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Linksys Velop
The Linksys Velop was originally sent to us in 3-Pack form, but the 2-Pack is the much better deal, and you can also buy a single device. So we will be testing all three configurations.
This is the box for the three-pack. It's a hefty piece of packaging.
Whichever version you buy, you will get just one Ethernet cable plus the necessary power plugs for the number of units purchased. They're nicely styled, intended to look a bit like speakers so they aren't too obtrusive round the house.
To this end, the branding and styling is minimal, with a small light on the top to indicate status.
Each Velop unit is identical, so it doesn't matter which one you use to connect to your broadband (unlike NETGEAR's Orbi). There are two Ethernet ports on each, so the main broadband-attached unit can support one wired client whilst the satellites can support two, or connect to a switch to act as a bridge. There's no USB connectivity.
Each unit is tri-band, with two 5GHz radios and one 2.4GHz one, providing a AC2200 rating. This is made up of two 867Mbits/sec 802.11ac signals and one 400Mbits/sec 802.11n signal. Allegedly, any of these can be used as the backhaul, depending on which is the fastest connection between units. But in practice it's probably going to be one of the 802.11ac signals.
Price: 3-Pack – £499.99; 2-Pack – £249.99; 1-Pack – £180
Specification:
Wireless protocols: MU-MIMO with 802.11b/g/n 2.4GHz and 802.11a/n/ac 5GHz
Performance: AC2200 (867 + 867 + 400 Mbits/sec)
Antenna Configuration: 2×2 Internal Antennas
Ports: Per unit: 2 x Gigabit Ethernet
Modem Support: VDSL/ADSL 2+ or cable
