The Orbi mesh wifi product based on wifi-6 technology made its debut with the Orbi rbk852. Other vendors such as Linksys with Velop mx10, and Asus with xt8 Zenwifi mesh wifi 6, followed suit and also introduced their own versions of the product.
In This Article
Orbi RBK852
Orbi’s successful track record with mesh wifi products based on wireless ac (wifi-5) came to a halt with the emergence of wifi-6 technology. To adapt to this change, Orbi launched its flagship product, the Orbi rbk852. This was the highest series for Orbi, followed by the Orbi Rbk 752 series (a two-pack of Orbi rbk750) and other series as well. Nowadays you can find ultimate models of Orbi Rbk963 based on enhanced wifi 6e technology.
It is worth noting that Orbi distinguishes between Orbi mesh router and Orbi mesh satellite for almost all its series. Unlike other mesh wifi models such as Asus Zenwifi or TP-link Deco, these cannot be interchanged.
The Orbi rbk850 is sold in a kit of two units known as the Orbi rbk852, which includes one unit of Orbi mesh router (rbr850) and one unit of Orbi mesh satellite (Orbi rbs850). The 3-pack kit is called the Orbi rbk853, and it includes one unit of rbr850 and two units of Orbi rbs850.
Orbi rbk852 vs Orbi Rbk752
After the release of the Orbi Rbk850, which was the highest series from the Orbi mesh wifi system line, Netgear introduced another series called the Orbi Rbk750 a few months later. This series was designed to be more affordable compared to the high-end Orbi Rbk850. So, if you feel that the Orbi Rbk850 is too expensive, you can opt for the Orbi Rbk750 series instead. The price difference between the Orbi Rbk852 and Orbi Rbk752 is roughly $200.
Currently, the latest Orbi line products include the Orbi Rbk963 quad band with wifi 6e technology, which is quite expensive, costing around $1400 for a 3-pack.
If you’re wondering about the difference between the Orbi Rbk850 and Orbi Rbk750 series, you can refer to the following spec comparison table 1.
Wifi
The main difference between the Orbi Rbk850 and Rbk750 is the network segment they operate in, either ax6000 or ax4200. The total bandwidth for connected devices on the Orbi Rbk850 is around 3600mbps (1200 + 2400), while the Orbi Rbk750 only offers 1800mbps (600 + 1200Mbps). Additionally, one band on the Orbi Rbk850 is dedicated to a backhaul link at 2400mbps at 5GHz. Therefore, the Orbi Rbk850 can technically support twice as many clients as the Orbi Rbk750.
Hardware
The difference in bandwidth results in varying hardware designs, including the antenna design and the processor used, which also has a different clock rate. The Orbi Rbk852 is driven by a clock rate of 2.2 GHz compared to the Orbi Rbk752, which operates at only 1.4 GHz, even though it uses the same quad-core processor.
One major difference between the two models is the 2.5Gbps Ethernet WAN port on the Orbi Rbk852, which is ideal for internet bandwidth requirements of up to 2Gbps. You can use a DOCSIS 3.1 cable modem that comes with a 2.5Gbps Ethernet port to support your 2.5Gbps WAN port. Some options you may consider include the Surfboard s33 or Netgear cm2000 DOCSIS 3.1 cable modem, while a cheaper option is the Motorola Mb8611.
In case you anticipate the need for multi-gig internet speeds of up to 10Gbps in the future, neither of the current Orbi series would be capable of supporting the upcoming DOCSIS 4.0 technology. For an Orbi series that can meet this requirement and support the future DOCSIS 4.0 cable lab, you may want to consider the new Orbi Rbk860 series.
What is the difference between Orbi Rbk850 and Rbk860 series? Both series have the same technical spec except the multi-gig 10Gbps for Orbi Rbk860 series.
See also Motorola DOCSIS 3.1 cable modem vs Arris Surfboard.
Below is a comparison table for the two products, pay attention to the price difference, so make sure your choice fits your business needs.
