Synology built a Wi-Fi router for the connected home, and I love it

In the case of Wi-Fi routers, there are two forms of customers: those that persist with their ISP-provided system and those that need one thing with a bit extra. That second group normally appears to be like for extra pace, reliability, and further safety. So, it’s no shock that the maker of a number of the finest Community-Hooked up-Storage units, Synology, has precisely these three verticals in its sight with its second foray into routers.

The Synology RT6600AX builds on the legacy of the corporate’s NAS units and brings a lot of that studying to the wi-fi networking house. I spent a month testing out the Synology RT6600AX router as an alternative of my overkill business-grade Wi-Fi answer simply to see if spiffy software program and an additional band can trounce my not too long ago accomplished community overhaul. The outcomes had been attention-grabbing, to say the least.

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It’s a imply however not so lean machine

Unboxing the RT6600AX generally is a little bit of a shock and aww expertise. Not like the corporate’s sleek-looking community drives, Synology isn’t making an attempt to cover away the RT6600AX beneath a shiny facade. The router is massive and chunky and the polar reverse of what you’ve come to count on in an age of tech designed to suit into trendy minimalist decor. I set it up in my house workplace proper above my community rack, and even then, the dimensions of the router was fairly daunting. Nonetheless, I don’t suppose it is going to be a giant subject for the meant viewers.

Regardless of the sheer measurement of the machine, Synology’s router doesn’t precisely punch above its weight by way of port choice. You’ll discover 4 LAN ports — together with one which’s 2.5Gbps-capable — plus a single 1Gbps WAN port and a USB 3.0 connector to increase the onboard storage. The two.5Gbps port can double up as a WAN port with the router set to dual-WAN mode, however since there’s no hyperlink aggregation assist, you may’t run wired web sooner than 1Gbps throughout the opposite ports. Moreover, when you’ve bought sooner than gigabit speeds, the high-speed LAN port can be utilized as a WAN port, however the default WAN port doesn’t fall again to LAAN mode. Total, the router means and appears enterprise, however take into account that the six antennas aren’t detachable.

The prosumer or enterprise leanings of the Synology RT6600AX come down to 2 tentpole options — software program and assist for a brand new radio band that brings some very tangible enhancements.

Software program that delights

I’ve been utilizing Synology NAS packing containers since 2010 and am intimately accustomed to the corporate’s Linux-based Diskstation software program. It brings a desktop-like interface to your net browser, full with full window administration.

5 digital networks

Synology Router Supervisor on the RT6600AX is basically the identical software program with the NAS bits swapped out for extra networking chops. It additionally brings alongside some very cool options for customers who need higher management over their good house and safety. Chief amongst these is the flexibility to create as much as 5 completely different SSIDs that function as digital networks.

Coming over from remoted VLANs on my Ubiquiti setup, I discovered the method of attaining an identical degree of community isolation remarkably extra simple on Synology’s working system. That is sensible. Ubiquiti goals for a prosumer viewers with some networking {hardware} expertise. In distinction, Synology targets clients who wish to do extra with their routers with out getting a community administration diploma first.

So why precisely is that this necessary? If you happen to, like me, have dozens of good house devices, you’ll know that many of those continuously cellphone again house with telemetry knowledge. I’ve managed to finagle offline management over lots of them through House Assistant, however there are just a few that also require cloud entry. These servers are sometimes situated in international locations with doubtful knowledge privateness insurance policies and even worse safety testing. Isolating these units to a separate community signifies that whereas I may not be capable of get them utterly offline, I can preserve them from gathering knowledge on the remainder of the units on my community and forestall any internet-based intrusion try. The Synology RT6600AX will not be the primary router to supply this function, however the ease of setup is a giant win in my ebook. The router additionally ships with intensive parental controls for rules-based entry.

Our tip: Your good house ought to keep on a separate Wi-Fi community

Extra apps for additional performance

One other function that caught my eye was the full-blown app retailer on the router. Synology has well stored lots of the router’s superior options non-compulsory. As an alternative, you need to use the App Retailer to obtain these apps based mostly in your necessities. That is vastly superior to most routers which can be locked into the apps that ship with them and that, by extension, have slower updates. Furthermore, it permits Synology to replace particular person apps in case of a safety loophole or for brand new options. Do observe that you just’ll want to connect a USB drive as exterior storage on the router to obtain and use any extra apps.

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I discovered the App Retailer a bit barren in comparison with what I’m used to seeing on Synology’s NAS drives, however what’s there ought to cowl the necessities for a lot of customers. You’ll discover a obtain shopper, a media server to show your router into an offline media playback machine, a complicated menace administration answer, and a VPN server that permits you to securely tunnel again into your property’s web connection whereas out on the highway.

Glorious fundamental apps too

The Synology RT6600AX is likely to be geared toward a prosumer viewers, however the firm has carried out a wonderful job at making certain that it’s straightforward to get began for the common purchaser too. The app retailer is one side, however there are additionally the included apps. The DS Router app guides you thru your entire preliminary setup course of and can be utilized to regulate mostly accessed capabilities, together with protected entry and rules-based entry.

