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    Synology WRX560 review: A stellar sub-$250 Wi-Fi 6 router

    Synology is greatest identified for its residence NAS servers, however the Taiwanese producer is more and more turning its consideration to residence networking. Last yr’s RT6600ax Wi-Fi 6 router was an underrated gen, delivering wonderful connectivity and intensive software program feature-set that was a category above its rivals.Synology is following it up with the discharge of the WRX560. Subaru-esque branding apart, the router has rather a lot going for it: you get quick Wi-Fi 6 protection with 160MHz channels, 2.5 Gigabit Ethernet LAN port that may be switched to a WAN connection if wanted, and the identical class-leading parental controls and software program options because the RT6600ax.Furthermore, the WRX560 will get a much-needed design refresh with hidden antennae, giving the router a cleaner look. The better part is that at $249, the WRX560 is a good worth for the feature-set and connectivity on provide. So if you happen to’re seeking to get your arms on among the best Wi-Fi routers for beneath $250, here is why it is best to take into account the WRX560.Synology WRX560 at Amazon for $362.90 (opens in new tab)Synology WRX560: Pricing and availability(Image credit score: Harish Jonnalagadda / Android Central)Synology launched the WRX560 in November 2, 2022, and the router went up on the market beginning later within the month. The WRX560 is out there in all markets the place the model has an official presence, and in North America, it’s offered in any respect main retailers for $249. It prices £209 ($255) within the UK, and made its debut in India in January 2023 for ₹22,352 ($273).While the model’s greatest NAS fashions have a three-year guarantee as normal, the routers get a two-year guarantee as an alternative, and the WRX560 isn’t any totally different.Synology WRX560: Design and options(Image credit score: Harish Jonnalagadda / Android Central)The RT6600ax had rather a lot going for it, however design wasn’t certainly one of them. Thankfully, Synology paid a little bit extra consideration to the design of the WRX560, and the result’s that the router seems fashionable. The key distinction is that the WRX560 has hidden antennae, making it look that rather more pleasing visually.It is made out of the identical plastic materials that the model makes use of on NAS servers just like the DiskStation DS723+, and the trendy design permits the WRX560 to mix in a little bit higher — it undoubtedly is not an eyesore. That stated, the router is considerably taller than the RT6600ax, so you have to to issue that in if you happen to’re within the WRX560.(Image credit score: Harish Jonnalagadda / Android Central)(Image credit score: Harish Jonnalagadda / Android Central)The router has a vented design with good passive airflow, and there is a side-mounted USB 3 Gen 3.1 port that means that you can join a drive. You’ll discover the ports on the again, and there’s a lot to love right here. The WRX560 has a Gigabit WAN port, three Gigabit LAN ports, and a 2.5GbE LAN port that doubles as a WAN port.An space the place the router misses out is Link Aggregation; a obvious omission contemplating the target market that is most certainly to make use of the router would have already got the model’s NAS servers.(Image credit score: Harish Jonnalagadda / Android Central)That stated, a characteristic that is notably nice right here is the power to make use of two WAN connections with the identical router. This has been a mainstay on all Synology routers going again to the RT2600ac, and it is good to see the characteristic intact on the WRX560. What’s additionally nice is that there is 2.5GbE connectivity, and with multi-gigabit fiber now a actuality, this makes the router a little bit extra future-proof on this regard.Synology WRX560: Configuration and softwareSetting up the router is about as simple because it will get. You’ll want to make use of DS router in your cellphone — it is obtainable for Android in addition to iOS — for preliminary configuration and administration, and set up takes simply 5 minutes. I did not see any points in detecting the router or setting it up in my residence community, and you’ll assign an SSID, configure visitor mode, and have the WRX560 up and operating with a minimal of trouble.DS router can be nice for port administration, visitors management, monitoring real-time community statistics, and seeing the variety of gadgets linked to the router. Where the WRX560 notably shines is with the software program feature-set; it makes use of Synology Router Manager (SRM) 1.3, and identical to the DiskStation Manager software program that does an incredible job on the model’s NAS servers, SRM is phenomenal for routers.You get an exhaustive checklist of options, and for a majority of customers eyeing the WRX560, DS router ought to be greater than sufficient to handle the router every day. But if you happen to want all of the options that the WRX560 has to supply, you may have to register to the net interface. Just level the browser to your gateway, log in along with your credentials, and you will be view all of the choices.