Google WiFi vs Netgear Orbi

[nicklmg]

Buy Google Wifi on Amazon: http://geni.us/QBTiF

Buy Netgear Orbi on Amazon: http://geni.us/eDR40

 

Who will reign supreme in a head-to-head battle for the home WiFi crown?

 

 

[8-Bit Ninja]

My god these thumbnails just get worse and worse 

[Daniel644]

posted 11 minutes ago but my computer only beeped at me a minute or 2 ago

[SeanAngelo]

macbook pro with windows? lolwut.

 

i first thought it was a Dell XPS  

[McGivens]

What about the AmpliFi HD from Ubiquiti. I know you used that company in the past. Why not include it?

[DamageHigh]

Graphs in this video are absolutely terrible.

First of all, nobody cares about the time it takes to transfer a certain amount of data. X-axis should've been speed (Mbps). Since the X-axis is time, it doesn't show the relative difference in the speed between big and small files at all. Especially since you didn't specify how much data is "lots of pictures". Have you had less pictures, its column would've been smaller compared to the other data types. So we know nothing about how speeds compare between different data types.

Second, the whole point of the video is to compare the two devices. When comparing, we want to compare the values apples to apples, so 1GB Google vs 1GB Orbi etc. That's why the two columns that are together should be: blue - Google and yellow - Orbi, so we can directly compare their performance. There is no point in directly comparing downlink/uplink speeds. The way it is done in the video, the columns we should be comparing between each other (1GB G vs 1GB O etc.) are 3 columns away from each other.

 

Graphs should be concise and clear, especially when they fly by in the video. This is just useless and wrong. This isn't the first time this has happened, but it was the worse.

 

Anyways...appreciate the video, but these things need to be either fixed or removed completely.

[oduca]

How this compared to unifi access point, around 25-30 devices connecting?

[Scheer]

15 minutes ago, oduca said:

How this compared to unifi access point, around 25-30 devices connecting?

 

Interested in this as well, I'd love to see a direct comparison between the two. Unifi APs have had mesh support for a few years now, its quite a bit cheaper for the AP Lite and about the same as the AP Pro, and has more features... With the only downside being setup is a wee bit harder and you'd want a computer running the controller software.

 

As a side note, a single AP Pro would very likely have you covered depending on the distance needed for those 25-30 clients, I just don't know if the Google Wifi or Orbi would do it better or not.

 

On top of that, Unifi just released a dedicated Mesh lineup as well: https://unifi-mesh.ubnt.com/

 

[Fiat-Libertas]

Sigh, nothing really exciting about this video out all.

 

I feel like you guys don't understand the advantages you have and how you can make videos that are different than other youtubers. What did you do in this video that anyone at home with 2 computers couldn't do and post on YouTube?

 

How about you guys test how many clients each one can handle? You must have access to 30+ laptops, that is something most Youtubers don't.

 

Why, ON A REVIEW OF A WIFI ROUTER did we not get a speedtest lmao. You guys have a fiber gigabit internet connections, most YouTubers do not. See if the routers could handle that? Did all mesh points maintain the same speed? How did the ping change based on which router you were close to?

 

This video ultimately just made me want to go watch other videos on Google wifi to get answers.

Edited January 24, 2017 by Fiat-Libertas

[skywake]

2 hours ago, McGivens said:

What about the AmpliFi HD from Ubiquiti. I know you used that company in the past. Why not include it?

Because if they went with Ubiquiti they'd be highlighting the elephant in the room. That a mesh node is basically just a smarter version of a range extender. That if what you want is the "best home WiFi solution" and you're wanting to spend that much? You're almost surely better off running an Ethernet cable and putting in two prosumer APs. You know, like the ones Ubiquiti are known for.....

[oduca]

I'm currently using a built PFSense router and 1 Unifi AC PRO. I'm thinking of getting 2 more for the upstairs and basement. There's going to be around 25 - 30 devices connecting, but not all at once.

 

How does this compare to Unifi's Zero Handoff while roaming around on a laptop and streaming HD movies? Please do a comparison video.

