With the increase in streaming, online gaming, and working from home, a reliable Wi-Fi network has become essential for every household. Fortunately, technology has evolved to help solve this issue. One such solution is the Linksys Atlas 6 mesh Wi-Fi network system. Linksys was the innovator of the original Velop, which debuted in early 2017. The Atlas 6 looks similar to the Velop, but it now features the latest Wi-Fi 6 hardware, designed to handle the increasing number of wireless devices in modern homes. This technology helps to mitigate wireless congestion and allows for more efficient bandwidth sharing, so you can stream, work, or play games without interruption.
WiFi Bands: Dual-Band
WiFi Speed: AX3000 (up to 3.0 Gbps)
WiFi Technology: WiFi 6 (802.11ax)
Coverage: 1,500 – 3,000 sqft
Connected Devices: 25 – 50
Security Features: WPA2-Personal, WPA3-Personal, WPA3/WPA2 Mixed Encryption, SPI Firewall DoS Protection, Automatic Security Updates
The Linksys Atlas 6 is a perfect solution for modern Singapore homes, HDBs, or condos. Its advanced mesh Wi-Fi network system is designed to provide better and faster coverage throughout your home, ensuring that everyone in the family can enjoy a smooth streaming experience, whether in the living room or bedroom. Unfortunately, Singapore is known for its dense population and high-rise buildings, often leading to spotty Wi-Fi coverage. The Atlas 6 helps to alleviate this issue by providing multiple nodes that can be placed throughout the home, ensuring that everyone can enjoy a solid and reliable Wi-Fi connection.
Sleek build featuring a mini-tower design
In terms of design and build, the Linksys Atlas 6 has a sleek and unobtrusive look, making it easy to integrate into any home. The router units feature a white mini-tower design, standing 185mm tall, with a squared-off top bulge outwards at the base to a maximum width and depth of 86mm. In addition, the units have a heavy base with rubberized feet, making them stable and difficult to knock over. This means you can place them on any shelf, table, or desk without worrying about them being knocked over, which is ideal for homes with children or pets.
The top of each unit features circular vents for heat to escape, and a status LED that tells you if the node has internet connectivity and decent signal strength (blue), if the internet connection is down (red), or if there's a weak connection (yellow and orange). This allows you to quickly check if there are any issues with the connection and troubleshoot accordingly.
The back panel of each router unit houses three antennas (2 internal, dual-band, 1 Bluetooth) for good transmission of the Wi-Fi signal, as well as four Gigabit Ethernet ports. The Ethernet ports are labeled, so it's easy to know which port to use for connecting the primary node to your modem or other wired devices. This makes it easy to set up and manage the network, even for those who are not tech-savvy.
Setting up easily with mobile app
The setup and configuration of the Linksys Atlas 6 are straightforward to accomplish with the help of the accompanying mobile app. The initial setup must be performed via the Linksys App, which is available for iOS and Android devices. The app is designed to make setup as simple as possible, and it detects and configures the Atlas 6 with minimal input required from the user.
The mobile app is also used to manage and monitor the network after setup. The app guides you through the setup process, from connecting the main router to your modem to pairing and connecting the additional nodes.
To begin the setup, you'll need to connect the main router to your modem or router using the Internet port. Once the main router is connected, you can power on the other nodes. The app will automatically detect the nodes and prompt you to connect them to the network. You can place the nodes in different areas of your home to ensure maximum coverage.
The app will then guide you through naming the nodes and placing them in the desired location in your home. Once the nodes are connected, and in their designated locations, the app will perform a quick test to ensure optimal connectivity.
Once the setup is complete, the nodes will work together to create a mesh network, providing seamless and fast Wi-Fi coverage throughout your home. In addition, you can easily manage and monitor your network using the mobile app, which allows you to check connected clients, enable or disable the guest network, and access basic parental control settings.
Good performance with the latest Wi-Fi 6, supporting up to 25+ devices
The Linksys Atlas 6 is a high-performance mesh network system built to provide fast and reliable Wi-Fi coverage throughout your home. In terms of performance, the Atlas 6 is designed to handle multiple devices, supporting up to 25+ devices and high-bandwidth activities such as streaming high-definition video and gaming. It is built on the new Qualcomm Immersive Home 214 platform chipset and supports the latest Wi-Fi 6 standard, providing up to 3.0 Gbps (AX3000). With this fast speed, you can expect smooth streaming and downloading seamless online gaming, and video conferencing. It also has a dual-band radio system that supports 574Mbps on the 2.4GHz band and 2402Mbps on the 5GHz band, allowing more devices to connect to the network without reducing the speed. It also supports 160MHz channels on the 5GHz band, which enables faster data transfer and better support for high-bandwidth activities such as streaming and gaming.
Additionally, the Atlas 6 is equipped with OFDMA and WPA3 security features, which help optimize network performance and ensure that your connection is fast, stable, and secure.
Regarding streaming, the Atlas 6 delivers a smooth and stable experience. Streaming 4K video on Netflix or other streaming platforms is seamless, with little to no buffering or lag. This means you can enjoy your favorite movies or TV shows without interruptions. The Atlas 6 is an excellent choice for gamers as it provides low latency and high-speed connectivity. The device supports the latest gaming technologies, such as Wi-Fi 6, and can handle multiple devices connected to the network. In terms of gaming, the device provides a responsive gaming experience even when playing the latest games on the PS5 or Xbox Series X.
In terms of range and coverage, The Atlas 6 uses multiple nodes that work together to create a mesh network, offering coverage of up to 186 sqm (2,000 sqft) per node, providing seamless and fast Wi-Fi coverage throughout your home. In addition, the nodes communicate to ensure the signal is solid and consistent, even in large homes or multi-level buildings.
The verdict: Linksys Atlas 6
The Linksys Atlas 6 is a high-performance mesh network system that offers an outstanding design, features, and price-point balance. The sleek and compact design makes it easy to place it in any room of your home, and it's built with high-quality materials that make it durable and long-lasting. In terms of features, the Atlas 6 is equipped with the latest Wi-Fi 6 technology, providing speeds of up to 3.0Gbps (AX3000), supports up to 25+ devices, and advanced features such as WPA3 security, and support for 160MHz channels. In addition, it offers coverage of up to 2,000 sq. ft., and its mobile app makes it easy to manage and monitor your network. In terms of performance, the Atlas 6 delivers a smooth and stable experience providing fast and reliable internet speeds for streaming, gaming, and other high-bandwidth activities. As a result, it is an excellent choice for households with multiple devices and those who want fast and reliable Wi-Fi coverage throughout their home.
