Netgear Orbi 870 Review: A Deep Dive into Long-Range Wi-Fi 7 Performance

Netgear Orbi 870 offers fast WiFi 7 speeds, wide coverage, and strong long-range performance—ideal for large homes and multiple devices.

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Netgear Orbi 870 brings the power of Wi-Fi 7 and supports 10 Gbps internet, making it a strong choice for high-speed connectivity. Positioned between the high-end Orbi 973 and the budget-friendly Orbi 773, the Orbi 873 offers a balance of performance, customization, and features.

This tri-band mesh system includes 6GHz access, Multi-Link Operations, and ultra-wide 320MHz channels, ensuring smooth 4K streaming and seamless global online gaming.

At $1,300 for a three-pack, it’s a premium investment. However, Netgear still offers only a one-year warranty and 90-day support. On the plus side, the improved Netgear Armor now includes VPN access, but at an additional cost.

My Netgear Orbi 870 review will help you decide if this is the right mesh Wi-Fi system for your needs or if a different option from our best Wi-Fi 7 routers list might be a better fit.

📡Netgear Orbi 873 Specifications

⚙️ General Specs

🔹 Feature	🔸 Details
📶 WiFi	WiFi 7 (Tri-Band)
🚀 Max Speed	21 Gbps (11,520 + 8,640 + 688 Mbps)
📍 Coverage	6,000 sq. ft. (2-pack) / 9,000 sq. ft. (3-pack)
🔗 Devices	Supports up to 150 devices
🔌 Ports	1 × 10G WAN, 4 × 2.5G LAN (per unit)
⚡ Processor	Quad-core 1.5 GHz
🧠 Memory	4GB Flash, 2GB RAM
📡 Antennas	8 high-power internal antennas
🔒 Security	WPA3, NETGEAR Armor (30-day trial)
📲 Setup	Orbi App

📡 WiFi Bands & Speed

📶 Band	🚀 Speed	⚙️ Features
6 GHz	11,520 Mbps	4×4/320 MHz, 4K-QAM
5 GHz	8,640 Mbps	4×4/240 MHz, 4K-QAM
2.4 GHz	688 Mbps	2×2/40 MHz, 1K-QAM

📏 Size & Weight

📦 Feature	📐 Details
📏 Size	10.64 in (H) × 4.43 in (W) × 5.78 in (D)
⚖️ Weight	Router: 2.69 lb, Satellite: 2.65 lb

Netgear Orbi 870 Pricing and Availability

The Netgear Orbi 870 sits between the premium Orbi 970 and the budget-friendly Orbi 770 series. However, it comes at a high price. The RBE871 router with one RBE870 node costs $1,000, covering 6,000 square feet. If you need more coverage, the three-pack (one router and two nodes) costs $1,300, extending coverage to 9,000 square feet. Additional RBE870 nodes cost $550 each and add 3,000 square feet of coverage.

Compared to the TP-Link Deco BE85, which recently dropped from $1,500 to $1,200 for a three-pack, the Orbi 870 is pricey—especially considering that TP-Link’s model offers quad-band operations for potentially higher speeds.

Netgear Orbi 870 Design

Netgear Orbi 870 sits between the budget-friendly Orbi 770 and the high-end Orbi 970 offering a balance of performance and price.

Available in white or black (black is only sold on Netgear’s website), Orbi 873 has a compact, rounded design measuring 10.6 x 5.8 x 4.4 inches, making it easy to place on a desk or shelf. The router (RBE871) has a 10 Gbps WAN port and four 2.5 Gbps LAN ports, while the satellites (RBE870) have four 2.5 Gbps ports for wired devices. However, it does not include a USB port for external storage.

Netgear offers $40 wall-mount brackets in matching colors. Like other Orbi models, units come pre-paired for easy setup. A status LED at the base glows red for issues and white when everything is working, turning off after three minutes.

Orbi 873 supports up to 150 devices and includes Wi-Fi 7 features like 320MHz channels, 4K QAM and Multi-Link Operations (MLO) for faster, more reliable connections. It runs on Qualcomm’s QCN6274 chipset with a quad-core 1.5GHz processor, 2GB RAM and 4GB storage, reaching speeds of 11.5 Gbps on 6GHz, 8.6 Gbps on 5GHz and 688 Mbps on 2.4GHz, for a total of 21 Gbps.

