NetGear Orbi Pro SXK30 AX1800 Dual-Band Wi-Fi 6 Mini Mesh System (2-Pack) $199 Shipped + Surcharge @ Centre Com

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n3ck3ntry8bort0rgasm on 20/01/2024 - 20:22 centrecom.com.au (322 clicks)
Last edited 20/01/2024 - 23:01 by 2 other users

Surcharges: 1.2% Card & PayPal, 2% AmEx. Free shipping excludes WA, NT & remote areas. <——- thanks mods didn't notice this.

SXK30 is Dual-band only. SXK50 and 80 are Tri-band.

PSA all Orbi Pro SXK models (SXK30, SXK50, SXK80) are EOL and no longer supported by Netgear which probably explains the massive discounts. You will probably just update it once when you set it up and it will never get another update. Honestly pretty disappointing that this line was released in 2022 and EOL 1 year later in 2023. My guess is they didn't sell as well as they expected so they cut updates to save costs.

Link to Orbi Business (Orbi Pro is business lineup) EOL/EOS list (use CTRL+F and type SXK): https://www.downloads.netgear.com/files/netgear/pdfs/EOL.pdf

So my reason for posting is also to get some opinions. How would you feel about buying a product that is already EOL?
My particular use case is with it in Access Point mode (not Router mode). Do you think with AP mode it won't really matter if it doesn't get security updates?

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  n3ck3ntry8bort0rgasm on 20/01/2024 - 20:23

  +1

  How would you feel about buying a product that is already EOL?
  My particular use case is with it in Access Point mode (not Router mode). Do you think with AP mode it won't really matter if it doesn't get security updates?

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    chickendog on 20/01/2024 - 23:17

    In that scenario you'll probably be ok as long as the last firmware is stable.
    In just AP mode I'd say most of security is just going to come from the length of your password and WPA2 or WPA3.

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      n3ck3ntry8bort0rgasm on 21/01/2024 - 17:17

      hey thanks chickendog.

      I'm not an expert on routers, but I'm assuming most of the firmware updates usually patches security flaws that the unit is exposed to on the internet side in router mode?

      still flip flopping on the idea of this Dual-band SXK30 unit though. I am thinking it might be better value and to future proof by going for a Tri-band consumer Orbi model.

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        chickendog on 21/01/2024 - 18:09

        Nah often firmware updates is for reliability/bugs they find over time with other parts of the system as well, like Wi-Fi reliability and performance.

        If you're meshing wirelessly (not via ethernet backhaul) tri-band will be better, and if you're not planning to change the system any time soon probably better to "future proof". Just do your homework on both models as much as you can :)

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  tychiang82 on 20/01/2024 - 21:37

  Wondering if this can be paired with the latest Orbi system and be used as a satellite ?

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    n3ck3ntry8bort0rgasm on 21/01/2024 - 17:29

    " latest Orbi system"

    I assume you mean a recent consumer Orbi system? (RBK… etc) I would think not, because this is the business lineup model and I read their internals and the way they function is quite different to the consumer lineup.

    in any case as I mentioned all SXK models are EOL and no longer supported by Orbi. so even if it does work somehow right now, a few months later when your "latest orbi" system gets another firmware update and there is a bug or netgear decides to end compatibility with the SXK system. the SXK model will be permanently incompatible because it will never get another firmware update ever.

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  Aussybob on 20/01/2024 - 22:53

  Where does it say they won't support it anymore? I purchased the SXK50 kit and a SXK30 only 4 months ago because the price was good and had most features I needed at a decent price point. I can understand EOL (eventhough thats poor form) but no support- thats grounds for returning the product and refund! Warranty should cover the product which should include security updates atleast.
  I will hit Netgear for an explanation. Regretting the purchase now, should have stuck with Unifi :(

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    n3ck3ntry8bort0rgasm on 21/01/2024 - 17:22

    "Where does it say they won't support it anymore?"

    well when I checked if you go to the official SXK50/80 netgear page it shows in big red text that the models are discontinued and EOL. I was able to confirm that further by looking at the netgear business EOL/EOS list I linked in the post. weirdly enough the SXK30 page doesn't have any red text even though it's the first that shows up on the EOL list.

    yeah sorry if I wasn't clear enough, but by "no longer supported" I am referring to the router's firmware updates specifically. I don't know enough to know how warranty will tie into security updates.

    "should have stuck with Unifi :("

    yeah tbh though the SXK line up being EOL'ed 1 year after release is very unusual even for Orbi. I have heard their consumer lineup gets many years of firmware updates and this is the first time I have heard of one of their products (but to be fair from the "business lineup") be discontinued and EOL'ed so soon after release date.

    here is the consumer orbi EOL list: https://www.netgear.com/about/eos/

    if you click on "orbi mesh systems" you will see that the list contains only 1st gen products and is very very short.