

The Orbi system works with Amazon Alexa and the Google Assistant making it easier to control usage on your network. It can also help you connect to region-locked services such as streaming video platforms from unsupported countries. This can be a great option for someone that travels a lot and wants to be sure they are browsing securely. The Alien also has support for AmpliFi's Teleport app, which allows you to easily connect to your home network through a private VPN from anywhere with an internet connection. The AmpliFi Alien does have a screen on the router to display basic network information at a glance which is nice to have and adds to its premium feel. You will be able to see your connected devices as well as the speed between mesh points. Netgear Orbi 6 The small detailsīoth of these routers have a capable and easy-to-use app for setting up and managing the network.
ALIEN ROUTER UPGRADE
If you were hoping to upgrade an existing Orbi or AmpliFi system with Wi-Fi 6 equipment, you're out of luck and will need to upgrade the entire system.

If you find you need more coverage on your Orbi mesh, you will need to stick with Wi-Fi 6 satellites only. Similarly, the Orbi WiFi 6 system is only compatible with other Orbi Wi-Fi 6 routers. This does mean that there will be no speed compromises and the entire mesh will be linked with Wi-Fi 6. This system is not compatible with the older AmpliFi Instant or AmpliFi HD systems. This includes the base Alien routers as well as the node that is part of the two-pack. The AmpliFi Alien is only compatible with other Alien routers for its mesh. Source: Ubiquiti Networks (Image credit: Source: Ubiquiti Networks) Mesh systems are designed to deal with interference and challenging conditions however and in a home with concrete walls or other elements that may block the signal, careful placement may still be required for both systems. While this is significantly smaller than the Alien, it should still cover most homes. The Netgear Orbi W-Fi 6 has approximately 5,000 square feet of coverage from its two units. For a lot of people in smaller homes or apartments, a single Alien router will likely be enough. This huge coverage means that nearly any home should be able to expect great speeds from the system with few connection drops even in a very large home. AmpliFi states that the Alien has double the 10,000 square feet of coverage offered by the older AmpliFi HD router. The Ubiquiti AmpliFi Alien system has a significantly greater coverage area than the Orbi system. Netgear Orbi 6 Cover more of your home with AmpliFi Another 5GHz band connects mesh nodes at 2400Mbps. This Orbi has three wireless bands with a 2.4GHz band capable of 1200Mbps and a 5GHz band at 2400Mbps for connected devices. Still, this upgrade won't matter to most people for several more years.
ALIEN ROUTER MAC
With more affordable superfast Ethernet devices becoming available all the time, such as the new Mac Mini with its 10Gbps Ethernet option, this is becoming increasingly likely for high-end enthusiast home networks. This will be important for someone that is using the Orbi as part of an existing wired network over 1Gbps. The Orbi has a 2.5Gbps WAN port, meaning that it can support a connection to a larger network at that speed.
ALIEN ROUTER ANDROID
Source: Samuel Contreras / Android Central (Image credit: Source: Samuel Contreras / Android Central) One outstanding concern with the Alien is that the transfer speed from wired devices or an internet connection will always be limited to 1Gbps due to its WAN port and a lack of link aggregation.įor most people, 1Gbps is plenty and the headroom in the wireless connection is good to have for multiple devices, but it's worth remembering that your internet connection speed will be limited by this port. Another 5GHz band connects the mesh nodes at 1,733Mbps. The Alien's WI-Fi speeds break down to 1,148Mbps at 2.4GHz and 4,804Mbps at 5GHz available to devices. The fact is that the AmpliFi Alien has faster wireless capabilities and will be able to support more and faster Wi-Fi 6 devices overall. Netgear Orbi 6 AmpliFi gets more speed to devices The Orbi is a bit more suited to a fast home network thanks to being able to handle a 2.5Gbps incoming connection. The Wi-Fi speeds are more than most people will need but can be a great benefit to someone that works from home or utilizes cloud services for backup. Both of these mesh systems are very high-end for consumers.
