Linksys Velop AX Tri-Band Mesh WiFi System (MX5300)

Intro - Setting up this device was a very straight forward. Turn it on, download an app, follow the guide and you're online. Obviously being a WiFi 6 (AX) device there is plenty to talk about when it comes to it's coverage and speed. To give a quick caveat, I'm sure this device could achieve much faster speeds with purely WiFi 6 clients. There are not many available so these tests were performed in a mixed environment. From a Apple Watch Series 3 (2.4Ghz WiFi 4 N standard) to an iPhone 11 (5Ghz WiFi 6 AX standard) and a couple of AC WiFi 5 standard laptops.Testing - when my iPhone 11 is in the same room as the Velop router it gets 705Mbps, a Lenovo laptop with an AC wifi adapter I get 866Mbps. Further away on the ground floor my iPhone gets 300-400Mbps on average, the laptop gets 400-700Mbps. The WiFi signal barely manages to go beyond our outer house walls. I am certain this is because our house is made of traditional stone on the outside and pretty solid masonry on the ground floor between rooms. Explains the above speed drop off for the iPhone. So I'll likely need a second device in/or near our conservatory to get garden WiFi. As a baseline reference; with an older Asus RT68U AC router this is significantly better coverage for a single router. Overall I am very impressed.Device Management - is a different kettle of fish. You can use a web browser and login to it. However, it's very keen you use the Linksys App instead. The app does it's job well. It's geared towards novice users who just want to set it up. Speaking of which the app device setup flow was a piece of cake. Very simple UI with minor user input, it's impressive how things have changed.The apps main purpose seems to be more about current status and info, than making any significant change to its operation. It does lack information on device connectivity speed (I had to use a separate app for testing mobile to router connection speeds). It is also missing control which of the tri-bands have specific WiFi traffic on. For instance I'd like my iPhone on one 5Ghz band at WiFi 6 speeds, the other 5Ghz band in mixed mode for WiFi 4 + 5 speeds. 2.4Ghz for any device that needs to defer to it for better range. This is technically managed by the routers own algorithms as is the channel selection for each to be broadcast. I appreciate that is a selling point of this device - self management be it a mesh setup or a single node. I just like to make my own technical decisions. Ultimately for the price of the device it does give you a very technically sophisticated device that operates very effectively. For said price, I'd have expected an expert mode, allowing me to change what I want though.Summary - I think the product itself is excellent and does exactly what I needed it to do; make sure all our devices get WiFi and the router has plenty of resources in reserve to manage all the traffic we throw at it. I did originally have the Velop WHW0303 3 pack (WiFi 5 AC Tri-band version) but wanted more wired ports for our Hive, office desktop computer etc. WiFi 6 also future proofed us and because it's physically bigger allows for more antennas for each one of the three WiFi bands. I'd like to see Apple Homekit support as the cheaper WHW0303 has it advertised as 'Coming Soon'. So I'd hope that extends to their top product too. Also expose more control in the app for the routers features.

WHW0303 Whole HomeStarted off by watching a couple of YouTube videos re the set-up of the Velop system; download the Linksys App, IoS in my case, connect the first node to your modem or router, power on follow the app instructions, set-up the other 2 nodes in the same app session, in the same room then relocate them around the home as required. Worked pretty much flawlessly (app did hang when finalizing node 2, had seen this mentioned online so closed the app, restarted app and it carried on from where it left off). Point to note, be fairly patient it does take a couple of minutes for the setup to cI used WiFi Sweetspots app to measure the device to node WiFi speed; most other apps I have tried check the broadband speed so this app was very useful. Quick note I have both IoS and Android phones; on the Android app the WiFi signal strength in dBm is displayed, not on the IoS version.My setup has Node 1 as router into BT fibre modem, node 2 hardwired via ethernet via a couple of switches Node 3 pure wireless. I now have excellent coverage over a 2 storey house; Node 1 centrally upstairs 2 nodes downstairs. In the same room as a node I now get about 480Mbps, to lowest of about 180Mbps furthest from any node. A great improvement over my previous 2.4GHz only AP. Nodes are proving to be very reliable / stable after a couple of months use.Linksys app is very good allowing you to see what is connected, rename devices so you can readily see what is connected. You can choose 3 devices to have priority; I have chosen my BT small cell, Google hub and an iPad. Also have 13+ Meross plugs and switches attached (2.4GHz only) swapped straight over no issues (I called my new network the same as the previous BT hub, and same password). Have subsequently added more and connected straight away no issues. I also used the Linksys wall mounts, a bit pricey but work well and match the units.On the back of this experience I purchased another for my son; 3 story house, Sky router and Q on the ground floor, seemless setup (1 room at the same time) then distributed 1 per floor; top floor went from 2Gbps, 20s responses to internet queries to 450Gbps, instant responses. Top floor node also connected to network switch and PCs, printer, laptops etc. Turned the Sky WiFi off, but kept the sky router as DHCP controller (easily sorted during app set-up). Works a treat.Recommended; easy setup; ethernet or bridge WiFi; 5Ghz backbone; stable; excellent throughput; good app.