Meshforce M7 vs Orbi difference – do they offer WiFi 6 firewall? Advanced security protocol and built-in firewall, efficiently keep your personal information in private. Control your home WiFi from the palm of your hand with the app, easily check WiFi status while working and traveling.
Pros & Cons – Meshforce M7 vs Orbi
Meshforce M7
PROS
- Tri-band connectivity.
- QoS protocols distribute bandwidth.
- Top-notch security protocols.
- Up to 6,000 square footage in coverage.
- Connects to up to 75 devices.
CONS
- Device profile is squat.
- Few on-unit indicators.
Orbi
Pros
- Advanced cyber threat protection
- Tri-band AC2200
- Works with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant:
Cons
- Subscription required
- No USB option
Compare Meshforce M7 vs Orbi RBK23
| Tri-band mesh wifi | Meshforce M7 (3-pack) | Orbi Rbk23 |
| Wifi technology | Simultaneous tri-band ac2100 wave 2 with 2×2 MU-MIMO | Simultaneous tri-band AC2200 wave 1 |
| Wifi speeds | 867Mbps @5GHz band 1 867Mbps @5GHz band 2 300Mbps @2.4GHz | 866Mbps @5GHz band 1 866Mbps @5GHz band 2 (dedicated backhaul) 400Mbps @2.4 GHz band 1 |
| Backhaul link | Dedicated backhaul @5GHz 867Mbps and optional wired Ethernet | Dedicated backhaul link @5GHz |
| Antennas | 4x internal antennas | Four (4) high performance internal antennas with high-powered amplifiers |
| Ethernet ports | 1x Gigabit WAN port 2x Gigabit LAN ports | 2x 10/100/1000Mbps Gigabit Ethernet ports One (1) WAN & one (1) LAN |
| USB port | N/A | N/A |
| Range Coverage | 6,000 sq ft /3-unit | 6,000 sq ft /3-pack |
| Processor | Dual core 900Mhz CPU with 256MB RAM DDR3 | Processor unknown 256MB flash and 512MB RAM |
| Other features | Works with Alexa | Works with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant: |
| Security Protection | Parental control | Advanced cyber threat protection Netgear armor powered by bitdefender (need subscription) |
| Price (Mar 2021 in Amazon) | $259.00 /3-pack | $299.99 /3-pack |
Meshforce M7 vs Orbi reviews
Design
Meshforce M7
Each unit is circular and measures about 4-5 inches tall. The circular design is small. Each unit has a sleek, functional design that is white, with a studded base on the bottom. The units are small and discreet, so they can be placed wherever you want and not take up too much space. The white satin finish is easy to clean and will mesh well with the other tech in your room.
Orbi
The router is sharp, angular and covered with antennas. The smooth rounded surfaces of the device have a very decorative look to them, almost like a piece of pottery.
Ports
Meshforce M7
Each router unit has 3 ethernet ports on the back and a DC power input. Two of the ethernet inputs are for LAN and the other is for WAN/LAN connections. Each unit just needs to be plugged in but only one needs to be connected to the modem. The other two can be placed wherever in your house as long as they have a power supply nearby. The individual units each have a Dual Core 900Mhz CPU so they are fast and efficient. On the bottom of the units is a reset button which can be used to reset the system if the connection gets hung up.
Orbi
Orbi has three gigabit Ethernet ports as well as a USB 2.0. There are still many devices on the market that do not have wireless networking. IPTV receivers are particularly guilty. With Orbi, you can simply plug one of these devices directly into it to create a wireless bridge.
LED lights
Meshforce M7
Each router node has an LED light on the top that lights up to let you know that it’s connected and communicating with the other nodes in the network.
Orbi
The top of the extender is illuminated by LED lighting. As you walk around your house, the color will change depending on the quality of its connection with the router. A blue ring around the top of the extender lets you know that the connection speed is ideal, while an amber light means that the speed is inhibited. Pink tells you that the extender is too far away from the router.
Meshforce M7 vs Orbi Coverage
Meshforce M7
The Meshforce M7 Tri-Band is a three-node mesh WiFi system. It’s designed to expand Wifi dead zones up to a range of 2000 square feet. The system itself comes with three nodes but can be fitted with up to 6 nodes to extend signal reach to over 6,000 square feet.
Orbi
The entire setup procedure should only take a couple of minutes. Since the system provides over 2000 square feet of coverage, the majority of customers should be able to simply plop the extender down in the center of their house. A second extender can be purchased, bringing the total to 4000 square feet of coverage.
Bandwidth
Meshforce M7
The Meshforce M7 is capable of running dual-band channels, so 5GHz and 2.4GHz. For those who do not know, 5GHz channels are more powerful and provide stronger bandwidth, but they have lower range and are impeded by walls more. 2.4GHz channels, in contrast, have lower bandwidth connection but a longer range.
Orbi
The router and the extender have their own dedicated communication channel. The extender is able to access a part of the 5Ghz band not normally used by consumer electronics, and leverages this in order to receive a clear signal back to your primary router. This means that even if you place the extender in a part of your house with no Wi-Fi signal, it should still be able to communicate with the router.
Setup
Meshforce M7
Setup is one of the best features about the Meshforce M7. All you have to do is pick which router you want to be your “main” node and plug it into the modem with an ethernet cable. Then, plug in the other routers wherever you want to place then and then you set up the network with the smartphone app.
Orbi
Netgear clearly put some time into designing the set-up procedure for Orbi. First, the user simply connects the router into their existing network with a standard WAN port. Then, the top of the extender is illuminated by LED lighting.
App
The app is very intuitive to use and you can set up the network with just a few selections and button presses. One important note though is that you need iOS 9.0 or later of Android 4.4 to download the app and use it to set up the network. The app has a simple interface and displays the status of each connected node in the center of the screen, with upload and download speeds on the top-left and top-right parts of the screen, respectively. Using the app, you can manage connections for up to 75 devices simultaneously.
Trasnfer rate
The two 5G channels can have a rate of 867Mbps, which is fairly high. Keep in mind that your internet plan needs to have the bandwidth to make use of these rates. Fortunately, most modern internet plans allow for up to a gig of upload speeds. The 2,4Ghz channel has a rate of 300Mbps, which is not a lot but decent for a 2.4Ghz channel.
Alternate of – Meshforce M7 vs Orbi
Asus ZenWiFi AX
Some people just want to set up their router and forget about it. Other, more tech-savvy folks may like to tweak and tinker with settings to optimize every bit of their network. Asus has always offered a host of options for more advanced users, and their latest ZenWiFi AX system merges Asus’ powerful feature set with wide mesh coverage. The Wi-Fi 6 (or AX) version is a bit more expensive per-unit than Eero, but may be worth it if you want to up the ante.
Eero Pro 6
Eero was one of the first names in consumer mesh Wi-Fi, and they still offer some of the more robust, easy-to-use systems on the market. Now owned by Amazon, the latest Eero Pro 6 system isn’t their most. Affordable but it is their best thanks to tri-band radios and Wi-Fi 6. For three units, the price is fairly competitive, too, and should cover even larger homes nicely. There’s also an older, Wi-Fi 5 version if you want to save a bit of money.