 

I'm not sure if I should get 2 more Unifi AC Pro or just the Google WiFi, the price is almost similar.

 

Thanks in advance.

[DominicNikon]

i own 3 orbis and never have one slow down and never below full bars and google is the full winner so do i need to upgrade?

[skywake]

22 minutes ago, oduca said:

I'm currently using a built PFSense router and 1 Unifi AC PRO. I'm thinking of getting 2 more for the upstairs and basement. There's going to be around 25 - 30 devices connecting, but not all at once. How does this compare to Unifi's Zero Handoff while roaming around on a laptop and streaming HD movies? Please do a comparison video. I'm not sure if I should get 2 more Unifi AC Pro or just the Google WiFi, the price is almost similar.

Thanks in advance.

An access point will always be better for a simple reason. With an access point what you ideally want is them to be arranged so that the coverage looks like this:

 

 

The range of one AP overlaps with the other APs just a little bit. They're also fairly well seperated from each other so if you have more than 3 on 2.4G you can run them without channels overlapping. It's done like this because being wired you can place them wherever you want. But with a mesh/range extender that arrangement won't work, the other APs are going to be out of range. So what you want is something more like this:

 

By moving all the nodes within range of each other you lose coverage. Because they need to be in range for it to work you'll always get better coverage with wired APs vs a mesh setup. Combine that with the fact that a wired AP is using Ethernet as a backhaul rather than WiFi? There's absolutely no reason to pick a mesh setup over multiple separate APs set up correctly. Unless you want it to be simple and don't want to run cables.

[oduca]

3 minutes ago, skywake said:

An access point will always be better for a simple reason. With an access point what you ideally want is them to be arranged so that the coverage looks like this:

 

 

The range of one AP overlaps with the other APs just a little bit. But with a mesh/range extender that won't work, the other APs are going to be out of range. So what you want is something more like this:

 

So you'll always get better coverage with wired APs vs a mesh setup. Combine that with the fact that a wired AP is using Ethernet as a backhaul rather than WiFi? There's absolutely no reason to pick a mesh setup over multiple separate APs set up correctly. Unless you want it to be simple and don't want to run cables.

 

Thanks so much!!!

[pk-man]

I like how this thread title is completely different to the video title.

[fulminemizzega]

4 hours ago, DamageHigh said:

Graphs in this video are absolutely terrible.

[...] X-axis should've been speed (Mbps). [...] you didn't specify how much data is "lots of pictures".

[...]we know nothing about how speeds compare between different data types.

[...]Anyways...appreciate the video, but these things need to be either fixed or removed completely.

I think this video is bad, maybe you didn't have enough time to test this stuff, or CES happened and you still had to get this done, but, really, I didn't understand much. What DamageHigh has said is right, what does it mean lots of pictures? And what are you testing when you transfer lots of pictures, instead of when you transfer just a single big file, the file sharing protocol overhead? Why don't you test this stuff with something like iperf?

You did not tell anything about the mesh part.. how fast is the connection between two of these APs? Does it change as you add more devices to the network? How worse can this be than using two wired APs? And why did you choose to put time instead of speed? Which standard do these wifi systems use? 802.11ac? 2.4 or 5 ghz? What's the speed rating and how lower is the actual speed? What happens if I put this stuff in a wifi-crowded area?

I mean... sorry for the "rant", it's just how it came out. Please, don't rush these things, I think there is a need for more complete reviews of wifi devices that still be understood without many hours of reading on the internet.

[skywake]

@fulminemizzega

To be fair they were comparing two products to each other. So it doesn't matter how fast it is so much as how fast it is compared to the other one. It would have been nice if they included a control group in there. For example a single router placed in the middle and the multi-AP config they already have setup. But I think it's fair to say that it's much easier to complain than it is to produce content.

 

As for the specs? You can google it and find that stuff out if you want. I just don't think that the target market for these devices really cares. It should have definitely been mentioned though because that is the key difference between the two. Google WiFi uses an AC1900 chip and will pick which band to use for backhaul automatically. The Netgear Orbi on the other hand uses an AC1200 chip but has a second, separate, AC2600 chip specifically for backhaul.

