Linksys Velop AX4200 review
Our Verdict
Inexpensive and able to breast-stroke a large dwelling house in Wi-Fi, the Linksys Velop AX4200 mesh kit offers practiced throughput, a sophisticated optimization protocol and a three-twelvemonth warranty. Unfortunately, it lags behind the best Wi-Fi 6 devices and does without the customization options that some might demand.
For
- Inexpensive mesh kit
- Good throughput
- Dynamic tri-band operation
- USB port for hard drive
- Three-yr warranty
Against
- Minor amount of customization potential
- No security software
- Slow ready
Tom's Guide Verdict
Inexpensive and able to bathe a large home in Wi-Fi, the Linksys Velop AX4200 mesh kit offers good throughput, a sophisticated optimization protocol and a three-year warranty. Unfortunately, it lags behind the best Wi-Fi vi devices and does without the customization options that some might demand.
Pros
- +
Inexpensive mesh kit
- +
Good throughput
- +
Dynamic tri-band operation
- +
USB port for hard drive
- +
Three-year warranty
Cons
- -
Pocket-sized corporeality of customization potential
- -
No security software
- -
Slow prepare upwards
Linksys Velop AX4200: Specs
Wi-Fi Spec: AX4200
Number of Antennas/Removable: eight/No
Ports: Router – ane WAN/iii LAN, USB 3
Processor/Memory/Storage: Quad-core 1.4GHz/512MB/512MB
Wi-Fi chip: Qualcomm Networking Pro 800
Peak 802.11ax performance: 507.7Mbps (at 15 feet)
Range: 90 feet
Size: 9.6 x 4.5 x 4.5 inches
Estimated Annual Electricity Cost: $14.80 per unit or $44.40 for all three devices
A bargain that's cheap to continue, the Linksys Velop AX4200 brings together plenty range and throughput to fill up a large dwelling with Wi-Fi data while continuously balancing how the information travels from the host to its satellites and back over again. That was enough to get it named the best mesh router in our 2021 Tom'due south Guide Awards.
Its setup is piece of cake to accomplish although, different other recent mesh kits, the Velop AX4200 lacks any extra security software to protect the network and its connected devices from assail. Its three-year warranty leads the mesh world only the Velop AX4200 falls brusque on customization options but, if you take a big territory to comprehend, the Velop AX4200 delivers with bits and bucks to spare.
Linksys Velop AX4200 review: Pricing and availability
The Wi-Fi half-dozen follow-on to the Linksys Velop mesh systems, the Velop AX4200 is available either on its ain for $250 or in a 3-pack for $500.
- 1-pack (Model MX4200) - $199.99
- 2-pack (Model MX8000) - $299.99
- 3-pack (Model MX12600) - $449.99
This represents non merely a 33 percent discount to buying them one at a fourth dimension, but the parcel costs $100 less than the eero Pro 6 three-pack. It's roughly what a ii-unit Orbi RBK752 kit costs. In other words, the Velop AX4200 is i of the to the lowest degree expensive Wi-Fi six mesh kits around. Each Velop AX4200 unit of measurement tin can encompass ii,700 square feet and the three-piece kit can fill an eight,000 square foot residence, according to Linksys engineers.
Linksys Velop AX4200 review: Blueprint
The Linksys Velop AX4200 Tri-Band Mesh Wi-Fi System (MX12600) is equanimous of white rectangular towers, much like its predecessor, the Linksys Velop AC1300. The move to W-Fi six has meant that the devices have grown in all dimensions to four.five ten four.v x 9.6 inches. Still, they're smaller than the devices seen in our Netgear Orbi WiFi 6 (RBK852) review.
Able to sit on a table, desk or floor, the Velop AX4200 can even exist used equally a bookend on a shelf. It may lack recessed mounting holes but there are third-political party brackets available for attaching them to a wall.
The three Velop AX4200 devices that came in the kit are nonetheless and are configured as the host router or satellite during the installation procedure. They each have a single LED dot on top. When it's solid bluish, everything is online merely if information technology turns to yellow or blood-red, the Internet connection is weak or offline. The towers rely on passive cooling and never got above 100 degrees Fahrenheit.
Inside, each Velop AX4200 device has eight antennas only they can't exist aimed or replaced. Based on Qualcomm's Networking Pro 800 serial of Wi-Fi chips, the Velop AX4200 has a quad-core 1.4GHz processor forth with 512MB of RAM to run its operations. There's 512MB of flash storage for belongings its firmware and settings. The arrangement uses the latest Wi-Fi techniques for pushing information to the limit with MU-MIMO and beamforming but can't run broad 160MHz data channels.
The Velop AX4200 tri-ring blueprint has a ii.4GHz and ii 5GHz data delivery portals that apply a dynamic backhaul channel. Rather than Orbi's fixed 5GHz backhaul channel for moving information from the satellite to the host, the Velop AX4200's software optimizes the backhaul over its ii 5GHz channels. When needed it can speed communications from the satellite to the host, but when not needed, it can broaden the overall data catamenia.
