Networking deals

Upgrading your home network

Networking deals here cover mesh Wi-Fi systems, routers, NAS devices and travel routers from eero, ASUS, Ubiquiti, Synology and GL.iNet, mostly between $125 and $600. In a large or multi-floor home, a mesh system usually beats a single powerful router. Wi-Fi 6E and Wi-Fi 7 add the 6GHz band, which is fast and uncrowded but has short range, so it helps most when your devices support it and sit near a node.

Check the wired ports as well: 2.5Gb Ethernet matters if your internet plan is faster than 1Gbps or you move large files around the house, and wiring the mesh nodes together improves speed if you can run cable. Some systems charge a subscription for security or parental controls, such as eero Plus, so check what’s included. For a NAS, check the number of drive bays and whether drives are included; most aren’t.