Linksys Atlas Pro 6

This neat mesh provides faster, wider coverage than we’d expect from a dual-band system, at a decent price

- DARIEN GRAHAM-SMITH

If you’re thinking you’ve seen these miniature towers somewhere before, you’re right: despite the new name, Linksys’ latest Wi-Fi 6 mesh is an evolution of its long-established Velop system.

Unlike the original Velop, the Atlas Pro 6 is a dual-band design, operating a traditional 2.4GHz wireless network plus a faster 5GHz network. As there’s no third radio, the 5GHz channel ferries both backhaul and client data back and forth, a compromise that helps keep the price down.

The units are tastefully designed, with square tops that gently round out towards the base. They’re dinkier than you might expect, standing 185mm tall with an 85 x 85mm footprint, but they have quite some range: Linksys claims the three-unit set can cover an area of up to 750m2, which is far larger than the average UK home. For three bedrooms or fewer you can make do with a twin-pack, which also saves a handy chunk of cash. You can also connect a decent number of wired clients – you’ll find four Gigabit Ethernet ports stacked up at the back of each unit.

Setup is handled by the Linksys mobile app, which detected my first node almost instantly and guided me through picking my network name and security settings. Once your Atlas system is running, you can use the app to check on connected clients and carry out basic management tasks, such as configuring port forwarding and nominating up to three highpriority devices – handy for home working or gaming. Parental controls are offered too, though these are minimal: if you want to block unsavoury websites, you have to enter each one’s URL by hand.