The Orbi 370 comes in kits with different numbers of satellites. The fourth box in the largest kit only earns its place if it reaches a room the others cannot serve well. Begin with a floor plan and the places you can put a node partway toward a weak room.
In depth
NETGEAR Orbi 370 review
Published
Best forHouseholds extending Wi-Fi through several rooms who can plan around one Ethernet socket per satellite.
At a glance
- Wi-Fi generation
- Wi-Fi 7
- Wireless bands / radios
- 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz
- Ethernet ports
- Router: 1 × 2.5 GbE WAN and 1 × 2.5 GbE LANsatellite: 1 × 2.5 GbE LAN
- Mesh support
- Orbi 370 mesh
Pros
- Two-, three- and four-unit kits cover different layouts.
- Multi-gigabit Ethernet can connect nodes across a wired home.
Cons
- A wired satellite uses its only Ethernet socket for the link back.
- Wireless nodes share two radio bands with client traffic.
Wireless
- Wi-Fi 7
- 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz
The 370 can use either band with compatible clients. There is no 6 GHz radio for a newer laptop to use, and the advertised aggregate figure combines radio capacity. A laptop in a back bedroom will see a result determined by both its connection to the satellite and that satellite’s connection back.
Wired Connectivity
- 2.5 GbE WAN and LAN on router
- One 2.5 GbE port per satellite
Dong Knows Tech confirmed that a wired connection back to the router occupies the satellite’s only LAN socket. For a room that also needs wired gaming, budget for a switch and cable both the satellite and console to it. 1
Installation
- RBE372: two units
- RBE373: three
- RBE374: four
Put the router near the modem, then place each wireless satellite where it can still receive a good signal. A second node hidden in the original dead spot may simply repeat a poor connection. Use a wired link between floors when the building already has Ethernet.
Alternatives
The Deco BE23 has two multi-gigabit sockets on each unit, useful if you want to wire a satellite and one local device without a switch. If a single room is the problem, a wired access point can also extend an otherwise satisfactory network.
Verdict
Choose the smallest 370 pack that serves the rooms you use. Its Ethernet layout works well when you plan the return paths and the wired devices together.
About this review
This is a research-based review. The Fasit has not physically tested this product.
Sources & Research
1 reference
Independent sources cited in this article.
- Dong Knows TechOrbi 370 Series Review: NETGEAR's Cheap Wi-Fi 7 Mesh System (opens in a new tab)https://dongknows.com/netgear-orbi-370-series-review/
Satellite wiring and the effect of Ethernet backhaul on its single LAN socket.