 

To compare it to the Ubiquiti product line Google WiFi is like an AC Pro that's isolated from the network and running as a repeater. The Netgear Orbi is like an AC Lite that's connected via Ethernet. Very different systems despite the similar branding. As devices built to target the "I just want good WiFi easily"? I understand why they're advertised as if they're doing the same thing. But a tech channel should be covering it better....

[Guest]

5 hours ago, skywake said:

Because if they went with Ubiquiti they'd be highlighting the elephant in the room. That a mesh node is basically just a smarter version of a range extender. That if what you want is the "best home WiFi solution" and you're wanting to spend that much? You're almost surely better off running an Ethernet cable and putting in two prosumer APs. You know, like the ones Ubiquiti are known for.....

Except Ubiquiti AP's are capable of running in the exact same configuration too.

[skywake]

20 minutes ago, Windspeed36 said:

Except Ubiquiti AP's are capable of running in the exact same configuration too.

Ubiquiti also have a product that's basically trying to fill the same niche. But that's not what Ubiquiti are known for. Ubiquiti are a prosumer brand known specifically for fairly decent APs which are designed to be deployed as APs. Putting Ubiquiti's mesh product up against these devices in a video titled "the best home WiFi solution"? You'd just highlight the elephant in the room. How is a mesh setup better than 2x AC1750 APs from a company like Ubiquiti?

 

And the answer would be.... it's not... it's not even better than 2x AC1200 APs. But it could have some value for some consumers who aren't necessarily just after the best speeds or the best value or the most stable. What they are is good enough and consumer friendly so if that's what you want? It might be the "best".

[Guest]

23 minutes ago, skywake said:

Putting Ubiquiti's mesh product up against these devices in a video titled "the best home WiFi solution"? You'd just highlight the elephant in the room.

No - I'm talking running the UAP's in the same wireless uplink configuration, not cabled to each AP

[skywake]

3 minutes ago, Windspeed36 said:

No - I'm talking running the UAP's in the same wireless uplink configuration, not cabled to each AP

I know, but that's not what "Ubiquiti" is as a brand. Putting the Ubiquiti Amplifi range against these other mesh devices is only going to make people think about other Ubiquiti products. Products which are marketed as access points. In a video trying to call mesh WiFi the "best home WiFi solution" that's a bit awkward. IMO.

 

BTW, I'm pretty sure that these mesh devices can also be used as access points. They're just ridiculously expensive if that's what you're using them for.

[nicklmg]

4 hours ago, pk-man said:

I like how this thread title is completely different to the video title.

Not sure why that's a problem?

[DKL]

4 hours ago, nicklmg said:

Not sure why that's a problem?

He's basically just complaining that:

1) The video title isn't as representative of what's contained in the video itself.

2) The video won't be 'the best' as soon as something better comes out,  at which point it is irrelevant.

3) Oh wait but you named it this way so it would get more views even later when it's literally useless...

4) The video was named this way to gain money.

???

Profit.

[bigbramel]

@Scheer

For the Unify stuff of ubiquity you only need the controller to configure stuff and collect some data. In a home situation it's perfectly okay to put the controller on your desktop/laptop/whatever that's not always one if you don't want to configure it everyday. However if you want to configure it later on, use the same IP-address as used as in the first configuration.

 

[Scheer]

2 hours ago, bigbramel said:

@Scheer

For the Unify stuff of ubiquity you only need the controller to configure stuff and collect some data. In a home situation it's perfectly okay to put the controller on your desktop/laptop/whatever that's not always one if you don't want to configure it everyday. However if you want to configure it later on, use the same IP-address as used as in the first configuration.

 

Correct, but for a fair comparison I wanted to mention it since its the only way the Unifi line will have some of the same features and app support. You'd also have the option of using the Cloud Key, Amazon EC2, or even their new Unifi Elite controller, so its not like a computer sucking down electricity is absolutely necessary, just the most likely candidate IMO.

 

Have remote access to systems like this is a big selling point for myself and I'd assume others, just seems like having the controller running 24/7 would be the most popular option, especially if you want the insights monitoring.