What you need to know
- Netgear is releasing a 5G-enabled Orbi NBK752 Wi-Fi 6 tri-band mesh system.
- The Orbi can use 5G as the primary connection or as a seamless failover for a wired connection.
- A router and satellite with 5,000 square feet of coverage comes in at $1099.99 and works with AT&T and T-Mobile.
Netgear has revealed a new 5G-enabled Wi-Fi 6 Orbi. This mesh system has an AX4200 tri-band Wi-Fi 6 connection with a dedicated backhaul to keep speeds high on the mesh. The pack comes with a main router and a satellite with a combined coverage of up to 5,000 square feet. The router also comes with an Ethernet WAN port so you can use wired internet sources as well.
About 42 million Americans have no access to high-speed wired internet service making 5G and LTE the best way to get online. The Orbi supports 5G on AT&T and T-Mobile with support for bands n2, n5, n25, n41, n48, n66, n71, n77 as well as LTE bands B2, 4, 5, 7, 12, 13, 14, 25, 26, 29, 30, 41, 48, 66, 71. This means that the NBK752 not only supports current low-band 5G networks but mid-band and C-band as well. No mmWave support is included but given its small coverage area, this choice makes a lot of sense.
The NBK752 router has a Nano SIM next to two LAN Ethernet ports and a WAN port. There are also connectors for an optional external LTE/5G antenna if you need a bit more signal. Not only that, but since the mesh system communicates wirelessly, you could put the main router in the part of the house with the best 5G signal.
This system not only uses 5G as a primary internet connection but also as a backup if your primary internet connection is unreliable. For example, if your main DSL connection suffers an outage, 5G will be used as an automatic and seamless failover. For those that rely on a constant and reliable internet connection but still want to live away from a large city, the NBK752 can be a great way to stay connected.
Netgear has also brought its excellent security software, Netgear Armor, to this Orbi so you can be sure your traffic is secure no matter which internet source you're using. With Netgear Armor, you're protected on any internet connection you use including public Wi-Fi with 200MB of daily VPN data.
The Netgear Orbi NBK752 costs $1099.99 MSRP with a router and a single satellite. This setup covers up to 5,000 square feet. Additional RBS750 satellites can be added for an additional 2,500 square feet of coverage.
The Orbi NBK752 shares a lot in common with the popular Orbi RBK752, one of the best Wi-Fi 6 mesh systems. While 5G isn't a great replacement for cable internet it can be a very useful supplement to it if you need near 100% uptime at home. The NBK752 is an upgrade over the older Orbi 4G LTE router thanks not only to 5G support, but Wi-Fi 6 as well. Both routers can be used with a cable modem primarily with the cell connection as a backup.
