Orbi ac3000 vs. ax4200 – Which offers the better mesh system?

Are you tired of the dead spots in your home? Mesh systems provide extensive network coverage by providing multiple access points within your environment. Check out this Orbi ac3000 vs. ax4300 comparison review and find out which mesh system is most suitable.

Mesh systems offer an easy way to blanket your home with internet coverage without using additional wiring and range extenders. With the use of satellites or external nodes, the system provides effective mesh technology that provides sufficient network coverage throughout the home. Unlike range extenders, these satellites offer seamless connectivity as you roam around your home. In this dsetailed comparison review, we look at Orbi ac3000 and ax4200 to determine which of them is a better mesh system.

What are the differences between Orbi ac3000 and ax4200?

Orbi ac3000 vs. ax4200 – How do they compare?

Dimensions

The Orbi ac3000 comes with one satellite and router, which are similar in appearance as they have a soft-touch and white enclosure that looks similar to a slightly squashed cylinder. The router is a tri-band device with six internal antennas, and a solid white LED ring light that shows the status of the device and internet connection.  Likewise, the router also comes with a WAN port, a USB 2.0 port, and 3 Gigabit LAN ports. The satellite also has an LED light ring at the top to communicate its status and internet connectivity. It also sports a USB 2.0 port, four Gigabit LAN ports, and power, reset, and sync buttons.

Similarly, the Orbi ax4200 comes with two different hardware units, a satellite, and router, with a similar design and build quality. With dimensions of 9.1 by 7.2 by 2.8 inches and a total mass weight of 1.9 lbs, the router also has six high-performance internal antennas with high-powered antennas. The router sports three Gigabit LAN ports while the satellite has two LAN ports to accommodate wired connections.

Orbi ac3000 is, therefore, more compact and attractive in design than the Orbi ax4200.

Speed and performance

Orbi ac3000 is a tri-band device that provides a maximum theoretical speed of about 2200Mbps with its 2.4 GHz channel offerings 400Mbps and its 5 GHz channel delivering 866Mbps. Its second 5 GHz band, which provides a maximum speed of 1733Mbps, serves as the dedicated backhaul band as it solely serves as the communication between the satellite and the router. More so, this mesh system has network coverage of 4000 square feet.  In a real-world environment, the ac3000 router provided 480Mbps when tested in close range (same room), while its satellite provided 470Mbps.

On the other hand, the ax4200 from Netgear’s Orbi is a tri-band device with a maximum data transmission rate of 600Mbps on its 2.4GHz band and 1200Mbps and 2400Mbps on each of its 5GHz bands. The system has a coverage range of about 5000 square feet, ideal for large homes.  It is worth noting that both mesh systems do not support the vulnerable 160MHz channel. In a real-world environment, the router provided a speed of 58.5Mbps when tested at close range on a 50Mbps internet service.

Orbi ax4200 is, therefore, a better performing mesh system than Orbi ac3000.

Hardware

The Orbi ac3000 has a 710MHz quad-core ARM-based processor, 512MB RAM, and 512MB NAND flash memory. It also supports Wi-Fi 5 technology and comes with the latest MU-MIMO simultaneous data streaming and beamforming technologies.

Alternatively, the Orbi ax4200 hosts a powerful 1.4GHz Quad-core processor, 1GB RAM, and 512MB flash memory. Unlike the ac3000, the ax4200 supports Wi-Fi 6 technology for faster and more reliable internet connection. It also has beamforming and MU-MIMO simultaneous data streaming capabilities.  Neither of these devices are backwards compatible with Orbi 5 hardware. However, you cannot use the router to function as the satellite or vice versa.

Orbi ax4200 is, therefore, a more efficient and reliable mesh system than the ac3000.

Devices connected

The number of devices a mesh system accommodates gives you a clear insight into its application. For example, Orbi ac3000 can connect up to 25 devices simultaneously, in addition to its LAN ports that allow wired connections. As a result, this mesh system is functional for a small to medium-sized home.

