Latest
Texas Governor Abbott blocks funding for more Flock camerasNasa launches powerful new space telescope to explore mysteries of the UniverseTrump promises NBC’s Welker will be reported to FCC ‘for rebuke or punishment’Sunrises before 5 a.m.? How permanent standard time would impact summer morningsCaterpillar is bringing to AI deployment what it learned from automating miningCanada erects giant ‘Lake Ontario’ sign as spat with Trump over name escalatesCanada claps back at Trump's efforts to rename Lake Ontario as 'Lake America'Texas Governor Abbott blocks funding for more Flock camerasNasa launches powerful new space telescope to explore mysteries of the UniverseTrump promises NBC’s Welker will be reported to FCC ‘for rebuke or punishment’Sunrises before 5 a.m.? How permanent standard time would impact summer morningsCaterpillar is bringing to AI deployment what it learned from automating miningCanada erects giant ‘Lake Ontario’ sign as spat with Trump over name escalatesCanada claps back at Trump's efforts to rename Lake Ontario as 'Lake America'
← Signal: Tech & AI

Netgear Orbi 770 Series Named Best Mesh Wi-Fi System in 2026 Testing

Confirmed1 source · Aug 30, 2026

Wired's comprehensive mesh router review identifies the Orbi 770 as the top choice for most households, with Wi-Fi 7 capability and strong coverage, though regulatory changes may limit future sales of foreign-manufactured systems.

Netgear Orbi 770 Series Named Best Mesh Wi-Fi System in 2026 Testing
Image via Wired

What happened

Wired tested multiple mesh Wi-Fi systems and designated the Netgear Orbi 770 Series as the best overall option for most families. The tri-band system supports Wi-Fi 7 with multi-link operation (MLO), offers coverage up to 8,000 square feet for a three-pack, and features four 2.5 Gbps Ethernet ports on the main unit and two on each satellite. The review also identified alternative top performers: the Asus ZenWiFi BT10 as the best subscription-free option, the Amazon Eero Pro 7 for simplicity, and the TP-Link Deco BE63 as the best budget choice. The FCC's foreign-made router ban announced in March may prevent companies without Conditional Approval exemptions from selling new mesh systems in the US, though only Netgear and Eero have secured approval so far; existing systems can continue to be sold and updated with firmware until January 1, 2029.

Context

Mesh Wi-Fi systems address a practical problem: router placement constraints and dead zones in homes. The ability to place multiple nodes throughout a space and have devices automatically connect to the nearest unit for optimal speeds appeals to households with streaming, gaming, and multiple simultaneous users. The Orbi 770's Wi-Fi 7 features—wider channels (up to 320 MHz), multi-band simultaneous connection, and improved security standards—represent the current technology frontier, though users need Wi-Fi 7-capable devices like iPhone 17 or Pixel 11 Pro to realize those benefits. The FCC regulatory action introduces market uncertainty: it will restrict future sales of non-exempted foreign-manufactured systems, potentially consolidating the market around companies like Netgear and Eero that have secured approval. For consumers, this means existing systems will remain updateable and functional through 2029, but purchasing decisions may be constrained by which manufacturers retain the ability to sell new inventory.