Five inexpensive Wi-Fi 6 routers

A gigabit router with Wi-Fi 6 support does not have to be sky-high. A striking example of this is the budget model of the Mercusys MR70X wireless router.

From one of the most affordable devices in the class, it would be logical to expect savings on small things. However, the router looks much more expensive than it actually costs. In the design of the upper platform of the case of the model, smooth glossy panels alternate with a matte pattern. Protruding "horns" of four antennas are dispersed around the circumference of the body with the ability to adjust the direction and angle of inclination.

In the 2.4 GHz band, the declared speed of the Mercusys MR70X reaches 574 Mbps, and on the carrier frequency of 5 GHz - 1201 Mbps. The router is connected to the global network via a gigabit WAN connector. To deploy a local wired network, the model provides for three LAN ports with a bandwidth of up to 1 Gbps. The hardware basis of the router is a dual-core ARM processor Mediatek 7621. The router is configured only through the web interface with a cable connection.

Simultaneous operation of clients connected to the router is facilitated by OFDMA and MU-MIMO technologies. The model also uses Beamforming technology, which is aimed at dynamic redistribution of the signal in the direction of the devices being served. The router confidently handles IPTV traffic routing, prioritizes traffic, runs cloud services and VPN connections. And most importantly, the model costs an order of magnitude cheaper than peers with Wi-Fi 6 support. The only thing it lacks is the “ears” in the case for wall mounting.

Tenda TX3 is a Wi-Fi 6 router under the auspices of accessibility to a wide user audience. A relatively affordable device fully meets the needs of ordinary consumers.

The model creates two wireless networks at frequencies of 2.4 and 5 GHz, which provide connection speeds up to 574 and 1201 Mbps, respectively. High performance of the router with simultaneous connection of several client devices is possible thanks to MU-MIMO and OFDM technologies. The latter divides broadcast channels into smaller subchannels, which allows you to bypass restrictions on the use of network channels by client devices in turn.

The router got four gigabit Ethernet ports (one WAN, three LANs) and the same number of external antennas with a gain of 6 dBi. Also for the model, support for Beamforming is declared, which amplifies the signal in the direction where the receiving device is located. One of the "chips" Tenda TX3 - support for BSS Coloring Technology, which increases the ability to withstand interference from neighboring Wi-Fi networks. This feature will come in handy in apartment buildings.

The router has an advanced WPA3 security protocol. The TWT (Target Wake Time) function is added to the list of positive qualities of the model - the device goes into sleep mode when not in use. Finally, for convenient remote control of the router, the Tenda Wi-Fi mobile application with a logical and simple menu interface is used. Tenda TX3 will serve as an excellent purchase for deploying stable Wi-Fi coverage in residential housing stock.

In the shelf of household routers of the AX3200 class, the wireless router model of the same name from the Chinese company Xiaomi is very attractive in terms of price and functionality. It is simply called Router AX3200.

The device is assembled in a rectangular case with a “striped” back, in the center of which a small Xiaomi logo proudly flaunts. Six antennas protrude from the rear and side ends of the router case to create the most extensive area of high-quality coverage. The router distributes the Internet in two bands: 2.4 GHz with a bandwidth of up to 800 Mbps and 5 GHz with a speed of up to 2402 Mbps. Also at the user's disposal is a trio of gigabit LAN ports. A total theoretical speed of up to 3200 Mbps is made possible by 1024-QAM modulation and MU-MIMO 4x4 multi-channel data transmission.

OFDMA technology increases the efficiency of information transfer to several connected devices. Another useful feature in the assets of the model is Beamforming technology, which determines the position of client devices within the network being deployed. If the strength of the router is not enough to cover the entire serviced perimeter, you can use the router to scale the coverage area as one of the links of seamless MESH networks.

In total, up to 128 client devices can work in the Wi-Fi network of the router. The model perfectly copes with the assigned tasks both in a relaxed home atmosphere and in a relatively small office. The wireless router captivates with increased data exchange rates, Wi-Fi 6 support, simple setup and stable coverage.

Asus' network equipment range has a suitable offer for any wallet thickness. Take, for example, the RT-AX53U home model, an inexpensive dual-band router that supports Wi-Fi 6 generation of wireless communications.

The device belongs to the AX1800 class models - the router provides a theoretical throughput of up to 576 Mbps in the 2.4 GHz band and up to 1201 Mbps when using a 5 GHz carrier frequency. This supports the creation of up to three independent guest networks in each range. The network cable is connected to the router via a gigabit LAN connector. Also in the interface shelf of the model is a trio of WAN ports with a bandwidth of 1 Gbps.

The presence of a USB 2.0 port allows you to use modems, printers and external HDDs with the router. So, in the absence of the Internet from the provider, you can “start up” the device using a 3G / LTE modem. The status of the router is displayed by LED indicators on the top panel of the case. In the dark, they blink too brightly, but, fortunately, the indication can be turned off in the settings. Asus RT-AX53U operation management is tied to the web interface or the ASUS Router mobile application.

The model incorporates support for MU-MIMO and Beamforming technologies to improve the performance of wireless networks, Firewall, NAT, DHCP, FTP, file and print server functions are implemented. In addition, Dual WAN technology enables efficient redundancy and network load balancing. A separate plus goes to the router for the pre-installed AiProtection Classic cyber protection service, which checks settings from a security point of view, blocks access to malicious resources, detects and blocks infected devices on the local network. On the whole, the Asus RT-AX53U gives the impression of a well-balanced product without obvious flaws.

TP-LINK Archer AX53 is a typical mid-range router, but already with support for the newfangled Wi-Fi 6 protocol, which is increasingly spreading to the masses.

The model provides a total wireless connection speed up to 3 Gbps. True, only in two ranges in total and under ideal signal transmission conditions. At a frequency of 2.4 GHz, you can squeeze data exchange rates up to 574 Mbps from the router, with a carrier of 5 GHz - up to 2402 Mbps. To ensure maximum Wi-Fi throughput, the model allows you to use a 160 MHz channel.

The device was equipped with a gigabit WAN port and four gigabit LAN connectors. You can get the most out of the router when using devices with Wi-Fi 6 and related technologies MU-MIMO, OFDMA and 1024-QAM. At the same time, the signal from the router is directed towards the connected clients due to the implementation of Beamforming technology. TP-LINK Archer AX53 guarantees stable coverage in an apartment or country house.

An important advantage of the model is the support of OneMesh technology, sharpened for the creation of single seamless wireless access networks from several compatible routers. The technology is aimed at uninterrupted maintenance of large households. The router is configured through the Tether mobile application (available for iOS Android) or through the classic web interface. As a bonus, the owner of the device receives a pre-installed set of HomeShield security tools, which includes protection against network threats, parental control, and advanced statistics on traffic consumption.