan on where to place it. One should go for the devices with the latest technology in order to not be outdated and also keep up with new market trends like the ability of it to support the Amazon Alexa software.
