Which NETGEAR Router Should I Buy?

Understanding the Importance of Good WiFi

A reliable router is an essential feature of the best WiFi systems. The average UK home today contains upwards of 20 WiFi-enabled devices, so if you want to stream the latest Netflix series, experience multiplayer cloud gaming, secure your residence with smart home security cameras, or work from home with seamless connectivity, NETGEAR routers can make it happen. If you are buying your first router, or are looking to upgrade your existing network, NETGEAR has the perfect router or whole-home WiFi mesh system to fit your needs.

NETGEAR: The Leader in WiFi Router Technology

NETGEAR has been a leading developer of WiFi router technology since the 1990s, providing innovative and future-focused solutions that deliver superior WiFi speeds and performance. The tradition continues with the latest NETGEAR whole-home mesh systems, gaming routers, and mobile hotspot routers that provide strong and reliable internet at home and on the road. Innovation and quality are at the forefront of all we do, and the NETGEAR brand stands tall in the exciting world of WiFi.

Choosing the Right Router for Your Needs

Every home and household is different. It’s important to know how to choose a WiFi router that meets your specific needs. The evolution of WiFi router technology is ongoing, with WiFi 6 introduced in 2019, WiFi 6E in 2020, and WiFi 7 in 2023. In these few short years, the capacity and functionality of WiFi routers have progressed like never before. If you are looking for a brand new router, you should consider a move to WiFi 7 for a home network upgrade that will resolve latency and bandwidth issues.

WiFi 7 Routers - The Future of WiFi

Today’s multi-gigabit internet plans are quickly outpacing outdated WiFi technology. WiFi 7, also known as IEEE 802.11be, represents a revolutionary change. WiFi 7, dubbed EHT for Extremely High Throughput, makes real-world multi-gigabit WiFi a reality. You will enjoy superfast WiFi speeds with less interference and better performance for today’s many high-bandwidth online activities.

NETGEAR WiFi 7 systems allow you to establish three networks: a home network, a guest network, and a smart home IoT network. NETGEAR WiFi 7 also includes NETGEAR Armor WPA3 encrypted security, automatic firmware downloads, and the option for Smart Parental Controls to ensure everyone in the network is safeguarded from spam, malware, and other malicious intrusions. WiFi 7 technology innovations include:

• Wider Channels and Additional Bandwidth – WiFi 7 utilises the 2.4 GHz band, 5 GHz band, and 6 GHz band. WiFi 7 offers 320MHz total channel bandwidth compared to the 160MHz bandwidth of WiFi 6E. WiFi 7 can reserve a channel for Enhanced Dedicated Backhaul for superfast download and upload speeds.
• Quadrature Amplitude Modulation (QAM) – QAM can combine two amplitude modulation signals to double the channel bandwidth. WiFi 6E supports 1024 QAM, whereas NETGEAR WiFi 7 supports 4096 QAM (4K QAM), resulting in 20% faster WiFi 7 speeds.
• Multi-Link Operation (MLO) – Earlier dual-band and tri-band WiFi routers connect via a single-band. NETGEAR WiFi 7 uses MLO aggregation to combine several bandwidth frequencies into a single connection. This innovation eliminates lag, interference, and congestion issues.
• Preamble Puncturing – This WiFi 7 feature lets your router transmit a ‘punctured’ portion of a frequency channel. With earlier WiFi standards, the entire channel would be unavailable for additional connections if part of the channel was already in use.
• Target Wake Time (TWT) – Target Wake Time allows your devices to ‘wake up’ and ‘sleep’ at pre-determined times. Bandwidth can be reserved for priority connections.

NETGEAR WiFi 7 also includes the best existing WiFi technologies such as multi-unit, multiple input, multiple output (MU-MIMO), and orthogonal frequency-division multiple access (OFDMA).

What is WiFi 7?

The leap in capability from dual-band WiFi 5 to tri-band WiFi 6 and quad-band NETGEAR WiFi 7 routers has been huge. NETGEAR wireless routers now deliver multi-gigabit speeds and long-range WiFi with ultra-low latency across the entire home network. Here are some WiFi 7 high-speed routers and WiFi 7 mesh systems that are transforming the online world.

NETGEAR Nighthawk RS700S WiFi 7 Router

The NETGEAR Nighthawk RS700S router is considered by many to be the best WiFi router for streaming and gaming. This powerful router delivers 2.4x faster speeds than WiFi 6 and includes a 10 Gig internet port plus 1x 10Gig and 4x 1Gig LAN ports for ultra-fast wired connections, without needing a range extender.

NETGEAR Nighthawk RS300 WiFi 7 Router

If yours is a smaller home or apartment, a NETGEAR Nighthawk RS300 Router could be the perfect fit. It delivers speeds of 9.3Gbps and up to 2,000 sq. ft. of solid WiFi connectivity. The RS300 includes a 2.5 Gig internet port plus two 2.5 Gig and two 1 Gig LAN ports for wired connections.

NETGEAR Orbi 970 Series WiFi 7 Mesh System

A quad-band NETGEAR Orbi 970 Mesh System offers 360° mesh WiFi network coverage for up to 200 devices in concurrent use, with blazing-fast speeds of up to 27Gbps. The main router has a 10 Gig internet port, a 10 Gig Ethernet cable port, and four 2.5 Gig Ethernet ports. The router satellites include a 10 Gig Ethernet port and two 2.5 Gig Ethernet ports. This is considered the best WiFi 7 router for large home multi-gig internet speeds and performance.

