Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Smart Home
  3. News

Netgear’s Alexa-enabled Orbi Voice Mesh Wi-Fi speaker blankets your home in Wi-Fi and sound

Bruce Brown
By

Netgear is bringing a new triple-play addition to its Orbi Mesh Wi-Fi line. The Orbi Voice Smart Speaker and Wi-Fi Mesh Satellite is a single unit that combines a mesh Wi-Fi extender, an Alexa-enabled smart home assistant, and Harman Kardon audio. Netgear announced the new product at IFA 2018.

The mesh Wi-Fi extender gives you broader, more even internet access throughout your home; Alexa is ready for your voice commands; and the Harman Kardon components provide high-end audio.

1 of 6
netgear orbi voice mesh wi fi speaker 2018 07 4 1
Image used with permission by copyright holder
netgear orbi voice mesh wi fi speaker 2018 07 insitu
Image used with permission by copyright holder
netgear orbi voice mesh wi fi speaker 2018 07 kit 4
Image used with permission by copyright holder
netgear orbi voice mesh wi fi speaker 2018 07 kit 6
Image used with permission by copyright holder
netgear orbi voice mesh wi fi speaker 2018 07 product
Image used with permission by copyright holder
netgear orbi voice mesh wi fi speaker 2018 07 orbivoice livingroom
Image used with permission by copyright holder

“Products that solve multiple consumer needs are increasingly in demand, and the exquisite sound quality of Harman Kardon elevates the dynamic Orbi Voice Smart Speaker,” said David Rogers, president of Harman’s consumer audio business unit.

Recommended Videos

Combining three key features in one compact smart home appliance saves device and cable clutter.

Related

Owners can add and configure the Orbi Voice Smart Speaker and Wi-Fi Mesh Satellite to their existing home networks and internet service using the free mobile Orbi app. The app also includes update, feature enhancement, and network-management controls.

The Orbi app’s Circle Smart parent controls let owners manage content kids can access, and the time they spend online. You can also configure a separate Wi-Fi network for guest use that runs separately from your home network to protect access to your devices and content.

If you still have devices that demand a wired Ethernet cable network connection, each Orbi Voice Mesh Wi-Fi Satellite has two gigabit Ethernet ports for more reliable connections and potentially higher speeds than with wireless hookups.

Netgear’s senior vice president of connected home products, David Henry, explained the reasoning behind the three-feature Orbi Voice Smart Speaker and Mesh Wi-Fi Satellite. “The two fastest-growing consumer trends for smart home technology have been the popularity of the voice assistant control and the growth of Wi-Fi mesh systems,” Henry said.

“It is also widely known that the most popular skill employed with smart speakers is to enjoy streaming music services,” Henry continued. “To address this need, we have taken our expertise in Wi-Fi and married it with a legend in the industry, Harman Kardon, to deliver superior sound quality while aligning with the leading providers of streaming music to give our customers the best Wi-Fi and hi-fi in one package.”

Netgear revealed two configurations. The Orbi Mesh Wi-Fi System, available in September, includes an Orbi Tri-Band Router and an Orbi Voice Smart Speaker and Mesh Wi-Fi Satellite for $430. If you don’t need the router, the Orbi Voice Smart Speaker and Wi-Fi Mesh Satellite will be available on its own later in the fall for $300.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Bruce Brown
Bruce Brown
Contributing Editor
Digital Trends Contributing Editor Bruce Brown is a member of the Smart Homes and Commerce teams. Bruce uses smart devices…
5 Ways to optimize your home Wi-Fi network for remote school and work
teacher leading a remote classroom

 

Back-to-school season is upon us, and for many households, that unfortunately means a return to remote schooling. Instead of heading out to a classroom in person, many kids will again attend school this year by firing up video calls and submitting assignments online. Ultimately, this means your home Wi-Fi network will soon need to handle more traffic -- especially if you're a parent who's currently working from home. So in order to ensure you don't run into any network congestion issues, we've put together a handful of tips to help you make your home Wi-Fi as stable and reliable as possible in the months ahead. Here's the lowdown:
Get a multiband router
This one might be a no-brainer, but if the router you’re using doesn’t offer multiple frequency bands, then you’re missing out on one of the best parts of modern routers. Whereas most single-band routers operate on the 2.4GHz frequency band, newer dual- and tri-band routers also provide additional networks on the 5GHz frequency band, which has a number of big advantages. Namely, the 5GHz connections can transmit data faster than 2.4GHz ones, which makes them better for households where lots of high-bandwidth activities take place -- like Zoom calls, online gaming, and 4K video streaming.
Place your router strategically
The only downside of a 5GHz connection, however, is that the higher frequency doesn’t travel through walls, furniture, and other obstacles quite as well as a 2.4GHz connection can. This is why router placement is important. Ideally, you should place yours near your most important internet-connected devices, as high off the ground as possible, and in a place that’s free of obstructions. Doing so will ensure that you get the best possible speeds for all your devices -- especially those that have fixed locations and can’t move around to wherever reception is good like phones and laptops can.

Read more
Netgear’s game-changing Wi-Fi 6e router is here, and it looks like a spaceship
Netgear's Nighthawk RAXE500 tri-band router.

It’s the biggest change to Wi-Fi in nearly three decades, and it’s finally here -- adding extra throughput and room for your data to stretch its legs and really start running.

The change? Wi-Fi 6e, a new standard for wireless signals that expands the existing Wi-Fi 6 router specification, opening up a third swath of spectrum in the 6GHz range, beyond the 5GHz and 2.4GHz used by existing Wi-Fi devices. It's more than just a futuristic spec, though.

Read more
Amazon slashes Cyber Monday prices for Eero Mesh Wi-Fi systems
amazon slashes black friday prices for eero mesh wi fi systems pro wifi router extender 1

Amazon slashed the prices on Eero Mesh Wi-Fi systems and components
for Cyber Monday. Wireless network equipment may not sound very exciting, especially if you're thinking about giving or getting it as a holiday gift. If you think of mesh Wi-Fi as the infrastructure that empowers your digital life, however, you may decide to put a range extender or two at the top of your wish list.

It's easy to take a good Wi-Fi signal for granted, but without Wi-Fi, or with a wireless signal that is erratic or too slow, many of the forces of tech change would falter or fail. TV cable-cutting, smart home security, and talking to Alexa or Google Assistant all depend on Wi-Fi. Amazon owns Eero, the company that makes the mesh Wi-Fi routers and range extenders in the deals below. Whether you're buying Christmas gifts for others or want a stronger Wi-Fi signal throughout your home, these seven deals can help you save up to $150.
Eero mesh Wi-Fi router/extender
-- $29 off

Read more