The tri-band pattern tin can move information over 8 contained data channels. It can deliver 600Mbps available over its 2.4GHz ring too as one.2Gbps and ii.4Gbps over its two 5GHz bands. The unit carries an AX4200 rating.
Notched out of 1 of the tower'southward corners is its connection panel. In addition to a WAN input, there are three downstream networking ports. All run at i gigabit per 2d, and the Velop AX4200 lacks both a 2.5Gbps Multi-Gig input and the ability to aggregate two ports for college throughput.
The Velop AX4200 does have a USB 3 port for connecting a hard drive and making it bachelor over the network. This is something that the Netgear Orbi RBK752 and eero Pro 6 lack.
Underneath, the Velop AX4200 has a power switch and a recessed reset button to return the device to its manufactory settings and software. There'due south also a button to activate the Wi-Fi Protected Setup (WPS) arrangement for quickly adding a device to the network, something the eero Pro 6 lacks due to security concerns.
Linksys Velop AX4200 review: Performance
Overall, the Velop AX4200 did very well on our tests with a crowded network using Ixia's ixChariot'southward benchmark in my 100 year old three,500 square human foot home. With 10 data-hungry simulated clients and xv-anxiety separating the Velop AX4200 router and the test organisation, the network was able to move 507.7Mbps. That may be 40 percent off the pace set by the Netgear Orbi WiFi 6 (RBK852) router's 833.6Mbps, but it'south roughly equivalent to the 506.7Mbps that the Netgear Orbi RBK752 managed. The eero Pro 6 was back of the class at 436.1Mbps.
Subsequently I moved the examination system l-feet from the host router, the Velop AX4200'southward throughput dropped off to 201.3Mbps. That'due south better than either the Netgear Orbi RBK852 (124.4Mbps) or the Orbi RBK752 (100.3Mbps). Neither could impact the resurging eero Pro 6'south 239.9Mbps of bandwidth available for the test organisation at fifty-feet.
At 75-feet, the Velop AX4200's throughput barbarous to 139.6Mbps, still behind the eero Pro six's 208.9Mbps. The Orbi nonidentical twins – the Orbi RBK752 and RBK852 – trailed with 82.5Mbps and 85.9Mbps available. The Velop AX4200 hit its range limit at 90-feet, 15 feet short of the eero Pro 6'due south 105-foot range and ability to deliver 29.5Mbps at ninety-feet.
Raw range doesn't tell the whole story with the Velop AX4200 router punching a strong signal through walls and floors. With the receiving test system 25-feet from the router and on the other side of a wall, the Velop AX4200 delivered 525.7Mbps, well alee of the eero Pro vi (375.6Mbps) or the Netgear Orbi RBK752 (326.6Mbps). Simply the Netgear Orbi RBK852 did better at 782.9Mbps.
With the test system set upwards in a bedroom directly above the router, the throughput fell to 437.5Mbps, which is on a par with the eero Pro 6'southward 430.9Mbps; the RBK750 fell dorsum with 281.0Mbps of bandwidth available, while its larger cousin, the Orbi RBK752 blasted 670.1Mbps of data. When I set the Velop AX4200 satellite 50-anxiety from the router on the aforementioned floor and the test organization placed some other 40-feet abroad, it moved 161.1Mbps, leading the pack. The eero Pro six was closest at 142.3Mbps simply the Orbi RBK852 and Orbi RBK752 were well back at 87.7Mbps and 39.1Mbps, respectively.
Later, with the satellite set up a floor above the router and the test arrangement situated l-feet away, it registered a throughput level of 329.2Mbps. Only the RBK852 set did better at 405.5Mbps, while the RBK752 moved 209.4Mbps and the eero Pro 6 managed 189.3Mbps. With the 2nd Velop AX4200 satellite fix a floor below the router and the test system 40-feet away, it managed to move 276.5Mbps versus the eero Pro 6'due south 190.2Mbps.
In other words, it works equally well in a horizontally-oriented ranch dwelling every bit with a more vertically-oriented boondocks house. With all iii units in place, it filled my dwelling with Wi-Fi.
During a week of testing that included downloading files, getting and sending e-mail, playing games and watching videos, the Velop AX4200 performed reliably. I was able to view high-definition video on an iPad Pro tablet while a Macbook Air played an Internet radio station and a ThinkPad T470 was set upwards to play Spotify music. While all this was going on, an HP EliteBook Dragonfly notebook moved data onto and off a network-fastened RAID storage organization. During the test, there were no freezes, skips or artifacts.
While it'due south being used, the Velop AX4200 consumed 13 watts. If it's on 24/7 and you pay the national boilerplate of 13 cents per kilowatt hour of electricity, it should cost most $14.fourscore a yr to use each unit. All three together will run nigh $44, or well-nigh $15 more than the eero Pro 6's three-pack kit.
