Julio Urquidi
News Editor
Not many details were given, but here are the 5G devices:
- Linksys 5G Mobile Hotspot – Aside from 5G, the new Mobile Hotspot serves up Wi-Fi 6 for wireless connections. Also, it has a USB port for fast charging.
- Linksys 5G Modem - No details.
- Linksys Velop 5G Mesh Gateway – Combines 5G, Linksys Intelligent Mesh and Wi-Fi 6, all in one gateway.
- Linksys 5G Outdoor Router – Uses mmWave 5G and has a single 10 Gbps physical connection.
- Dual-Band Mesh WiFi 6 Router (MR9600) – The four-stream MR9600 is the first Linksys non-Velop Wi-Fi 6 router introduced since FIT acquired Belkin. It has maximum wireless rates of 4801 Mbps in 5 GHz with 160 MHz channel bandwidth and 1147 Mbps in 2.4 GHz with a 40 MHz channel. It supports Linksys Intelligent Mesh and works with Velop nodes or Velop mesh routers for network expansion.
- Velop WiFi 6 System (AX4200) – This is a less expensive alternative to the Velop MX5/MX10 Wi-Fi systems introduced last year. The tri-band AX4200 is said to provide 4200 sq. ft. coverage and support total maximum wireless rates up to 4200 Mbps.
The product is listed as supporting eight-streams. But with the lower total link rate, we're guessing the four-stream 5 GHz backhaul radio tops out at 2402 Mbps (80 MHz channel) and the dual-band client-connect radio top link rates are 547 (2,4 GHz, 40 MHz channel) and 1201 Mbps (5 GHz, 80 MHz channel). Other features include Intelligent Mesh and Bluetooth.
Linksys’ Wi-Fi 6 routers will be available starting in Spring 2020, starting with the Dual-Band Mesh WiFi 6 Router (MR9600) - $399.99, and followed by the Velop WiFi 6 System (AX4200) in Summer 2020.