Unlike older Orbi models, it doesn’t have a dedicated backhaul band but instead shares bandwidth on the 5GHz and 6GHz bands or connects via Ethernet. However, it does not support using a phone as a backup Internet source, a feature found in some Wi-Fi 7 routers.

Netgear provides a 1-year warranty, shorter than TP-Link’s 2-year coverage, and only 90 days of free support. The Netgear Armor cybersecurity subscription includes Bitdefender protection, ad-blocking, and VPN for up to 50 users. It costs $50 for the first year and $150 per year afterward.

Netgear Orbi 873 Performance

The Orbi 873 may not match the Orbi 973, but it delivers solid performance across a large home. In speed tests, it reached 2.304 Gbps near the router and 3.062 Gbps when wired with a 15-foot Cat 6 cable.

It outperformed the TP-Link Deco BE85 & Orbi 773, reaching 1.820 Gbps at 15 feet. It outperformed its Orbi brothers but lagged behind Deco BE85 at 50 feet, achieving 627.4 Mbps. It outperformed its rivals at 75 feet with a speed of 628.8 Mbps, which was three times quicker. Even at 90 feet, it maintained 102.6 Mbps, leading pack with 115-foot range.

In a wall test at 25 feet, it reached 867.2 Mbps, slightly behind the Orbi 773 and Orbi 973. Across floors, it delivered 728.9 Mbps upstairs and 785.2 Mbps downstairs, making it great for multi-story homes.

Orbi 873 handled multiple streams, downloads and audio playback smoothly. It consumes slightly more power than Orbi 773, costing around $54.50 per year to run.

Netgear Orbi 873 Setup

Setting up the Orbi 873 takes about 17 minutes using the Netgear Orbi app. After installing the app on a Samsung Galaxy S24, I created an account, selected the Orbi mesh, and scanned the QR code on the router.

The app guided me through four simple setup steps. Once the router showed a steady white light, it checked the Ethernet and Internet connections. I then set up a network name, password, and admin credentials.

My phone connected instantly, and after linking the satellites, a firmware update was required.

Netgear Orbi 873 Configuration

You can customize Netgear Orbi 873 using the Orbi app or a web browser. App’s main page shows connected devices, Internet speed & security settings. Scroll down for Wi-Fi settings, a traffic meter and network layout.

Device Manager lists connected devices with details like IP addresses and security options. Traffic Manager displays upload and download speeds in easy-to-read graphs.

Using a web browser gives access to more settings. The Basic dashboard shows network status, name, and password. Security features like Armor and Parental Controls are easy to configure.

The Advanced section offers detailed wired and wireless settings, speed tests, and access control to block unwanted devices. Netgear also includes 90 days of support, plus installation guides, firmware updates, and a full manual.

Netgear Orbi 873: Pros & Cons

✅ Pros	❌ Cons
🚀 Fast Speeds – Up to 21 Gbps	💰 Expensive
📡 Wide Coverage – Up to 9,000 sq. ft.	🔐 Paid Security – Free trial, then subscription
🔗 Supports 150 Devices	📞 Limited Support – Only 90 days free
📶 Great Long-Range Performance	🔌 No Built-in Modem
🔄 Stable Connection – 320MHz ultra-wide channels	📏 Bulky Design
📲 Easy Setup – Orbi App	⚡ Uses More Power

Conclusion

Netgear Orbi 873 strikes a balance between price and performance in Wi-Fi 7 mesh systems. It features 320MHz wide channels, Multi-Link Operation, a 6GHz band, a 10 Gbps WAN input, and four 2.5 Gbps LAN ports. Extra security is available with Netgear’s Armor but at an additional cost.

It performed exceptionally well in medium to long distances, making it ideal for gaming, video calls & everyday use. However, Netgear offers only a 1-year warranty and 90 days of support, with longer coverage requiring a paid plan.

While not the cheapest option, the Orbi 873 is the best choice for large homes needing strong long-range performance. If the Orbi 973 is too pricey and the Orbi 773 lacks power, the Orbi 873 is a solid middle ground.