The obtain shopper and media server are equally attention-grabbing too. The options aren’t precisely new — I’ve used a obtain shopper on my Asus router since 2011. However, as is normally the case, the implementation issues. Not solely is the router shopper very useful, however you may mix it with the companion DS Router app to toss up downloads even once you’re out and about.

Synology’s Fast Join service can be discovered right here. It establishes an oblique connection to your router and allows you to entry it remotely utilizing an easy-to-remember deal with. I’ve discovered it to be a handy means to hook up with my NAS remotely, and that continues to be the case with the RT6600AX as nicely.

Networking excellence

Okay, so the software program is great. However most customers will not often dive into it as soon as the system is totally arrange and able to go. It’s all in regards to the {hardware} that retains your networking ticking easily as you go about your each day routine. The Synology RT6600AX has a particular trick up its sleeve: It’s the primary router on the earth to assist the 5.9GHz band.

A deep dive into the 5.9Ghz band could be out of the scope of this function, however the not too long ago permitted spectrum means you may lastly hit the candy spot of pace and vary. You see, the upper you go up the frequency spectrum, the extra you lose out on the Wi-Fi vary. Wi-Fi 6e operates on the 6GHz spectrum, giving it a giant increase in pace and a pointy fall in vary. Utilizing the 160Mhz spectrum, the RT6600AX enables you to reap the advantages of speeds that may theoretically contact 4804Mbps whereas conserving the vary benefit of 5GHz networks. On the flip facet, you’ll want shopper {hardware} that may connect with the router over the 160MHz channel, and that’s a really quick record in the mean time.

The RT6600AX broadcasts over three completely different Wi-Fi bands: one 2.4GHz and two separate 5GHz. The higher channel 5GHz-1 band is the one one which helps 5.9GHz transmission for max speeds. Most customers could be nicely served by utilizing the onboard Sensible Join function that binds the two.4 and 5Ghz bands and auto switches between them. Though that locks you out of the 5.9GHz band — it’s all a bit difficult — it shouldn’t make a lot of a distinction in the mean time since most units can’t connect with it. (It’s value conserving in thoughts that not one of the units I’ve readily available with 160MHz assist may negotiate an IP deal with with the router.)

I examined out the router with a variety of telephones, together with a Samsung Galaxy S22 Extremely, an iPhone 13 Professional, and a MacBook Professional. To gauge the native community efficiency and web speeds, I ran a sequence of assessments each when in the identical room and at a distance of 20 ft.

The router’s efficiency is exactly what I anticipated and goes nicely and past what I’ve come to count on from mid-range mesh routers. Working an area community pace take a look at, I clocked obtain speeds simply wanting 800Mbps whereas in the identical room. This dropped all the way down to 167Mbps at a 20-foot distance and two concrete partitions. That’s nonetheless very respectable and exhibits some great benefits of having a number of uncovered antennas to spice up the vary. The true magic, nonetheless, occurs in mesh mode.

Identical to Asus’ DIY AI-mesh answer, the RT6600AX additionally helps the creation of an ad-hoc mesh configuration when paired up with a second unit. Proper now, you may solely use one other RT6600X as a satellite tv for pc, however later this 12 months, you’ll additionally be capable of pair up older Synology RT2600AC items in case you’ve bought these readily available.

Synology despatched over a second RT6600AX unit to check how nicely this works. The quick reply: surprisingly nicely. The mesh configuration is the place you actually begin seeing the benefit of 5.9GHz assist for the reason that router makes use of the 5GHz-1 channel to create a devoted high-speed wi-fi backhaul between the 2 nodes. At a 20-foot distance, I may nonetheless get native obtain speeds to the tune of 439Mbps. I may additionally absolutely saturate my 300Mbps web line.

These speeds are notably astonishing as a result of wi-fi backhaul simply doesn’t do as nicely in international locations like India, the place thick concrete and rebar partitions are the norm. I’ve beforehand wanted three entry factors when operating a wi-fi mesh setup. The Synology RT6600AX, in its twin node configuration, rivals my hard-wired Ubiquiti setup with three entry factors.

The high-end router for many

It’s not all that usually that you just come throughout a product that’s firing on all cylinders proper out of the field. The Synology RT6600AX is one such product. It’s not the flashiest trying machine, however when you’re out there for one of many quickest routers round, with out taking place the rabbit gap of Ubiquiti or Meraki, then Synology’s answer does the trick. The added flexibility of with the ability to increase the community with additional nodes as and once you please makes it much more versatile.

Priced at an MSRP of $299, the Synology RT6600AX would possibly lack the flash of competing units just like the TP-Hyperlink Archer AX6000, however it makes up for it with unbelievable speeds and dependable software program that makes it straightforward for even novice customers to rise up and operating.

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