Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

We probably didn't *need* a mesh networking system for our new place, but we wanted optimal coverage throughout the entire house; we figured mesh was the best way to do that. After three months, it's safe to say I was mistaken. Orbi was on our short list. It was one of the only mesh systems that offered a built-in VPN server; most other options weren't on par with the Orbi's AC3000 either. It was one of the most expensive choices available, but I was hoping the premium we paid would provide a set-it-and-forget-it type purchase. We have about 30 devices on our network - 10 over 2.4Ghz, 12 over 5Ghz (half of which are just idling Google Home devices), and the rest are wired. The claimed range is 5,000 sq. ft.; we only have 2,100. Range doesn't seem to be the issue - but the range is worthless since the whole system is unstable! With WMM on, our IP set-top boxes (nVidia Shield TVs, Apple TV, and Rokus) stream video like they should - until *any* new device hops on the network. When that happens, the whole system just seizes up. No packets in or out; no administration page. Nothing! It just stops working. A few minutes later, it starts working again... With WMM off, the system never seizes, but streaming video buffers - constantly - with every video service and every device we've tried. It's just for a second or two, but it's frequent. (Three or four pauses within a one or two minute window. It's incredibly frustrating!) Our phones show they're connected to the wifi network, but it takes 15 to 20 seconds before data starts to flow. Speedtests show 150+/150+, but that's *after* the 15 to 20-second window. We've toggled Beamforming, MU-MIMO, Parental Controls, Access Controls, and the Traffic Meter on and off. We've tried different radio frequencies. Performance changes with each of the setting combos we've tried, but it's never good. The QOS settings aren't really settings - they just offer a SpeedTest. (I even did a factory reset because this didn't seem right... but's all the QOS page offers in the device's settings, before and after reboot!) For the price you pay, it should work for you, out of the box - it definitely doesn't for us. For the price you pay, it should have advanced features that enhance your experience. It has them, but it doesn't matter since the whole system is unstable. I'd love to sell mine, but at any cost, I would feel like I was taking advantage of the buyer. I'd sell it back to Amazon for a fraction of what I bought it for, but they won't buy it.