Netgear announced its Orbi 870 Series Mesh System, the latest in its portfolio of mesh networking systems to upgrade to WiFi7 for home networking.
Building on nearly 30 years of WiFi innovation expertise, Netgear designed the Orbi 870 series to deliver high-performance mesh networking powered by WiFi 7. It also upgraded its Netgear Armor network security service as part of its announcements at CES 2025.
Created to meet the needs of today’s connected homes, the Orbi 870 ensures exceptional speeds, reduced latency and ample capacity for even the most demanding households. Whether streaming ultra-high-definition content, working remotely, or gaming online, families can rely on Orbi 870’s advanced WiFi technology to support a smooth experience across up to 150 connected devices. The Orbi mesh networks can take your home’s router network and extend it wirelessly to other parts of the house using Orbi satellites that connect to the Orbi router.
Beyond smartphones, devices in the home needing WiFi 7 support are gaming machines like the Sony PlayStation 5, which has WiFi 7 support.
Meanwhile, advanced router protection helps ensure router security out of the box with advanced safety features and automatic security updates designed to help protect routers against cyberattacks and other security threats. The devices use AI to predict what type of attack is coming next to stay ahead of attackers. And it protects against firmware threats as well.
WiFi 7 delivers 5 gigabits a second of bandwidth to your mobile device in the home. And so the WiFi mesh market share went from 7% in the fourth quarter of 2023 to 21% in the third quarter of 2024, according to market researcher NPD.
“With our Orbi 870, we wanted to complete the portfolio of our Wifi 7 products,” said Sandeep Harpalani, vice president of product management at Netgear, in an interview with GamesBeat. “We see that more and more customers are really looking for WiFi 7 products now, and the multi-gig internet is now available to people. We have the system that can really stream that higher internet speed they are getting throughout the home. With people working from home, the need for a faster and stable WiFi is here and growing.”
There are also a lot more devices being used in the home, and it will get busier with devices like augmented reality and virtual reality headsets growing in popularity, Harpalani said.
“We do see the WiFi 7 adoption happening a lot quicker than the previous generation technology transition,” Harpalani said.
Expanded Orbi mesh portfolio
The Orbi 870 joins the Orbi 770 and Orbi 970 series systems, offering speed, coverage, and reliability from the front door to the back yard. With the introduction of the new Orbi 870, users have the flexibility to choose a WiFi 7 solution that best fits their specific needs.
“We are seeing a significant rise in the adoption of WiFi 7, as top brands are introducing devices with the latest standard, driving a growing need for a router that helps consumers maximize their new technology,” said Harpalani. “Netgear is a trusted brand, committed to delivering exceptional WiFi performance and security features tailored to meet the diverse needs of every home as this market evolves. Whether users are upgrading their network or embracing WiFi 7 for the first time, the Orbi 870 offers the perfect balance of performance, coverage, and security.”
Now the routers can implement WiFi 7 using the 6GHz band, which is something newly licensed by the FCC a few years ago, to get up to 11 gigabits per second of speed. The 5GHz band is starting to get more crowded. Orbi takes advantage of the different bands to connect different parts of the house.
Orbi 870 technical specifications
- Ultra-Fast WiFi 7 Tri-Band Speeds up to 21 Gbps – Experience combined Multi-Gigabit speeds up to 21 Gbps with 2.4GHz, 5GHz, and 6GHz bands.
- Higher Capacity & Robust WiFi – Supports WiFi 7 technology enhancements like 320 MHz, 4K QAM, Multi-Link Operation (MLO) and preamble puncturing.
- Multi-link Operation – Combines two WiFi bands at once, for both Enhanced Backhaul (shared 5GHz & 6GHz) and fronthaul (5GHz & 6 GHz) to improve network reliability, reduce latency, and ensure data is delivered with maximum speed.
- Multi-Gig Speeds with 10 Gig Internet Port – Use the 10 Gig internet port for multi-gig cable and fiber plans. Compatible with any internet service provider.
- More Multi-gig Wired ports on Router and Satellites – Plug in wired devices to improve performance or setup a multi-gig wired connection between the router and satellites via four 2.5Gbps Ethernet ports on the router, and four 2.5Gbps Ethernet ports on the satellites.
- Do It All with the Orbi App –Easily manage your network from anywhere, including pausing the Internet, running Internet speed tests, tracking your Internet data usage, setting up separate guest and IoT networks, and more.
Security made simple
Powered by state-of-the-art encryption protocols and advanced threat detection mechanisms, Netgear routers are the first line of defense against evolving cyber threats and include key security features such as automatic firmware updates, VPN support, cutting-edge WPA3 security, access control, and guest and IoT WiFi network options.
The Orbi 870 series also includes Netgear’s exclusive Advanced Router Protection feature. This feature helps protect the router from threats using a combination of AI heuristics and advanced exploit prevention to help recognize and block exploitation attempts.
