Netgear Wifi 6 Orbi

Hot mesh

Buffer little, children Great for online gaming, Orbi’s mesh network also provides added capacity for dozens of smart home devices connected at the same time – and the app allows you to prioritise the ones that need the most bandwidth.

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You get a free one-year trial of Armor powered by Bitdefender (£60/yr thereafter), bringing multi-layered security for all connected devices, an encrypted VPN for private browsing, remote monitoring and more. £700 / stuff.tv/orbi

■ Netgear has been pretty forward-thinking when it comes to its mesh networks – some even double as Harman Kardon multiroom smart speakers. This one features the latest Wi-fi 6 standard for faster data speeds, plus tri-band frequencies using both 5GHZ and 2.4GHZ.

■ In plain English? Mesh networks drape a blanket of broadband across the home, reaching parts your weedy router can’t reach, putting it to shame by supporting theoretical speeds of up 6Gbps… though you’ll need ace broadband to make the most of it.

■ Plug the Orbi hub into your existing router via the high-speed Ethernet port and you’ve got four additional Gigabit Ethernet ports. Hardwired connections always perform better. Mind you, in reality you’ll want to place ‘satellite’ units wherever Wi-fi is needed most.

■ The basic Orbi pack comes with one hub and one satellite. As well as bringing extended range and reliability across 4000 sq ft (hello, stately home), it works with Orbi’s Alexa and Google Assistant-ready app to add encrypted security.

■ The downsides? Some of the cybersecurity features are subscription-based, so peace of mind costs extra. Also, Wi-fi 6 only works with compatible devices, although (a bit like Bluetooth 5) it’s becoming far more commonplace now. Finally, if you live in a small flat, don’t waste your money.