Netgear's new router promises professional-grade Wi-Fi in the home office

Netgear has launched a new business-focused router that promises rapid Wi-Fi speeds for small offices and remote working setups.

At CES 2022, the networking company unveiled the Orbi Pro SXK50, its latest tri-band mesh router system with support for Wi-Fi 6. The model fills a gap in the current range, between the Orbi Pro SXK30 and SXK80.

The new router offers theoretical speeds of up to 5.4 Gbps, supports up to 75 concurrent devices and has a maximum coverage area of 12,500 square feet.

The Orbi Pro SXK50 will be available in the US later this month for $449.99, and in Europe later in Q1 at a price of £419.99/€449.99.

Home office routers

Since the start of the pandemic, connectivity has been among the most significant challenges for remote and hybrid workers, whose ability to remain productive often hinges on the speed of their home network.

Many remote employees rely on the stock router provided by their internet service provider, but Netgear says businesses could consider funding an upgrade.

“The challenge for the small business is to provide employees with a home Wi-Fi experience that is on par with that of the office with the reliability and performance that relieve the most basic work-from-home frustrations,” the company wrote.

“Ideal for the home office or small businesses, the Orbi Pro SXK50 offers incredible performance, easy management, and support for a larger number of devices.”

Although there are many high-speed routers on the market, the networking firm claims its Orbi Pro line stands apart courtesy of advanced cybersecurity facilities, which include a business VPN, support for WPA3 wireless security protocols, VLAN management and four distinct SSIDs.

“The key concerns for business Wi-Fi customers are reliability, robustness, security and performance,” said Doug Cheung, Director of Product Line Management at Netgear. “The Orbi Pro line satisfies all of those needs, but its security features really set our devices apart from the competition.”

Cheung went on to explain that business-grade security is “standard across the entire lineup”, which means customers need only determine how many devices they are required to support.

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