Netgear unveils router with Wi-Fi extender

Multiple routers are the hot new trend in Internet routers. This is the area Eero went, charging $500 for three devices that comprise of a router, range extender and a repeater. Netgear has come up with a similar design of its own. Unlike Eero, Netgear's Orbi only comes with two devices by default—the router and wireless extender—for $400. Additional extenders will be available by the end of the year, according to Netgear, but there is no mention of how much they will cost. By starting with just two devices, however, Netgear seems confident that this is enough to cover most homes and devices for families.

The Netgear Orbi represents a couple trends going on in the home Internet router market right now. Placing nodes around the house is one way router makers are looking to increase the quality of Wi-Fi connections while also selling additional hardware to consumers. The practice is sound from both a technological and business standpoint.

Netgear is likewise trying to make better-looking routers. The Orbi's appearance is very clean and minimalist. The large, white frame looks more like an air purifier than a router. More router makers want to build devices that fit in well with home decor. For routers such as Eero and Orbi, the clean design is supposed to make consumers comfortable with putting multiple devices around their homes. Routers have a reputation for being notoriously hideous with antennas sticking out in different directions. The fastest wireless routers on the market, including Netgear's Nighthawk series, still stick to this design. Others have focused on aesthetics. That was a primary focus for Google when it created the OnHub. This device has models made by Asus and TP-Link, and both use minimalist spherical designs without an antenna in sight. Apple's AirPort routers also have a clean, white look.

Beauty might be a concern for some, but many people still look for an affordable router that gets the job done. Fortunately, most routers are quite capable these days, even when they are not top of the line. This has allowed China companies to make significant inroads into the router market. The price of routers has fallen so much that industry stalwarts such as Cisco want to get out. Cisco announced recently it is cutting 5,500 jobs as it shifts its business away from routers and switches to focus on security and the Internet of Things. As in other areas, China makers are now producing many routers that work well for the right price. Shenzhen-based TP-Link, for example, now has about 40 percent of the home router market.