Alternatively, the Orbi ax4200 can take on at least 40 wireless devices, in addition to the LAN ports, meaning it is highly reliable when compared to the Orbi ax4200. You can also purchase additional satellites to deliver faster speeds to your increasing number of devices.

Orbi ac3000 vs. ax4200 – A comparison review

Orbi ac3000

NETGEAR Orbi Tri-band Whole Home Mesh WiFi System with 3Gbps Speed (RBK50) – Router & Extender Replacement Covers Up to 5,000 sq. ft., 2-Pack Includes 1 Router & 1 Satellite White

• 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...

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The Orbi ac3000 offers a user-friendly alternative to the more complex range extender solutions that require additional wiring to blanket your home with sufficient network coverage. The package comes with a router and satellite that feature a sleek design encased in a white enclosure. It offers network coverage for up to 4000 square feet and can connect up to 40 devices simultaneously.

As a tri-band device, the ac3000 provides a maximum theoretical speed of 2200Mbps with its 2.4GHz band offering 400Mbps, 866Mbps on one of its 5GHz band, and 1733Mbps on its second 5GHz band. The second 5GHz band serves as the dedicated backhaul communication between the router and the satellite.

Furthermore, the system is easy to install using its web-based console. The console also offers advanced features such as robust parental controls, security features, and status information on the connected devices. The Advanced Settings of the console also offer a Traffic Meter that allows you to view internet traffic statistics and will enable you to place limits on monthly download and upload capacities on your network.

Pros

• Fast and reliable throughput speeds
• Easy to install
• MU-MIMO and beamforming technologies
• 5GHz dedicated backhaul band

Cons

• Limited USB functionality

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Orbi ax4200 review

NETGEAR Orbi Whole Home Tri-band Mesh WiFi 6 System (RBK752) – Router with 1 Satellite Extender | Coverage up to 5,000 sq. ft., 40 Devices | AX4200 (Up to 4.2Gbps)

• Coverage up to 5,000 sq. ft. and for up to 40 devices. Extend coverage up to 2,500 sq. ft. with each...
• Fast AX4200 Gigabit speed with WiFi 6 technology for uninterrupted streaming, HD video gaming, and web...

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Like the ac3000, the Orbi ax4200 is a tri-band mesh system with two hardware units; the satellite node and the router node. Both units have the same physical design with product dimensions of 9.1 by 7.2 by 2.8 inches and a mass weight of 5.34 lbs. It can support more than 40 devices simultaneously without any interruptions.

Furthermore, this system offers a maximum total speed of 4200Mbps within a coverage range of 5000 sq. Ft. Like the ac3000, it has a dedicated backhaul that frees up the bandwidth of the other two bands, ensuring other connected devices enjoy its blistering speeds.

With an easy to install and user-friendly interface, you can plug in your computers, gaming consoles, and other wired devices by using its two Ethernet ports on the satellite node and 4 Ethernet ports on the router node. The system also supports MU-MIMO and beamforming technologies, and also comes with Smart Connect that allows users to access the entire network through one name. Likewise, it has Netgear Armor that provides advanced cyber threat protection.

Pros

• Exceptional performance
• MU-MIMO and beamforming technology
• Easy to install
• Compact and lightweight
• Affordable

Cons

• Limited functionality on the mobile app

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Conclusion

Mesh systems provide a simple and effective remedy to dead spots in any home. The Orbi ac3000 and ax4200 are two premium mesh system options available on the market. Their primary difference is that the ac3000 supports Wi-Fi 5 while Orbi ax4200 supports the latest Wi-Fi 6 network.

Final verdict: So, which is better, Orbi ac3000 or ax4200?

After considering all factors, the Orbi ax4200 is a better choice as it offers better coverage and faster and more stable connections. It also allows more devices to connect compared to the Orbi ac3000.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use Orbi with VoIP phone and Xfinity dual-band router?

Yes, Orbi works excellent with both VoIP phones and Xfinity dual-band routers.

Why is the ac3000 3-pack router cheaper than its 2-pack alternative?

The 2-pack alternative features the new ac3000 model while its 3-pack package comes with the older router (ac2200).