REVIEW: Mercusys MR60X Router, an excellent entry to Wi-Fi 6

The evolution of Wi-Fi networks has been enormous in recent years. With Wi-Fi 5 we had a huge improvement in speed, but we lost a little in terms of range. With this, we arrive at Wi-Fi 6, technology that improves everything good that the previous one had brought. More range, more speed and more stability.

O Mercursys MR60X It's a relatively simple router and that's why it's interesting, after all, you won't need to pay a fortune to have access to Wi-Fi with the latest standard on the market in your home. But be careful: migrating to Wi-Fi 6 is only worth it if your devices are compatible, but the good news is that the number of devices launched now in 2023 with the technology is growing. Do you want to know everything about this router? Check out our full review now!

Design

We are currently undergoing a migration from conventionally designed routers to others that easily pass for furniture or home decor. Examples of this type of router are the Google Nest Wi-Fi ou TP Link Deco X60. On the other hand, you might have a router like Mercusys MR60X, which has a conventional design, made of plastic and has four antennas.

It's not very big, perfect for placing anywhere. At the top, there is just a small light – which turns green or red – and very beautiful L-shaped details, mixing matte and glossy black.

The antennas are very flexible and, even when placed all the way up, they don't get in the way. Of course, if the objective is to place it in a super tight space, it will look bad. In any other situation, it is a super easy device to install and fit anywhere.

On the back are 3 network ports. The first is WAN, that is, it is where you will connect your operator's modem. The other two are LAN and are used to connect other devices to the router, such as your video game console or another router, if you want to create a wired Mesh network. All these doors have technology Gigabit to guarantee speeds greater than 100 Mbps. A reset button and power connector are also here on the back.

in the box of Mercusys MR60X There is the router, the Brazilian standard power cable and a not very long network cable. If you need to install the device in a location far from your modem, be warned that you will need to invest in a larger cable, in addition to adapting your house to run the cable through it.

Configuration and interface

If there's something I really like about anything, it's having the choice to do it how I prefer. That said, you can install the Mercusys MR60X either in the conventional way — through the configurator's web interface — or you can download the official Mercusys app, which is available for both Android how much for iOS / iPadOS. 

The first thing you should do is connect the router to your modem, preferably with both turned off. After connecting the network cable to the WAN port of your new router, plug both in and wait. When everything is turned on, wait for the light to turn green. If this happens, we can finally go to the app.

With the app installed, create your account as is customary with every new app. Then tap Let's start and choose Router. Once this is done, the app will take you step by step to connect to the network and also configure your preferences, such as passwords, security and type of network.

The app's home screen when you have already configured the router is divided into two tabs. The first is called Dashboard and it allows you to check which devices are connected to the router. In the second tab, named More, you can check the rest of the settings. 

It is in this second tab that you can change the wireless network password, add devices to the blacklist, or the option to Parental Controls so that the children in the house do not have access to the sites you define. 

It is very easy to use software and makes it very easy to use. However, if you are looking to use more advanced settings, I suggest accessing everything directly from a PC. There, you will have access to everything and, especially if you have knowledge of networks, you will be able to enjoy all types of resources that a router has to offer.

Mercusys MR60X Performance

O Mercusys MR60X It stands out for being a simpler category device, but it already brings great technologies. In addition to the aforementioned Wi-Fi 6, it is compatible with the Easy Mesh. With this technology, if you buy one or two more units of this router, you will be able to create a Mesh network in your home, that is, a single network to cover your entire home.

Thanks to Wi-Fi 6, the maximum speed this router can reach is 1,5 Gbps — or 1500 Mbps, with 1201 Mbps for 5Ghz and 300Mbps for 2.4Ghz. To handle multiple connected devices, it also features the OFDMA (orthogonal frequency division multiple access) and the MU-MIMO (Multiple inputs, multiple outputs for multiple users). Translating, these two technologies mean that the router can deliver great performance to multiple devices simultaneously.

Moving on to my use, I must say that I was very satisfied with the result. You can choose in the settings whether you want to have an exclusive network for the 5Ghz band or if you prefer just one and with this information, devices can decide which is best depending on their distance from the router. I tested it using the second way and was very surprised.

The 5Ghz signal has a great range and is the one with which I achieved the highest speeds on the router. Here I have a contracted broadband of 250 Mbps. In speed tests, in some cases I managed 300 Mbps. On the other hand, the 2.4Ghz signal appears to be something that is likely to become obsolete in the coming years. I noticed that my cell phone only picked up this band's signal in more distant situations or where there were more walls. The result is not impressive and did not exceed 15 Mbps. Despite this, it is very satisfactory for navigating situations with low data demand, such as social networks, for example.

As I only have one unit of the device for testing, I cannot say how efficient its Mesh function would be. Regardless, the distance the Mercusys AR60X achieves with just one unit is impressive and I wonder how efficient it can be with 3. The entire house can finally have 5 Ghz in its entirety and that's without you having to spend all your money. Check out some router speed results:

Completion and availability

the router Mercusys AR60X It's a great surprise to the world of routers. Even with an affordable price, it manages to bring a good updated experience, with Wi-Fi 6 and other technologies that guarantee a strong signal and stability even in larger spaces.

Because I only received a test unit, I was unable to put its mode to the test. Mesh, but I think it's worth mentioning that it exists here and if you buy more than one, use this resource. Furthermore, it is a device that fits well into spaces and even though it doesn't follow the design pattern of recent routers, trying to simulate a home decoration, you can still leave it around in peace.

If you're in the market for a new router, this is one of the best value for money I've seen in recent times. The range is very large and maintains good connection quality even in a house with a very large hallway and many walls in the way.

O Mercusys MR60X arrived in Brazil in June this year and is now available for purchase. Its initial price was R$299,00, but it can now be found for R$ 219,90 on Amazon in up to 4 installments.

Technical specifications

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reviewed by Glaucon Vital in 26 / 9 / 23.