Netgear Unveils Proprietary Mesh System with Wi-Fi 7

The Orbi 770 tri-band system provides data transfer speeds of up to 11 Gbps in the 2.4, 5 and 6 GHz bands, with the ability to connect up to 100 devices simultaneously. The 2.5 Gigabit Ethernet port allows you to unleash the full potential of Gigabit Internet, guaranteeing a fast and stable connection between different gadgets in the home. Each Orbi 770 unit is equipped with four high-performance internal antennas with powerful amplifiers for 360-degree coverage.

To protect against cyberattacks, the routers support automatic firmware updates, WPA3 technology, access control, and guest mode. In addition, the company’s Advanced Router Protection feature protects not only against known threats, but also against most unknown threats using artificial intelligence technologies. It also allows you to make patches to the system without waiting for a new firmware version to be released.

We were pleasantly surprised by the Nighthawk RS300 router that Netgear released recently as it marked a move towards slightly more affordable pricing than we’d seen from the company in the past. It looks like that trend is continuing, as Netgear has now launched a new addition to its range of mesh Wi-Fi systems in the form of the Orbi 770, which is considerably less expensive than previous models in the Orbi range.

It’s still not exactly cheap – after all, Wi-Fi 7 is still the current state-of-the-art for Wi-Fi technology – but the Orbi 770 provides tri-band Wi-Fi 7 with a top speed of 11Gbps, which should be more than fast enough for most homes and small businesses.

And, more importantly, it’s a lot less expensive than previous Orbi models, and can even compete with mesh systems from rivals such as Linksys and TP-Link as well. The only sting in the tail, as always, is Netgear’s fondness for selling subscription services that provide additional parental controls and security features.

There are two options for the Orbi 770 series, with prices starting at £649.99/$699.99 for a two-piece system that consists of one primary router and one secondary ‘satellite’.  Netgear states that this two-piece system is capable of covering areas of up to 5,500sq. ft, although regions such as the UK and EU may quote slightly lower coverage areas due to differences in local regulations.

However, we tested the top-of-the-range three-piece system that includes a router and two satellites, covering up to 8,000sq. ft, for a total price of £899.99/$999.99. That three-piece system is the only option currently available in Australia, where it is priced at AU$1499.00.

That’s a fraction of the price of Netgear’s high-end Orbi 9700 but also compares well with rivals such as the Linksys Velop Pro 7, which provides similar speeds and features. However, people who need parental controls or more advanced security features may want to shop around to see how much rival manufacturers charge for those features and services.

The Netgear Orbi 770 series is already on sale in the UK. The main router paired with one additional router costs £649.99 ($855).