The Netgear Orbi RBKE963 offers widespread coverage, good download speeds, and a fast setup process, but it doesn’t have any USB ports or Quality of Service settings.
The Netgear Orbi RBKE963 mesh router system is a high-end pick introduced in 2021. The quad-band system consists of one router node and two satellite nodes, which, when combined, offer coverage of up to 9000 Sq ft for up to 200 devices. This ranks right up there with what the best routers on the market have to offer.
The quad-band Wi-Fi 6E mesh system can work on the 6GHz radio band and offers decent wired connectivity options, with one 2.5G port and three 1G LAN ports on both the router and the satellites. Owners can also directly manage and filter content accessed through Netgear’s Smart Parental Controls and Netgear Armor (Intenet Security) or set up a dedicated IoT configuration for smart devices.
Best For
Netgear
Consensus
our Verdict
Sold as a router and one or two satellites, the Netgear Orbi RBKE963 WiFi 6e mesh system is perfect for large households and users who want fast internet access and widespread coverage up to 9000 sq ft for up to 200 devices. The system offers download speeds of up to 93.4 Mbps and 330.82 Mbps for its 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz networks at a range of 95 feet. Its 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz speeds place it in the top 40% of routers in our certified tested list.
The RBKE963 mesh system is also easy to install and manage through the Orbi mobile app or web console. Owners can use one of its 5 GHz bands as a wireless backhaul or the 2.5 GHz port for a wired backhaul connection. While the mesh system features support for most WiFi 6 protocols, such as WPA3 encryption, Beamforming, and MU-MIMO for efficient data streaming, it doesn’t have any USB ports or Quality of Service settings.
Reason to Buy
Good connectivity speeds
With download speeds of 93.4 Mbps (2.4 GHz) and 330.82 Mbps (5GHz), the RBKE963 mesh router system has a top 40% standing compared to other routers in its category.
It also has download speeds of up to 847 Mbps on its 6 GHz band. This makes it great for multiple data-intensive users who need fast and reliable connectivity for their large smart homes.
Widespread coverage
The RBKE963 delivers a strong connection for devices within a distance of up to 95 ft. This range ranks it among the top 40% of our certified tested routers.
Easy to set up and install
Setup and installation of the RBKE963 is easy to do courtesy of the user-friendly Orbi mobile app or web console.
Reason to Avoid
No USB connectivity
The RBKE963 mesh system has no USB ports on its satellites or router.
Netgear Orbi RBKE963 Specs
# of LAN Ports
4
# of Phone Ports
n/a
# of WAN Ports
1
App Compatible
Yes
Available Storage
512MB
Band Technology
Quad
Data Encryption Type
WPA2
Energy Star Certified
No
Frequency Bands
2.4 GHz, 5.0 GHz, 6.0 GHz
Integrated Modem
No
LAN Ports
4 Gb Ethernet
MU-MIMO Support
Yes
Mesh System
Yes
Number of Antennas
12
Parental Controls
Yes
Processor Cores
Quad
Processor Speed
2.2GHz
Quality of Service Prioritization
n/a
WiFi Range
9000 sq. ft
WiFi Speed
10.8 Gb
Wired Speed
10000 Mb
Wireless Standard
AC, AX, N
All Specs
Test Results
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The Netgear Orbi RBKE963 mesh router system is a high-end pick introduced in 2021. The quad-band system consists of one router node and two satellite…
The Netgear Orbi RBKE963 mesh router system is a high-end pick introduced in 2021. The quad-band system consists of one router node and two satellite nodes, which, when combined, offer coverage of up to 9000 Sq ft for up to 200 devices. This ranks right up there with what the best routers on the market have to offer.
The quad-band Wi-Fi 6E mesh system can work on the 6GHz radio band and offers decent wired connectivity options, with one 2.5G port and three 1G LAN ports on both the router and the satellites. Owners can also directly manage and filter content accessed through Netgear’s Smart Parental Controls and Netgear Armor (Intenet Security) or set up a dedicated IoT configuration for smart devices.
With regard to download speeds, the Netgear Orbi RBKE963 achieves speeds of up to 93.4 Mbps and 330.82 Mbps on its 2.4GHz and 5GHz networks,…
With regard to download speeds, the Netgear Orbi RBKE963 achieves speeds of up to 93.4 Mbps and 330.82 Mbps on its 2.4GHz and 5GHz networks, making it inferior to the Netgear RAX20, which has speeds of up to 560 Mbps and 2480 Mbps. Additionally, the Netgear Orbi RBKE963 is a 4-band router, while the Netgear RAX20 is a dual-band router. The RBKE963 is also sold as a three-piece WiFi mesh system, while the RAX20 is only sold as a single-unit router. Here’s our Netgear RAX20 review for a deeper look into what else it offers.
The Netgear Orbi RBKE963 WiFi mesh system includes a total of 12 antennas, which is more than what buyers will get with the Netgear NightHawk…
The Netgear Orbi RBKE963 WiFi mesh system includes a total of 12 antennas, which is more than what buyers will get with the Netgear NightHawk Pro Gaming XR700, which only has four antennas. Also different is that the RBKE963 WiFi mesh system doesn’t have any USB ports while the XR700 has two, and finally, owners of the RBKE963 won’t get access to Quality of Service settings where they could limit upload and download speeds for connected devices. The XR700, on the other hand, does have these settings. Check it out in our Netgear Nighthawk XR700 review, but if you’d be content with a basic mesh system that doesn’t offer as many complex settings but still maintains excellent connectivity, then you might like our Linksys Atlas Pro 6 MX 5503 review.
With download speeds of up to 93.4 Mbps and 330.2 Mbps, the Netgear Orbi RBKE963 is a lot faster than the Razer Sila, rated at…
With download speeds of up to 93.4 Mbps and 330.2 Mbps, the Netgear Orbi RBKE963 is a lot faster than the Razer Sila, rated at 40.35 Mbps and 226 Mbps, respectively. The Netgear Orbi RBKE963 WiFi mesh router system includes anti-malware tools, making it superior in this regard to the Razer Sila, which does not. On the other hand, the Razer Sila has two USB ports, while the RBKE963 system does not have any. If you’re curious about what else the Razer Sila has to offer, go ahead and take a look at our Razer Sila AC3000 review.