Table 1 Orbi rbk852 vs Rbk752
| Orbi series | Orbi Rbk852 (2x rbk850) | Orbi Rbk752 (2x Rbk750) |
| Wifi technology | Simultaneous Tri-band mesh ax6000 wifi 6 | Simultaneous Tri-band AX4200 with MU-MIMO and 8 streams |
| Wifi speeds | 802.11ax: Up to 1200Mbps @2.4GHz up to 2,400 Mbps @ 5GHZ-1 up to 2,400 Mbps @ 5GHZ-2 | Up to 600Mbps @2.4GHz + Up to 1200Mbps @5GHz band 1+ Up to 2400Mbps @5GHz band 2 |
| Backhaul link | 2,400 Mbps @5GHz band dedicated backhaul link Optional wired backhaul | Dedicated backhaul @5GHz 2,400Mbps, optional wired backhaul |
| Antennas | Eight (8) high performance internal antennas with high-powered amplifiers | Six (6) high performance internal antennas with high-powered amplifiers |
| Ethernet Ports | 1x RJ45 2.5G BaseT for WAN; 4x RJ45 Gigabits BaseT for LAN; Satelite: 4xGigabit LAN ports | Orbi router (Rbr750): 1x Gigabit WAN + 3xGigabit LAN ports Orbi satellite (Rbs750): 2xGigabit Ethernet LAN |
| USB ports | N/A | N/A |
| Technical coverage | Up to 2,500 sq ft /unit | 2,500 sq ft / unit |
| Processor | Powerful Quad-Core 2.2 GHz processor with 512MB NAND Flash and 1GB RAM | 1.4GHz quad core processor with 512MB Flash and 1GB RAM |
| Price | $560.00 / 2-pack | $279.00 /2-pack |
The Orbi rbk850, like other mesh wifi models, merges an Orbi mesh wifi router and one or more Orbi satellite nodes that establish communication between each other through a wifi backhaul link. Orbi sets itself apart by using a dedicated backhaul link for communication between mesh router and satellite nodes, but you also have the option to use a wired Ethernet backhaul for faster and more reliable wired connection backhaul.
How to wired backhaul
If you opt for a wired backhaul, you can use a Cat6 UTP cable with each end utilizing RJ45 connections. Wondering how to connect using this UTP cable? Please refer to the figure below for detailed instructions. There are two models of wired backhaul topology to choose from: star topology and daisy chain topology.
The star topology (fig 1) requires you to connect each Orbi satellite to the Orbi router, using two LAN ports of the Orbi router and running UTP cables to each of the Orbi satellite’s Ethernet ports. On the other hand, the daisy chain topology (fig 2) involves running one UTP cable from the Orbi router to one of the Orbi satellites, and then running another UTP cable from the first Orbi satellite (that has a connection to the Orbi router) to the second Orbi satellite.
You can also deploy with star topology using an Ethernet switch. Run one UTP cable from Orbi router to the Ethernet switch that might far away from the Orbi router unit, and then you need to run each of Orbi satellites to the switch. Note that you need to use “Unmanaged switch” instead of “managed switch” or any kind of Switch with non-green technology. Click this link for wired backhaul details.
Now, we take one of Asus mesh wifi system products to compare with Orbi rbk852.
Orbi vs Asus AX6000
Upon the release of the Orbi rbk850, Asus also unveiled the Asus rt-ax92u, which was followed by the Asus xt8 Zenwifi a few months later. Asus has since released a few more products, with the most recent being the Asus et12 mesh wifi 6e, which now stands as the main competitor of the Orbi rbk962. For a detailed comparison of the two, check out our article on Asus et12 vs Orbi rbk962.
To further understand the differences between the Asus rt-ax92u and Asus xt8 Zenwifi, let’s take a look at the specs comparison in Table 2 below.
Asus ax6600 series
It’s worth noting that there are differences in wifi design between the two models, particularly in the connection between nodes or backhaul links. The Asus rt-ax92u features the @5 GHz @4800Mbps radio band as a backhaul link, as well as for wifi-6 connected devices. Meanwhile, the Zenwifi xt8 offers two @5 GHz radio bands that you can choose as a dedicated backhaul @2400 or @4800. Both models also provide a wired backhaul option.
