In one Christmas Day account, Stuff writer Jack Needham says ExpressVPN’s Aircove let him switch between BBC iPlayer and a Sky Stream dongle without a noticeable drop in picture quality or a router restart. That is a useful real-world anecdote—not proof that a VPN router will prevent buffering in every home or work with every streaming service.
What happened during the Christmas streaming test?
Needham published his account on January 2, 2024. He says he connected smart TVs, a games console and streaming devices to Aircove, then used BBC iPlayer and Sky Stream on Christmas Day while hosting and cooking. He described switching between the two as seamless and said he noticed no reduction in quality and did not have to restart the router. Read Needham’s account at Stuff.
The report describes one person’s use on one occasion. It does not include measured speeds, a controlled comparison, a household network baseline or repeated tests. It therefore cannot show that Aircove alone caused the smooth experience, or guarantee the same result for another connection, household or service.
Why can a VPN router help with TVs?
A router-level VPN can protect devices on the home network, including some smart TVs and streaming hardware that cannot run a VPN app themselves. ExpressVPN says Aircove applies its VPN protection to connected devices. VPN features require an active ExpressVPN subscription; without one, the device can still function as a standard router. See ExpressVPN’s Aircove product information and its Aircove setup guide.
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A VPN changes how network traffic is routed, so real streaming performance depends on more than the router. ExpressVPN lists internet provider, network use, home layout, building materials and obstructions among the factors affecting range and performance. A VPN does not guarantee access to a particular streaming catalog or override a service’s restrictions.
What Aircove’s specifications do—and do not—tell you
| Specification | ExpressVPN’s listed figure | How to interpret it |
|---|---|---|
| Wi-Fi 6, dual-band (AX1800) | Up to 600 Mbps on 2.4 GHz and up to 1,200 Mbps on 5 GHz | Manufacturer maximums, not a promise of the speed available to a particular device or home. |
| VPN speed | Up to 330 Mbps under ideal conditions | Manufacturer maximum under ideal conditions, not an independently measured result or expected household speed. |
| Wired connections | Four LAN Ethernet ports on the standard Aircove model | Useful for compatible devices that can connect by Ethernet. |
These figures are from ExpressVPN’s product specifications, accessed October 4, 2026. They should not be read as test results for Needham’s Christmas setup.
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Is Aircove still available, and how long will it be supported?
ExpressVPN says Aircove and Aircove Go are retired and that it will produce no additional units. Existing owners can continue using them with an active ExpressVPN subscription. The company plans firmware security updates through the end of 2027 for Aircove AX1800 and through the end of 2028 for Aircove Go AXG1800. It says owners can continue using the routers after those dates, but firmware updates will stop. These are the timelines in ExpressVPN’s Aircove FAQ, last updated September 18, 2026.
ExpressVPN names Fortify (GL-MT6000), developed with GL.iNet, as its current home-router offering. The FAQ says it became available from GL.iNet on September 16, 2026, and that Amazon availability was expected after launch; it does not confirm that Amazon sales are live. Fortify was not part of Needham’s review, so his streaming experience should not be attributed to it.
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What should existing Aircove owners know about moving to Fortify?
ExpressVPN says Aircove runs AircoveOS and Lightway, while Fortify uses GL.iNet firmware and WireGuard at launch. Aircove settings cannot be migrated directly because the routers use different firmware. An active ExpressVPN subscription can be used with Fortify, according to the FAQ.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How do you set up Aircove?
- Connect Aircove’s Internet/WAN port to a modem—or to a LAN port on an existing router—using the included Ethernet cable.
- Connect a setup device to Aircove over Wi-Fi or Ethernet.
- Follow the on-screen setup flow. You can skip VPN setup if you want to use Aircove as a standard router.
Those steps follow ExpressVPN’s official setup guide. Setting up the VPN features requires an active ExpressVPN subscription.
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Verdict: a promising anecdote, not a streaming guarantee
Needham’s account suggests Aircove handled his mix of connected devices and Christmas Day viewing without a noticeable interruption when he switched from BBC iPlayer to Sky Stream. It offers a concrete example of router-level VPN use with streaming hardware, but not a repeatable performance test. Aircove is now retired, so the account is most relevant to existing owners and readers evaluating the product secondhand—not as evidence about ExpressVPN’s newer Fortify router.
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