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With the RT6600ax Tri-Band Wi-Fi 6 Router, Synology, best known for its network attached storage (NAS) solutions, enters the Wi-Fi 6 router market. The RT6600ax is simple to instal and maintain, performed well in our tests for 2.4GHz throughput, and includes some good features like free network security and parental control software, as well as a multi-gig network port. However, the Asus ROG Strix GS-AX5400, our pick for mainstream routers, has higher 5GHz and file transfer capabilities.
Although Synology is best known for its NAS, its line of Wi-Fi routers is still one of the most well-liked additions to its lineup of networking equipment. The RT2600ac we most recently saw was initially introduced years ago, which is disappointing for those who rely on the hybrid router and NAS capability of the RT series. Finally stepping in to save the day, Synology is now substituting the brand-new RT6600ax for its outdated predecessor. you can read our article on Synology RT6600ax review.
Design
The RT6600ax is a 4×4 tri-band Wi-Fi axe (WiFi-6) router with wired 2.5GbE connectivity and six high-gain antennas. In contrast to high-end home routers, particularly mesh systems, which have appealing designs and stand out significantly, Synology is playing it safe with a design that ensures the RT6600ax blends into the background. The router has a traditional design, with the six non-removable antennae placed four in the back and one on either side of the chassis.
The four LAN ports, WAN port, and Wi-Fi connection all have LED indicators on the front. The router lacks flair but has a good build quality and all the necessary connectivity choices. The structure has vents to promote adequate circulation. Three Gigabit networking interfaces, one LAN port that offers 2.5GbE connectivity, a WAN port, and a USB 3.0 port for external storage are all included.
Synology routers are known for their dual WAN feature, which enables you to use only one router for both of your internet connections if you have two of them. The RT6600ax maintains this functionality by using the 2.5GbE LAN port in addition to the secondary WAN port. I’m glad the company is still offering this because it’s a feature that’s missing from most consumer routers and is quite practical.
Synology RT6600ax review: Setup
It couldn’t be simpler to set up the Synology RT6600ax for the first time. You can choose to instal the router via the DS Router mobile app or the SRM online interface on a laptop or PC (available for iOS and Android). Whichever device is easier to access should be used since both will produce the same results.
Anyone who utilizes Windows, macOS, or Linux should be comfortable with SRM because it has a desktop OS-like interface, much like the DSM OS that comes pre-installed on Synology NAS enclosures. It’s an excellent piece of equipment that makes controlling the RT6600ax simple, including setting up your own VPN and managing network connections.
It is possible to create unique profiles for users, which makes it possible to set up parental controls and online filtering. Network Protection is a useful tool that not only allows you to observe how long a client has been connected but also aids in preventing malware assaults by blocking access to known harmful websites.
Synology RT6600ax review: VPN support
The ability to use the router as a VPN server is one of our other favorite features, and the free VPN Plus license makes it possible to safely access your home network from a distance. Through its app store, which Synology refers to as “Package Centre,” the firm offers a number of extra apps. There are a few important apps available, like “Download Station,” which lets you manage and download files from anywhere directly to the router’s external drive.
The software selection isn’t as extensive as the one found on the company’s NAS devices. Another helpful one is the “Threat Prevention” programme, a complete internet defense tool that prevents threats based on user-defined settings and identifies threats in real-time. It’s a useful tool for people who want to monitor the security of their network.
Although it has been progressively getting better with recent firmware upgrades, our biggest issue with SRM is that the router’s automatic device recognition, which tries to recognize the names of the devices on the network, isn’t the best. A USB drive must also be connected in for many of the router’s capabilities and applications to function, such as those that store traffic reporting logs. It would have been wonderful to see Synology add support for external drives to LAN-connected storage, but there is only one USB port on the router, which some people might choose to use for a backup mobile internet connection.
Software
A good router should operate in the background; you shouldn’t have to fiddle with its settings all the time to get it to function. Thankfully, the RT6600ax supports this. A browser can be used for initial configuration, or the superb DS Router software for Android or iOS can be used to locate and configure the router for the first time. also you can check our article on Synology RT6600ax review.
The DS Router app has been updated for the RT6600ax and now lets you directly configure the router and mesh settings. You may set up port forwarding, VPN connections, and traffic control rule management. A useful feature that is built into Android by default allows you to communicate information about your Wi-Fi network with a QR code; however, if you’re using an older version of the OS, the feature is useful.
For the majority of users, DS Router should be more than suitable for configuring and administering the RT6600ax. It allows you to view real-time network statistics, the number of connected devices, update the firmware, and configure Safe Access. Use the web-based UI if you want to have access to all of the functionality. For the most of the past two years, we have used Ubiquiti routers, first the Alien and later the superb UDM Pro and USG Switch Pro 24 switch.
The flexibility to customize made UniFi OS, which has many choices not seen in regular routers, an enticing alternative for our use case, which is why we chose Ubiquiti. The RT6600ax takes a comparable course. Similar to the web-based DiskStation Manager OS found on the company’s NAS servers, Synology Router Manager (SRM) 1.3 is one of the most feature-rich router interfaces available today.
Synology RT6600ax review: Performance
In our testing of the Synology RT6600ax, we concentrated on the router’s lone 2.5GbE port, which may be utilized for either a single fast network device or a faster WAN connection (multi-gig internet) (NAS). We chose the NAS approach and used a 4-bay, all-flash QNAP unit with a 2.5GbE interface. Then, in order to gauge overall router performance, we connected three hardwired notebooks to the remaining three 1GbE LAN ports.
The exam strategy was rather straightforward. Assign one shared folder per notebook from three on the NAS, each with a 25GB footprint. Then, while each system was running simultaneously, we measured the sequential read and write rates and added the results to get a total score.
We evaluated the write performance over the 2.5GbE port at 285.6MB/s and the read performance over the wire as a whole at 157MB/s. In this instance, write performance was able to leverage the 2.5GbE speed more effectively than read performance, but it also reveals certain configuration flaws. In terms of LAN port configuration, 4 2.5GbE ports with 2 2.5GbE ports acting as a lovely middle ground would be the ideal. The single 2.5GbE port primarily supports a faster WAN connection or numerous users accessing a single fast storage device.
Price and availability
The Synology RT6600ax is just $300 / £284 / AU$461 and is currently offered in most significant areas. It falls into a market category that we typically connect with Wi-Fi 6 mid-range items that are incomparably inferior to the performance and features on offer. To be honest, we wouldn’t have been shocked if the price had a “1” in front of it instead. also you can learn our article on Synology RT6600ax review.
The leading Wi-Fi routers up to this point have been twin-node “mega-mesh” products like the Asus ZenWiFi and Netgear Orbi, which offer a dedicated Wi-Fi backhaul channel to a partner node that guarantees peak performance is accessible at a distance. Compared to slower standard mesh systems, this is an improvement. It’s the finest standalone option, but it’s also scalable because you can combine several Synology RT6600ax devices into a mega-mesh network with a dedicated backhaul channel and still save money.
Conclusion
The Synology RT6600ax Tri-Band Wi-Fi 6 Router is a good option if you want to move up to a Wi-Fi 6 network. A high-speed WAN/LAN port, free parental control and network security software, and an easy-to-use web-based management interface are just a few of its amazing feature offerings. On the 2.4GHz band, it offered quick throughput, but on the 5GHz band, it lagged below our top pick for mainstream wireless routers, the Asus ROG Strix GS-AX5400, in terms of throughput and file transfer speeds.