Take a look at more spec comparison between Asus rt-ax92u and Zenwifi xt8 below.
Table 2 Asus rt-ax92u vs Zenwifi xt8
| Asus model | Asus RT-ax92u | Asus Zenwifi xt8 |
| Wifi technology | Simultaneous three band ax6000 | Simultaneous Tri-band mesh ax6600 with 8 steams |
| Wifi signal speeds | 400Mbps @2.4Ghz 867Mbps @5Ghz 4,804Mbps @5Ghz | Up to 574 Mbps @2.4GHz up to 1201 Mbps @ 5GHZ-1 up to 4804 Mbps @ 5GHZ-2 |
| Backhaul link | 4,804Mbps @5Ghz wifi 6; Optional wired backhaul | You can configure which 5GHz radio band will be used as backhaul link; Optional wired Ethernet backhaul is available |
| Antennas | 2x Internal antenna ; plus External antenna x 4 | 6x internal antennas |
| Ethernet Ports | 1x 1.0Gbps WAN port; 4x Gigabit LAN port | 1x RJ45 2.5G BaseT for WAN ; 3x RJ45 Gigabits BaseT for LAN |
| USB Port | USB 2.0 x 1 USB 3.1 Gen 1 x 1 | 1x USB 3.1 gen 1 |
| Processor | Quad core processor with 256MB NAND Flash and 512MB RAM | 1.5GHz quad core processor with 256MB Flash + 512 MB RAM |
| Coverage | 5,500 sq ft /2-pack | Up to 5,500 sq ft (2pack) / 2,750 sq ft / unit |
| Price | $340.99 | $349.99 |
When comparing the two models offered by Asus, the Asus xt8 Zenwifi appears to be a fairer option than the Orbi rbk852. This is because both the Orbi and the xt8 Zenwifi models come equipped with a high-speed 2.5Gbps Ethernet WAN port, which can handle internet bandwidth demands of up to 2Gbps.
If you’re looking for a cable modem that supports up to a 2.5Gbps Ethernet port, there are a couple of options available. The new models of Arris Surfboard S33 cable modem or Nighthawk CM2000 are both DOCSIS 3.1 compliant and support up to a 2.5Gbps Ethernet port. You’ll need to contact your internet cable provider to request an upgrade to a blast internet speed of up to 2Gbps.
Orbi Rbk852 vs Asus Zenwifi XT8
The following table 3 is a spec comparison between the Orbi rbk852 and the Asus Zenwifi xt8.
Wifi signals
The Orbi Rbk852 and Asus XT8 Zenwifi are both tri-band wifi-6 mesh systems with similar total bandwidth, but there are some differences in bandwidth allocation. Specifically, there is a bandwidth difference at the 2.4GHz radio band and the two @5GHz radio bands. Orbi uses one of the @5GHz radio bands as a dedicated backhaul link between Orbi nodes, while Asus xt8 Zenwifi allows you to choose which @5GHz radio bands will be used as a dedicated backhaul.
While Asus does offer a wired backhaul option, it’s important to note that using a wired backhaul does not necessarily mean that a dedicated @5GHz backhaul can be used for device connections. Instead, the dedicated @5GHz backhaul is reserved as a fallback backhaul link in case there is a disruption to the Ethernet backhaul link. You can choose between a dedicated @5GHz @1200Mbps backhaul and a wired Ethernet backhaul option, resulting in a total bandwidth of up to 480 + 600 Mbps for connected devices.
Operation Modes
At times, the network setup in your home may not be a cable modem but a cable modem gateway, such as the Netgear cax80. Consequently, Orbi cannot function as a router in this setup, but it can serve as a wireless access point. Orbi offers the option to operate as a WiFi AP. To achieve this, you need to connect one of the Ethernet gateway ports to the Orbi router’s WAN port and modify the configuration settings by selecting Advanced > Advanced > Router / AP Mode and choosing the AP mode radio button.
