I suggest first deciding exactly how you’re going to use your home network. Pick your smart switches and speakers, whatever else you want, then work backwards to what network support works best with your choices. Smart switches can be picky in some environments.

Wouldn’t they just exploit VPN strategy to get around these possible blocks? I assume they also assume these things and establish workarounds.

Bloody hell! Shouldn’t they build a proper termination instead of floating everything? One snag and it’s a freaky mess.