Additionally, it enables the ability to quickly deploy live patches for threats, bypassing the need to wait for a new firmware release. This rapid response mechanism significantly reduces the time it takes to address security issues, reinforcing Netgear’s position as a leader in delivering cutting-edge security across its router and mesh product portfolio.
For added protection, the Orbi 870 series includes a 30-day trial of Netgear Armor Powered by Bitdefender, which provides an additional automatic shield of security for connected devices and added privacy with VPN. Unlike traditional endpoint antivirus products, Armor is available on the router as an even further enhanced security solution, helping to protect computers, security cameras, baby monitors and other IoT devices on the network.
The 870 series also comes with Netgear Smart Parental Controls to easily manage kids’ time online across their connected devices and promote good online habits for the family. Basic features are available free of charge, while you pay for advanced features. A subscription fee applies for a premium plan.
Availability
The Orbi 870 is available in black or white on Netgear.com and at other major retailers. • RBE873: Router and 2 Satellites – 3 pack, $1,300• RBE872: Router and 1 Satellite – 2 pack, $1,000• RBE870: Add-on Satellite, $550
Netgear Armor
Netgear also announced the next generation of Netgear Armor, powered by Bitdefender. As a subscription, Armor is a comprehensive cybersecurity service available on Orbi mesh systems and Nighthawk routers that protects IoT and mobile devices connected to the home network and on the go.
Today’s cybersecurity threats demand smarter protection. According to Netgear and Bitdefender’s 2024 IoT Security Landscape Report, home network devices see an average of 10 attacks every 24 hours. While most routers have built-in security, the protection often does not extend to the devices connected to it.
As smart home devices like TVs, speakers, thermostats, and more continue to proliferate, their vulnerabilities can expose families to exploits from cybercriminals. Consumers are taking extra measures to protect themselves by investing in tools such VPNs and Adblockers, but these segmented solutions can quickly add up. Netgear Armor offers an easy-to-use solution for protection against many of today’s threats all under one subscription.
“The key trends that are dictating some of these changes are the threat landscape obviously continues to increase and get more complex as more devices are connected in a individual’s home,” said Shalini Sengupta, senior product line manager at Netgear, in an interview with GamesBeat. “The number of IoT device vulnerabilities is only growing, and smart TVs have been one of the most vulnerable devices.”
The FTC noted there were 2.6 million reports of fraud in 2023 related to these devices in th ehome.
“It’s an increasing threat landscape for us to look into,” Sengupta said. “And when you look at the solutions really out there, it’s getting increasingly complex and confusing from a user’s perspective. There are router based solutions. There are solutions that you can install on the specific device that you’re trying to protect. And then there’s a whole bunch of standalone point product solutions, be it VPN or password manager, plus the operating system itself. We want to simplify this.”
Sengupta said that tests showed that Netgear Armor benchmarks well against its rivals.
“With the rise in IoT attacks and growing concerns about malware, data security and identity theft, there has been a significant surge in the demand for security and privacy tools among consumers,” said Shalini Sengupta, senior product manager at Netgear, in a statement. “While many are currently managing their security with multiple costly subscriptions across separate platforms, Netgear Armor seeks to address this gap by providing a powerful, unified solution from a brand that millions have come to trust.”
Peace of mind at home and away
Armor is a security and privacy solution available on most Netgear WiFi systems and routers. Using advanced AI, it automatically scans connected devices, including IoT products, for vulnerabilities and threats in the background, monitoring for potential data breaches and providing recommendations to enhance security. Users can easily get the latest updates on recent vulnerability scans, blocked attacks and suggested actions through the Orbi and Nighthawk app interfaces .
The Armor mobile device protection app can be loaded onto mobile phones, tablets and PCs (up to 50) for protection outside the home. Available for Mac, Windows, Android and iOS, it includes:• VPN: Allows custom location selection and blocks unwanted ads• Web Protection: Blocks suspicious websites• Scam Alerts: Scans SMS and Calendar for malicious links• Account Privacy: Monitors 10 email accounts for potential breaches
In response to customer feedback, Netgear has also taken steps to limit the number of subscriptions Orbi and Nighthawk owners need to manage to maintain the health of their home networks by including extended warranty and 24/7 priority tech support (previously separate subscriptions) as part of the Armor service.
The extended warranty covers repairs, accidental damage coverage and free express replacement service. Priority tech support gives subscribers access to Netgear experts around the clock via chat, email and phone.
Armor Plus: A new tier of service
For added protection, Netgear announced the availability of Armor Plus which includes all the benefits of Armor and adds unlimited VPN for up to 50 devices as well as Adblocking and Anti-tracking. VPN helps users to stay protected when using unfamiliar networks while AdBlocker and Anti-tracking technology not only add an enhanced layer of privacy, but they also help to improve the performance and speed of WiFi connections.
Netgear Armor and Armor Plus are available now to Orbi and Nighthawk owners. A year’s subscription for Armor Plus is $150, less than $12.50 per month and about one-third of the monthly cost of purchasing VPN, network security, AdBlocker, Anti-tracker and warranty coverage separately. Armor remains at $100 a year with the addition of the new warranty and support features.
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