The Linksys Atlas Pro 6 offers some of the fastest download speeds that I have tested in a Wi-Fi 6 mesh router. Its app, though, could be improved. It also has fewer features than some of its rivals. I tested two units (S$489), which is sufficient for my apartment. But it's also sold as a single unit (S$269) and as a three-pack (S$649).
Quick specs
- Dual-band Wi-Fi 6 (AX5400)
- 4 Gigabit ports (3 LAN and 1 WAN)
- Supports WPA3 Personal
- Coverage of up to 5,400 sq feet (501 sq m) with 2 units (tested) and up to 8,100 sq feet (752 sq m) with 3 units
Linksys compares the Atlas Pro 6 with last year's Asus ZenWiFi XD6, which remains one of our favourite mid-range mesh routers. The Atlas certainly has the specs to match its competitor. For starters, both are dual-band Wi-Fi 6 mesh routers that are typically sold in a set of two or three units. Space these nodes throughout your home to improve the Wi-Fi coverage. If your home is wired for Ethernet, you can also link the Atlas units via Ethernet. This connection method (wired backhaul) is more stable and reliable than linking the nodes wirelessly. Like the Asus, the Linksys has four Gigabit Ethernet ports — two more than most mesh routers. Both routers also do not have any USB ports to connect them to an external storage device or printer.
Setting up a modern mesh router is easy. As expected, it involves the Linksys mobile app (available for iOS and Android). You'll need to enable Bluetooth on your phone and have a Linksys account. It should take around 10 minutes or so to create your home Wi-Fi network with two or three Atlas Pro 6 units. The app offers basic router features, such as port forwarding and a guest Wi-Fi network. You can also prioritise internet traffic for up to three devices. Compared to networking vendors like Asus and TP-Link, Linksys doesn't bundle a comprehensive internet security suite with the Atlas Pro 6. But that doesn't mean the router is devoid of such features. For example, it supports the latest WPA3 security standard and has an SPI firewall. But the parental controls offer very basic options — block specific URLs and timings.
The Atlas Pro 6 supports 160MHz channels, which means newer compatible devices — typically laptops using Intel's AX201 wireless chipset– can enjoy higher speeds. In my initial test with an AX201-equipped notebook, the Atlas Pro 6 produced a decent download speed of 650Mbps. But after running the app's channel finder feature to locate the best available channel and enabling DFS (Dynamic Frequency Selection) to increase available channels, the download speed improved to 905Mbps. This puts the Linksys on par with the Asus XD6. The speed in my bedroom was also very good at around 400Mbps.
Overall, the Linksys Atlas Pro 6 produced impressive Wi-Fi speeds that lived up to expectations. However, the Linksys app and browser interface are more barebones than competitors like Asus. The app, especially, feels sluggish and occasionally fails to connect to Linksys' cloud server. The Atlas Pro 6 also offers fewer features than the Asus ZenWiFi XD6, so prosumers may prefer the latter. But the Linksys (S$489 for two) is slightly cheaper than the XD6 (around S$540). If you're the plug-and-forget type of user that don't really need advanced features, the Atlas Pro will save you a few bucks over the Asus. Get the Atlas Pro 6 at Lazada and Shopee now.
Note: Review unit provided by Linksys.
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