With the Netgear Orbi 370 WiFi 7 mesh system, the network expert is launching a new gadget. Although this is based on WiFi 7, it only uses a dual-band system (2.4 GHz & 5 GHz). You have to do without the fast 6 GHz band here. However, the system comes at a very good price.
The most important facts in brief
- Netgear Orbi 370 offers WiFi 7 over 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz with Multi-Link Operation (MLO) for stable connections
- Supports mesh operation and multiple separate Wi-Fi networks (e.g. for guests or IoT)
- Up to approx. 120 m² per unit, eight antennas each, quad-core CPU with 1.5 GHz and 1 GB RAM
- Each router/satellite with 2.5 Gbps Ethernet port, WAN port available
Netgear Orbi 370: What’s inside technically?
Netgear equips each Orbi 370 router and satellite with eight internal antennas, a 1.5 GHz quad-core processor and 1 GB of RAM. The mesh units each cover up to around 120 m², whereby the actual range is influenced by room geometry and structural conditions. The system is a dual-band WiFi 7 mesh. This means you get the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz frequency bands. However, there is no 6 GHz band.
If you want this, you have to go for the higher-priced Orbi 770 (€ 499.99 *) or Orbi 970 (€ 1,986.00 *) models. Thanks to Multi-Link Operation (MLO), clients can communicate simultaneously via both bands, which enables high speeds, lower latency and more stable transmissions. Overall, WiFi 7 is significantly more powerful than WiFi 6.
Mesh network & security
The Orbi 370 supports mesh networking with at least one router and one or more satellites. Thanks to the WiFi 7 functions, a noticeable advantage in stability and performance can be achieved even with WiFi 6/6E devices.
New multi-network functionality allows separate SSIDs to be set up: e.g. guest network, IoT network, etc. An important point is the increased security gain through the isolation of IoT devices (e.g. smart sensors), which often have security gaps. VPN compatibility is also integrated, and management is convenient via app.
Price and availability
The Netgear Orbi 370 is an inexpensive introduction to WiFi 7 mesh technology, ideal for users who rely on modern features such as MLO, separate WiFi networks and multi-gigabit LAN ports – without the expensive high-end segment with a 6 GHz band. The mesh system is not yet available in this country. However, US customers can already purchase the two-pack at a price of just under 250 US dollars.
Images: Netgear
