Netgear Orbi 770 Series WiFi 7 Review – Perfect for the supercharged NBN upgrade that’s coming

If you know what internet speed you have then you’re a power user. If you test that speed within your home you’re a super user. In mid-September NBN speeds will rocket up for millions of homes and that’s where most power users live and it’s the ideal place for a new WiFi network and in this case the Netgear Orbi 770 Series WiFi 7 Mesh system.

The raw stats here are epic, 11Gbps wifi speeds, 540 square meters of coverage, 2.5Gig Internet port and connectivity for up to 100 devices. The key stat there is the Internet speed capacity – up to 2.5Gig – there will be people coming close to that later this year.

Being WiFi 7, the Orbi 770 series is future proofing you for devices you haven’t even seen on the market yet, but as you upgrade devices in your home WiFi 7 will become the norm.

At $1,499 the 3 pack (A router and two satellites) is pricey. Honestly, reduce that coverage area to 360 square meters and getting the two pack which is just a single Satellite and this becomes a more palatable $999 and I think for a large number of average Aussie homes that might be totally enough coverage.

Why pay $1000 or more for WiFi? Well, if you’re ordering 500Mbps, 1000Mbps or 2000Mbps internet, that’s like building a US style 8 lane each way freeway, then living near an off ramp and getting frustrated by the local traffic jams. Great internet needs great WiFi – it’s as simple as that, so if you’re someone seeking out those higher speeds, don’t settle for the Telco modem and WiFi router. Nope.

Netgear have nailed the setup process here over many years, the Orbi app is a breeze. HOWEVER, I will say if this is not a new connection, that is, you’re getting rid of an older modem, you might have issues getting going.

The initial part of the process for me was spot on – simple QR code scan and off we’re going.

There’s a lot of “waiting” involved, but the app does suggest setup is a 20 minute process.

And there’s your problem. In all honesty, I get this every time I setup an Orbi system. I was thinking at one stage that it was a fault in the setup, but actually it’s your NBN “NTD” the little box that is where the NBN connection ends at your house. It’s kinda configured for your existing modem and is looking for that, not this fancy new one.

How to you get a new Netgear Orbi to find your Internet if it says No Internet or Manual Setup? Well, you need to start the setup process again – sorry.

But before you do, disconnect your NBN box from power.

If you have an ISP like Aussie Broadband with customer service test tools in their app, perform a “Kick Connection”. If not, call your Telco and ask them to do that.

Once done, plug the NBN back into power, wait for it to connect, then start your Orbi setup again.

You’ll be asked to personalise your network, new network name, password things like that.

Then you can plug in your satellites.

The great thing is the app just works even while it’s configuring the Satellites.

But here’s a really, really important tip. Do a speed test, but understand what that is.

I got a cracking speed. Great. But its the “INTERNET” speed, not your WiFi speed.

I then went and did some speed tests on my phone using the Speed Test app, and got this:

What? 100Mbps?

I used the new WiFi tools part of the app (haven’t seen this before) and it’s great allowing you to test speeds in multiple rooms

Lots of tools there to see WiFi interference etc. I was getting 143Mbps WiFi Speeds though.

Then I thought, hang on, the Orbi app says “Optimising network”

I waited.

When things were done, I did firmware updates.

I Waited.

Then things looked up, on the network and the internet speed test:

Testing a two satellite system in a small office just doesn’t cut it.

And interestingly, I found my WiFi speed was faster when I turned the Satellites off – indicating that having Satellites too close to the router was actually a negative for your network, thus, get what you need – not what you think you want.

This is a pricey system, but one that just works, and works well.

Consistent wifi speeds, fast delivery of fast internet, and capable of supporting a very congested and well populated network.

I think genuinely this Orbi 770 Series is ideal for Aussie families who are choosing 500Mbps speeds or higher.

The new Orbi design which offers these “taller” units but still slick design that shouldn’t stand out as something obtuse on a bookshelf in the lounger room is a winner in my book. That taller design offers better antenna configuration which in turn improves your network.

My key tip is to work out what you need, how big is your home, don’t get more satellites than you need – this way you are getting the best bang for your buck.