Linksys Velop AX4200 review: Setup
Setting upwards the Velop AX4200 mesh set starts with getting the Linksys app. At that place are versions available for iOS (iPhones and iPads) as well equally for Android tablets and phones. Unfortunately, there'south no way to employ a browser to connect the mesh kit. I used an iPad Pro to fix the test units in my abode.
I started by picking i of the kit's three devices to serve as the host router. Unlike Orbi'southward mesh sets, The Velop AX4200 units are the same and are configured as a host or satellite during installation routine.
Starting with everything unplugged, I followed the on-screen directions for setting the prepare and viewed several slides on properly placing the mesh host and satellites. I checked to brand sure the host'due south single LED was blinking royal, showing information technology was awake and was ready to get started.
The app scanned for the router and found it within a infinitesimal. Adjacent, it automatically continued the router and it was fourth dimension for me to sign up for a Linksys account.
Next up, the app wanted a proper noun and countersign for the new network. I finished this phase by naming its room.
It's set and the app shows a success screen. At the end, there'due south a screen that has "Peace of listen" at the top that has a checkbox in the lower left corner for sending usage data to Linksys; for the sake of security, I usually reject this opportunity.
All done, the app shows that the network is ready. It connected to an iPad on the first endeavor. Outset to finish, information technology took 12 minutes. Time to add together the satellites. I started by plugging in the node's AC adapter in a bedroom on a floor above the router. I waited for its LED to blink regal.
Back to the app, where I tapped that I wanted to setup a new product. After the app provides advice on placing the node, information technology institute the satellite.
The software then configures the node and router. I then named the room the satellite would reside in. I finished up by adding the third node in a downstairs bedchamber to cover the entire house.
The app finished up by showing that both nodes were active. Then information technology downloaded and installed a firmware update. Happily, the new Wi-Fi network still worked during this but automatically restarted when done. On the downside, it took viii minutes to add each node for a total setup time of 28 minutes, making the Velop AX4200 one of the slowest mesh kits to become started.
Linksys Velop AX4200 review: Configuration
I was able to employ the Linksys app or a connected browser to brand modifications to the router'southward settings. Based on the Linksys Smart Wi-Fi software, just type "linksyssmartwifi.com" into the address bar and then fix a new admin countersign. I had to blazon the recovery code that'south printed under the Velop AX4200 to make it work, though.
Once that's out of the fashion, the blue and white Smart Wi-Fi dashboard provides more configuration options than the Linksys app does. Information technology'south well organized with a listing of major categories on the left and a series of cards showing dissimilar options. Be ready to zoom the browser to 50 or 67 percent to become it all in, though.
In addition to seeing what devices are continued, information technology's easy to fix up the invitee network and parental controls. In a moment I was able to establish my computer as the top priority for data access by dragging it from the bottom to the peak of the Device Prioritization screen. On the downside, it limits the prioritization to three devices.
The interface has a Speed Check feature to mensurate your current broadband connection at the router. It takes a moment to bank check whether in that location'southward newer firmware to load, although the arrangement performs updates at night during depression-load situations.
On acme of troubleshooting and diagnostic sections, the Velop AX4200 has adequate security settings. In improver to setting up a DMZ and the built-in firewall, it'south a snap to set up port forwarding for a gaming auto. It, even so, lacks defensive malware protection that the likes of Asus and Netgear provide equally well as things like ultra-wide 160Mhz information channels and the power to tweak settings like the RTS threshold.
Linksys provides a 3-year warranty that includes full support and service. That'southward much improve than Netgear's year-long warranty coverage and 90-days of free client support. The visitor'southward support site has it all, from information about the product and help setting everything upwardly to fixing Wi-Fi connection bug and adding new devices. To equal the Linksys's coverage, an Orbi RBK752 customer would need to lay out more than $100 extra.
Linksys Velop AX4200 review: Verdict
Rather than a sprinter, the Linksys Velop AX4200 is a mesh marathoner that may not offer the fastest service simply can set up up a wide-ranging Wi-Fi network in a big firm. Information technology's among the cheapest Wi-Fi 6 mesh kits available yet includes two nodes for covering a lot of territory while its dynamic tri-band blueprint means that rather than dedicating a full band to the data flow from the satellites to the host, information technology is apportioned on a 2nd-by-2d basis for maximum efficiency. A big bonus is the USB port for turning a difficult drive or memory primal into networked storage.
Information technology may take a class-leading three-year warranty but the Velop AX4200 has one of the longest set up procedures for a three-slice mesh kit; plan on setting aside half an hour to build the network. It does without extra security software to keep the network and its devices clean and lacks high-terminate customization options but excels at automated performance.
All in all, the three-pack Linksys Velop AX4200 is one of the all-time bargains in mesh networking at the moment. It may non be a speed demon only the Velop AX4200 three-pack brings reliable Wi-Fi 6 networking to large homes at the price of an Orbi ii-pack or $100 less than 3 eero Pro half-dozen devices. That adds up to a winner for cheapskates similar me.
Source: https://www.tomsguide.com/reviews/linksys-velop-ax4200
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