(Image credit score: Harish Jonnalagadda / Android Central)I like options like Smart Connect, the place the two.4GHz and 5GHz radios merge to create a single SSID that switches between bands intelligently primarily based on the place your gadget is in the home. You even have the power to arrange varied VLANs, essential if you happen to use sensible residence merchandise — a great rule of thumb is to create a singular VLAN solely for IoT gear.Another nice use case is popping the router right into a NAS server, and that is possible by connecting an exterior drive into the USB port. You do not have the power to run Plex on the router, however the Media Server package deal comes with lots of the identical options and works reliably for streaming media to linked gadgets in your house.Synology’s Threat Prevention service continues to be a beneficial addition, and easy-to-use parental controls allow you to assign utilization limits for particular person gadgets, block entry to particular websites, and so forth. This is an space the place the WRX560 pulls forward of its rivals, and in order for you a feature-rich router that doubles as a NAS, the WRX560 is a implausible selection.Synology WRX560: Performance(Image credit score: Harish Jonnalagadda / Android Central)As for the {hardware} itself, the WRX560 is powered by a 1.4GHz quad-core chip and has 512GB of RAM together with 256GB of flash storage. For wi-fi connectivity, there are six hidden antennae that ship 4 x 4 MIMO over the 5GHz band and a pair of x 2 MIMO over 2.4GHz. This is a Wi-Fi 6 router, and also you get the broader 160MHz channels as properly.A key level of differentiation between the WRX560 and RT6600ax — and why the previous is a bit more inexpensive — is that it has dual-band connectivity, so that you get one 5GHz band and one 2.4GHz band. That stated, you continue to get loads of throughput right here, with the 5GHz band going as much as 2400Mbit, greater than sufficient for residence use.Having used the RT6600ax for a number of months in 2022, I used to be eager on seeing how the WRX560 would measure up, and it did an admirable job. It delivered near the identical figures because the RT6600ax, with a variance of beneath 10%. A single unit was in a position to blanket my 1,960 sq. ft. home with a dependable Wi-Fi sign, however if in case you have a two-story home, you’ll be able to at all times flip the WRX560 into a sturdy mesh system by including one other unit.I noticed bandwidth of 122Mbit over the two.4GHz band at a distance of 10ft, and over 5GHz I reliably noticed bandwidth of 843Mbit in the identical location. The main bedroom is the furthest away from the router at 75 toes, and right here I received 338Mbit on common. I examined the router with the Pixel 7 Pro, Galaxy S22 Ultra, and a slate of Windows notebooks and iPads, and it did an incredible job delivering a rock-solid connection.There aren’t any points round long-term reliability as properly, and I did not see any slowdowns within the three weeks I used the router. All issues stated, the WRX560 is among the quickest dual-band Wi-Fi 6 routers you should purchase for the time being.Synology WRX560: The competitors(Image credit score: Harish Jonnalagadda / Android Central)The RT6600ax makes use of a tri-band configuration and has higher protection, so if in case you have a bigger residence, it’s a more sensible choice. You additionally get double the quantity of RAM at 1GB, and whereas the design is not notably fashionable, the six omni-directional antennae do a superb job delivering whole-home protection. The RT6600ax additionally has 160MHz channels and works over Wi-Fi 6, and also you get a 2.5GbE port that can be utilized with both LAN or WAN.If you want a standard router, the ASUS RT-AX86U continues to be a dependable selection. The router additionally is available in at $249, and also you get whole-home protection, loads of ports, and a devoted sport mode that prioritizes bandwidth for video games. The software program is not as extensible and you do not get the identical set of options, however AiMesh means that you can use the RT-AX86U in a mesh configuration.Synology WRX560: Should you purchase it?(Image credit score: Harish Jonnalagadda / Android Central)You can buy this if:You need a mid-range Wi-Fi 6 router with stellar connectivityYou want intensive software program optionsYou need the most effective parental controls on this classYou want multi-gig Ethernet connectivityYou should not purchase this if:You want a router that works with Wi-Fi 6eYou’re on the lookout for Link Aggregation to make use of with a NASYou need a tri-band routerThe WRX560 nails the fundamentals, and you’re getting lots of worth to your cash right here. The sheer variety of software program options alone makes it a robust contender, and if you happen to’re on the lookout for strong parental controls and utilization entry, there is not a greater resolution for beneath $250. The design can be significantly better this time, and I like the trendy aesthetic — it does a great job mixing into the background.I had zero points on the connectivity entrance, with the WRX560 delivering a secure connection to all corners of my residence. The solely draw back on this space is that the router misses out on Wi-Fi 6e, and with Wi-Fi 7 on the horizon, you may want to think about what you want out of a router in 2023 and past. The WRX560 is a implausible selection for as we speak (and will likely be for a couple of years), and if the preliminary wave of Wi-fi 6 routers have been any indication, Wi-Fi 7 will carry a big premium at launch.So if you happen to simply want a dependable Wi-Fi 6 router with wonderful connectivity and software program options that may additionally double as a NAS server and work in a mesh configuration, the WRX560 is the most effective general possibility for beneath $250.

    The WRX560 is the most effective dual-band Wi-Fi 6 router you may get for beneath $250. It delivers stellar connectivity, has a sturdy software program feature-set, and has a contemporary design that appears nice. 

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