NETGEAR Orbi 770 Series WiFi 7 Mesh Router

NETGEAR Orbi 770 Series Quad-band WiFi 7 Mesh networks offer speeds up to 11Gbps and coverage up to 6,750 sq. ft. The router includes a 2.5 Gig internet port and three 2.5 Gig Ethernet ports. The satellites include two 2.5 Gig Ethernet ports. Easy setup of NETGEAR Orbi mesh systems can be completed in minutes.

What is WiFi 6E?

Advanced Capabilities of WiFi 6E

NETGEAR WiFi 6E routers outperform the competition in this category whether you want a blazing-fast wireless connection or gigabit Ethernet performance. Leading NETGEAR devices include:

NETGEAR Orbi 960 Series WiFi 6E Mesh System

Powerful NETGEAR Orbi 960 Series WiFi 6E system performance includes speeds up to 10.8Gbps and coverage up to 7,500 sq. ft. Orbi 960 uses exclusive quad-band technology with the 6GHz WiFi band and can support 200 connected devices simultaneously. This WiFi 6E mesh system includes dedicated backhaul ensuring you receive the fastest available speeds throughout your home. The benefits of WiFi 6E can’t be overstated with Orbi 960, the best WiFi 6E mesh system for homes of all sizes.

WiFi 6 Routers

This slightly older WiFi standard still offers many advantages for home networks where speed and performance are prioritised. Top performing NETGEAR WiFi 6 routers include:

Nighthawk 6-Stream Dual-Band WiFi 6 Router, 5.4Gbps (RAX50)

The Nighthawk dual-band WiFi 6 Router offers fast speeds and bandwidth for multiple wireless network devices in concurrent use, with less congestion and reliable connectivity. You will also keep your family safe from online threats with NETGEAR Armor (1-year subscription included). Add NETGEAR Smart Parental Controls to manage kids’ online time and keep them safe. The RAX50 is a budget router that can compete with the best.

Orbi 860 Series Tri-Band WiFi 6 Router, 6Gbps (RBR860S)

Billed as the ultimate 10 Gig WiFi 6 router, the Orbi 860 Series Tri-Band WiFi 6 Router offers speeds up to 6Gbps and coverage up to 2,700 sq. ft., perfect for smaller homes and apartments. The 10 Gig internet port unleashes the fastest download speeds of today and tomorrow, while the advanced antenna design boosts WiFi coverage and signal strength for up to 100 devices in concurrent use.

Nighthawk 8-Stream Tri-Band WiFi 6 Router, 6.2Gbps (RAX78)

Powerful and robust 8-stream WiFi performance of this Nighthawk tri-band WiFi 6 router is hard to beat. This impressive tri-band router includes 1 WAN port and 4 LAN ports, plus a superspeed USB 3.0 port that delivers faster streaming, more bandwidth, and better WiFi performance across all your devices.

Mobile Hotspot Routers

The latest 5G NETGEAR take portable WiFi to the next level of performance. Small enough to fit in a pocket or purse, yet powerful enough to connect almost anywhere, NETGEAR hotspot routers are changing the networking landscape for the better.

Nighthawk M6 Pro 5G mmWave WiFi 6E Mobile Hotspot Router

The Nighthawk M6 Pro delivers the fastest 5G speeds ever, up to 8Gbps. You can connect instantly at work, at home, or on the go for streaming videos, hosting meetings, and much more, even in crowded WiFi areas. The M6 Pro is unlocked for ultimate flexibility wherever your travels take you across 125 countries worldwide. Plus, the 2.5 Gig Ethernet port provides an ultra-fast and reliable connection for priority applications. If you are a renter who moves often, you can take this handy router with you, and even double the performance capacity to 2,000 sq. ft. with the In-Home Performance Mode for up to 32 devices simultaneously.

NETGEAR Armor Cybersecurity

NETGEAR Armor offers advanced cyber threat protection for all the internet-connected devices in your home. Powered by Bitdefender, NETGEAR Armor includes anti-virus & anti-theft applications to secure your computers and mobile devices on the go. Features of NETGEAR Armor include:

• Bitdefender VPN
• Detects and blocks viruses, spyware, ransomware, and other cyber threats
• Complete protection for all your Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS devices
• Anti-theft and web protection
• Instant alerts
• Anomaly Detection, Brute Force Protection, Exploit Protection, Sensitive Data Protection
• Router and cloud infrastructure protection

The Advantage of Owning Your Router

NETGEAR routers and mesh systems are the most advanced on the planet. The router and modem provided by your internet service provider (ISP) are likely outdated and inefficient in comparison. After the initial investment in a NETGEAR router, you will be able to maximise the WiFi speed and coverage all around your home.

Future-Proofed NETGEAR WiFi

WiFi systems have improved dramatically and NETGEAR stays ahead of the times with the best WiFi routers that take you on a quantum leap into the future of networking. Explore our unique and diverse range of high-performance next-generation routers and whole-home mesh WiFi systems for HD streaming, gaming, conferencing, virtual reality, and a whole lot more.