Arris has been in the home networking business for a long time, building modems and gateways for cable internet users. Arris is giving users the chance to upgrade their home wi-fi to 6 GHz with the Surfboard wi-fi 6e network upgrade kit. Users won't need to buy a new routers if they get their equipment from their internet service provider. You can use this kit to create a new access point for your existing wireless network.
There's no need to change the wi-fi information on your older devices if you use your old routers. It's possible to get higher speeds on your new devices and reduce traffic in your home with the use of 5 GHz in your home. If you are going to pay a lot of money for this upgrade, you will want to make sure you have a real need for it.
This kit from Arris may be what you have been waiting for if you need 6 GHz wi-fi in a hurry.
The Arris Surfboard wi-fi 6e Network upgrade kit W6U is priced in the U.S. and can be purchased online. There is an access point, a power transformer, and a cable. Most of the packaging can be put into the recycling bin if it is packed in a cardboard box.
RECOMMENDED VIDEOS FOR YOU...
There are today's best Arris Surfboard wi-fi 6e network upgrade adapter W6U deals.
There are a few things you need to know about the 6 GHz spectrum and the W6U. The simple physics of the situation means that lower frequencies like 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz won't have as much penetration as the 6 GHz spectrum. The second issue is that, for the time being, the power level of the wireless network must be less than most other networks. In a vacuum, 5 GHz wi-fi will cover more areas than 6E.
With all of that out of the way, there are a lot of specific advantages that can improve the performance of your wireless network. 6 GHz wi-fi has more capacity than 2.4 GHz and even 5 GHz connections, allowing it to keep up strong speeds.
The Surfboard W6U is a simple device that takes a wired input from your gateway and creates a wi- fi 6e access point. The W6U only works with wi-fi 6e, so any device that uses wi-fi 6 or older won't be able to connect to it. The devices worked the same as if they were connected to the main internet connection.
The W6U can be set up using the SURFboard Central app on both mobile phones and computers. You will follow a few simple steps after this to complete the setup and assign the password to the W6U. You will be able to use the web browser on your phone to make changes to the SSID. It worked well and gave me a lot of settings to use.
It is possible to control and personalize the W6U from a computer even if your computer doesn't have wi-fi 6e. You will be able to connect if you are connected to the same primary routers.
The first image of two.
To connect it up, you need to use the included cable to connect to the internet. The W6U can support up to a 2.5Gbps connection with no issues. The wired connection guarantees that you won't reach the full speed even if you use the wireless connection. 2.5 Gbps is very fast. If you have the W6U, you won't be able to use power over the internet if you don't have a power transformer.
The connection was reliable and my device was able to stay connected even if it wasn't in range. The coverage of the W6U is very similar to the other ones. In most places, I was able to get almost the entire speed of my internet connection, with the exception of two locations. The location is a challenge and the speed drops were within my expectations.
I tested the Arris Surfboard wi-fi 6e network upgrade kit w6u on my Cox internet connection and it had a maximum download speed of 940mbps and an upload speed of 35mbps. The Surfboard is connected to the 2.5Gbps Ethernet port on the ROG Rapture GT-AX6000.
| Living Room | TV Room | Bathroom | |
| Test 1 | 932Mbps/36.8Mbps | 893Mbps/37.1Mbps | 418Mbps/37.0Mbps |
| Test 2 | 941Mbps/37.3Mbps | 900Mbps/37.0Mbps | 557Mbps/37.9Mbps |
The W6U worked as expected and the speeds were great. The Surfboard W6U is a good option if you don't want a whole new routers.
Arris has a strong package but there are a few things that I would like to see improved. You need to create another account to use the app. My home network with the W6U feels too complicated for its own good since I have an account for my internet service provider.
There is work to be done on the advanced settings page. The connection to the W6U is not private when you connect to it from a modern browser like the one you are using. Many people won't and shouldn't feel comfortable using this security warning to access the page. It's a certificate error, so I can guess why Arris hasn't made it a priority to address, but I think a lot of people will abandon attempts to access their software due to this warning.
The W6U looks bad. There is a gray box with a few details molded into it. I don't think it will be a piece of modern art, but it looks cheaper than something like that. If you've got your networking equipment hidden away, it's not a problem, but if you have the W6U plugged into an ROG Rapture GT-AX6000 like I do, it's a different story.
If I'm spending time complaining about the looks, that's a good sign.
The Arris W6U does a lot of the jobs of a compact mesh system, and if you run a mesh in access point mode, the functions are the same. If you want to expand your network, improve speeds, and avoid running wires, you should look into the best mesh systems. If you were looking at the Arris as a cheap upgrade to an older routers, the extra money towards a true wi-fi 6e would be a better investment.
One of the first devices to come to mind is the Deco XE75. One can buy the XE75 as a single unit. While it is more expensive than the Arris and technically slower, it has more than enough speed for a gigabit internet connection and is in the 5 GHz band. The upgrade will make sense for someone who uses an older routers. It's possible to build it out as a mesh, which will give you better coverage in more rooms.
I found the kit to be compact and attractive in my review of it. If you have an ASUS routers, AiMesh can act as a wi-fi 6e addition. It can also be run on a wireless network. For many people, a more complete networking solution will be worth the additional cost. You can use a mesh like this with your internet service provider.
If it's something you should buy it.
If you shouldn't.
I like the Arris Surfboard wi-fi 6e network kit upgrade because it makes sense for those with a powerful wi-fi 6 routers and a lot of wireless congestion. For the money, you are 75% of the way to paying for an entire wi-fi 6e router.
If you move out of optimal range for the Arris, you will need to switch to your other wi-fi on your own. The ROG Rapture GT-AXE11000 or eero Pro 6E could be a good choice if you want a better experience.
The Arris worked well over the course of my testing. There is no denying that this add-on works exactly as it was designed to. The Surfboard wi-fi 6e network upgrade kit is perfect for people who want to use wi-fi 6e without investing in a new routers.
All Rights Reserved © 2024
