Introduction, external
Those who are old enough still remember the days when network devices were only of interest to network professionals. The more, the faster ports, compatibility with the latest network standards, error-free, frequently updated firmware were the most important aspects. Then, with the spread of home LAN and WLAN, the design, the easy, often telephone-based, wizard-based setup, the simplified user interface, and, of course, the “gamer” functions, among which we also find more useful services than the mandatory ARGB LEDs, such as such as an intelligent QoS engine.
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MSI, which is not exactly known for its network devices (and they didn’t start the industry today), entered the world of gamer network devices last year with the RadiX product line, the pinnacle of which at the moment is represented by the HUF 140,000 AXE6600 Wi-Fi 6E compatible router. In addition to the router, our test was aided by an MSI AXE5400 USB adapter, which can bring the benefits of Wi-Fi 6E to desktops and notebooks.
External
As you would expect from a gamer router that gives something of its own, the RadiX AXE6600 does not try to stay in the background, but instead asks us to put it on the table or shelf and let it contribute to the “computer cave” atmosphere of the room. The main element of this is the ARGB lighting integrated into the six fixed connection antennas and the logo on the cover, which can of course be harmonized with the other components of our computer through the MSI center.
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The design cannot be called boring, the hardware is enclosed in a curved surface with various edges, but is basically flat, with different, semi-hidden vents providing fresh air to the internal elements. The dimensions of the device are 338 x 224 x 198 mm, so it is relatively wide, which should be taken into account when looking for a place for it, and the box itself is in vain if the antennas are up on all sides, demanding additional centimeters for themselves. The casing itself is dark gray and black plastic, on the rear tract in a row with the control panel consisting of three buttons and the indicator LEDs. By the way, with the help of the three buttons, you can access basic functions such as turning off the indicator LEDs themselves, turning Wi-Fi off and on, and WPS.
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At the bottom of the device, there are additional ventilation openings and keyholes that enable vertical installation, together with the mandatory product data sheet, which contains the default username/password pair, as well as the QR code that facilitates mobile phone setup. Connectors are only on the back, next to the power outlet, there is a USB 3.2 Gen 1 port and 5 RJ45 interfaces. Two of the latter have a combined WAN/LAN function, and one of them has a 2.5GbE speed – the others all provide the standard 1 Gbps bandwidth.
Hardware
MSI doesn’t reveal much about the built-in hardware, but some information can be found. The system chip is certainly the Qualcomm IPQ6018, with four cores and a clock speed of 1.8 GHz – this is complemented by 256 MB of flash memory and 512 MB of DDR4 RAM. In addition to the IPQ6018, the QCN9074 or 9024 Wi-Fi 6E adapter and the QCA8075 Ethernet adapter will probably serve.
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