Similarly, Asus xt8 also provides an option to allow the device to work as a WiFi AP like Orbi, offering various operation mode options. You can select operation mode in the general settings and choose Asus xt8 to work in wireless router mode (default mode), AP mode, Repeater mode, Media bridge, or Aimesh node. It’s worth noting that most of Asus’s recent products feature Aimesh technology, which enables this device to join other Aimesh products to create a whole-home system. For instance, if you already have the latest Asus ET8 mesh wifi 6e system, you can configure xt8 to work as an Aimesh node.
Security protection
The Orbi rbk852 provides a paid feature called Netgear Armor, which offers network threat protection against various internet threats like malware, ransomware, adware, and phishing attacks. The cost of this service is around $35 per year. On the other hand, Asus provides a free subscription of Asus AiProtection powered by Trend Micro. AiProtection offers real-time network monitoring to detect malware, viruses, and other intrusions for all devices connected to your network.
Asus AiProtection provides a straightforward way to assess the network protection of the xt8 router against all possible internet threats. To initiate the process, navigate to the General menu > AiProtection and select the network protection tab. Click on the Scan button to generate a risk security assessment report from your router. The report will offer valuable insights into the level of protection provided by your router.
One critical area to pay attention to is the default user and router password. It is advisable to change these passwords when configuring the system for the first time. Additionally, the report will indicate the strength of your password and highlight any potential threats, such as phishing, brute force attacks, dictionary attacks, among others. Please refer to the following image as an example of a risk security assessment report for your current router.
This Asus AiProtection is a free software powered by Trend micro. For spec comparison details, please refer to the following table.
Table 3 Orbi Rbk852 vs Asus Zenwifi XT8
| Model | Orbi rbk852 (2pk) | Asus XT8 Zenwifi (2pk) |
| Wifi technology | Simultaneous Tri-band mesh ax6000 wifi 6 with 8 streams | Simultaneous Tri-band mesh ax6600 with 8 steams |
| Wifi speeds | Up to 1200Mbps @2.4GHz up to 2,400 Mbps @ 5GHZ-1 up to 2,400 Mbps @ 5GHZ-2 | Up to 574 Mbps @2.4GHz up to 1201 Mbps @ 5GHZ-1 up to 4804 Mbps @ 5GHZ-2 |
| Coverage | Up to 5,000 sq ft / 2,500 sq ft /unit | Up to 5,500 sq ft (2pack) / 2,750 sq ft / unit |
| Backhaul link | 2,400 Mbps @5GHz band is used as dedicated backhaul link, optional wired Ethernet backhaul is also available | You have option which 5GHz radio band to configure as dedicated backhaul link, or optional wired Ethernet backhaul |
| Antennas | Eight (8) high performance internal antennas with high-powered amplifiers | 6x internal antennas |
| SSID | Single network name | Single network name or one name each band |
| Ethernet Ports | 1x RJ45 2.5G BaseT for WAN 3x RJ45 Gigabits BaseT for LAN | 1x RJ45 2.5G BaseT for WAN 3x RJ45 Gigabits BaseT for LAN |
| USB Port | N/A | 1x USB 3.1 gen 1 |
| Processor | Powerful Quad-Core 2.2 GHz processor with 512MB NAND Flash and 1GB RAM | 1.5GHz quad core processor with 256MB Flash + 512 MB RAM |
| Protection | Netgear Shield | Free Commercial Grade Security & Advanced Parental Controls powered by Trend Micro |
| Price | $560.99(2-pack) | $349.99 (2-pack) |
See that the price difference is very much around $200 more expensive for Orbi. Prices are always fluctuating; you may check the current price and rating in Amazon (#ads) by following the product link below to shop and see more details in Amazon:
- Click here to read more details Orbi Rbk852 in Amazon (#ad) OR See this product in Best Buy
- Or click here to read more details Zenwifi XT8 (#ad) in Amazon
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