Netgear’s new tri-band technology in SA

/ MEDIA STATEMENT / This content is not written by Creamer Media, but is a supplied media statement.

Netgear’s recently introduced Orbi WiFi system, designed to usher in a new generation of high-speed home WiFi, is now available from local distributor, Duxbury Networking. Aimed at eliminating dead zones and annoying video buffering, it is geared to help users enjoy uninterrupted WiFi connections with the fastest internet speeds - indoors and outdoors.
 
According to Tobie Van Schalkwyk, Netgear Business Development manager at Duxbury Networking, a key feature of the Orbi system is its incorporation of tri-band WiFi mesh network technology, which is similar to a wired system in terms of performance, delivering maximum speeds no matter how many devices are connected.
 
“This dedicated wireless connection, which addresses current network challenges including architectural design, dense building materials and large outdoor spaces, ensures far-reaching coverage and is a ‘first’, for Netgear,” he stresses. “It has the unique capability of providing a dedicated wireless channel between the Orbi router and each Orbi satellite unit. There is no need to guess the proper alignment of the satellite unit nor is there a need to locate it within line-of-sight of the router.
 
“Orbi is thus one of the first solutions to leverage tri-band WiFi effectively, allowing users to enjoy uninterrupted WiFi connections with the fastest Internet speeds, throughout the home.
 
“The technology – which connects automatically and simultaneously to every WiFi-enabled device in the home - enables Orbi to deliver more high-speed WiFi connections to more devices.”
 
Van Schalkwyk says ‘the connected home’ is becoming more data hungry, with video consumption the primary driver: “Consumers are streaming video to every available screen in their homes from an increasing number of video service options.
 
“In addition, emerging smart home devices require always-on connectivity to function effectively. Consumers have come to expect ubiquitous, high-speed connections throughout the home and rely on Wi-Fi for in-home connectivity and the increasing levels of bandwidth they require.”
 
From a technical perspective, the installation of the Orbi solution is designed with simplicity in mind, notes Van Schalkwyk. It can be completed with a few clicks from any mobile device or browser.
 
“Intended to act as a full-featured router, Orbi can plug into an existing gateway or modem. The Orbi installation kit includes two devices, a router and a satellite unit that are pre-paired together for an easy out-of-the-box set-up.”
 
He says that in designing Orbi, Netgear has applied lessons learned from two decades of home WiFi innovation to support more devices all of which are competing for users’ bandwidth. In this light, its emphasis is not only on WiFi coverage, but also on performance levels at the furthest edge of the connection.
 
“In addition, the tri-band WiFi that powers Netgear Orbi includes a dedicated 1.7Gbps 5GHz band solely for extending internet speeds to Orbi satellite units. This enables the other two WiFi bands to be fully dedicated to all connected devices in the home,” he adds.