Xiaomi Redmi AX5 is a new Wi-Fi 6 router of which we present today in his review, a model that comes to replace the previous Xiaomi My Wi-Fi 3G that we saw a few months ago in a review. A router that integrates two signal amplifiers that can improve coverage by up to 50%, supports the connection of up to 128 devices at a time, WPA3, IPv6 network management and is compatible with Wi-Fi Mesh. We also have the powerful Qualcomm IPQ6000 SoC manufactured in 14 nm with 4 ARM Cortex-A53 processors and a dedicated NPU. Undoubtedly a very interesting router for the price that as we will see is a worthy successor to the previous model, read on to share our experience.
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Xiaomi Redmi AX5 Specs
Unboxing
Xiaomi My Wi-Fi 3 comes in a fairly large white cardboard box where the Router is housed at the top along with the manual and power adapter. As we can see, the antennas are already mounted and fixed to the router.
Description
Xiaomi Redmi AX5 has a fairly sober design, is completely made of white plastic with numerous ventilation slots and at the top we have two status LEDs. Without a doubt, the most outstanding feature of this model are the 4 good-sized swivel antennas it has at the back and on the sides. If we look at its base we find more vents that help to keep temperatures controlled in the long term.
In the box, we also find the name of the Wi-Fi networks that are created by default, an important piece of information for connecting to it for the first time. On the back we have three Gigabit network connectors, the Gigabit WAN port, power connector and a small hole from where we will access the reset button in case we have to leave it with the factory settings.
ROUTER MANAGEMENT
Configuration and settings in Android
To configure the Xiaomi Redmi AX5 router for the first time by scanning the QR code we are given access to MiWi-Fi apps for Android and also for iOS. From these apps, we can control and configure the Router from a Smartphone or tablet.
- Connect to the router’s Wi-Fi network (see data below)
- Login to the router from Android or iOS app.
- Set up a new router or blue button.
- Change the user region to China (this router is not yet in the West)
- Define a password to access the router and Wi-Fi networks.
- Can now connect to the new Wi-Fi network.
Once we have access to the default router it creates its own network in its own IP range, this allows us to make extra options for that network. If we only want to make an extension of our network we will have to change the configuration with a few simple passes, so all the devices connected to the router will be in the same domestic network.
- Toolbox > Settings > Wi-Fi settings
– Change Wi-Fi names and passwords (Wi-Fi channels only available from browser, see next section)
– Dual-band Wi-Fi: unifies in the same Wi-Fi network 2.4GHz and 5GHz selecting the best one automatically.
– Wi-Fi 5 compatibility: if we have connectivity problems.
– MU-MIMO: improves Wi-Fi distribution. - Toolbox > Settings > Network Settings
– Wireless Repeater: using it as a Wi-Fi extender from another router (recommended).
– Wired Repeater: to extend a Wi-Fi network by having it connected to another router through the WAN port (recommended).
– Static IP Internet: fixed IP connection for private networks.
– Broadband Internet access: only for telephone services compatible with this router.
Settings from browser
Once we are connected to the Xiaomi Redmi AX5 we can manage it from a web browser or from a PC if we have activated the network extension mode mentioned before. From the MiWiFi.com address or using the IP of the Xiaomi router (we can see it in the app Settings > Internet Mode) in any PC browser using the access password we have configured, we can configure the router. From the app is quite comfortable because we have everything in English while on PC we have to use the translator on the web browser. From this system we have many more settings, and we can change some important points for our domestic network.
In the case of Wi-Fi 5GHz we have encountered a small problem, since we have to manually select the 5GHz channel so that we can see this network from several of our devices, if we leave it on automatic we will not see the 5G network when we scan our networks.
- The most compatible 5GHz channels are 36, 40, 44 and 48.
In the case of NOT having activated the network extension mode we have many more advanced options we find services such as those that can be found in high-end devices, we have QoS band management, DHCP, DDNS, port manager, VPN and Mesh node manager among others. The router has support for updates via OTA that we will find within their menus and are installed without major problems downloading automatically.
PERFORMANCE TEST
Speed Test
Using the Wi-Fi of the Xiaomi Redmi AX5 we get positive results for the product range we are evaluating. In all the devices that we have we reach a good connection speed, the link node in the Wi-Fi devices is set to the maximum speed that they allow. From a distance of 4 meters we have positive results although not very different from the Xiaomi Mi Wi-Fi 3G using a Xiaomi Mi 9T, where we have a lot of difference is when we move away or introduce walls between us and the router, the speed is maintained much better in the Redmi AX5.
- LAN: we do direct transfer between two PCs connected to the Ethernet ports.
- Wi-Fi: we carry out a test with 100 threads in parallel that gives us an idea of its performance with P2P programs such as Torrent.
Coverage Test of the Xiaomi Redmi AX5
We tested the coverage of the Xiaomi Redmi AX5 by activating Wi-Fi in both the 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands, the range result is excellent and here it did look like a very big improvement over the previous Xiaomi Mi Wi-Fi 3G. Even at the farthest point from our house the data transmission is maximum, and we have little loss, the power of the antennas and the amplifiers that this router mounts do a very good job in this aspect.
CONCLUSIONS AND PURCHASE LINK
Opinion about the Xiaomi Redmi AX5
As we have seen in our review, the Xiaomi Redmi AX5 router is a very interesting device for its price. With this router, we can extend our domestic network or improve the Wi-Fi of the router that the company that provides us with internet service installations in a very simple way. Thanks to the MiWifi app the start-up is quick and easy, we can manage from the app the basic functions and from a browser the advanced options.
The Xiaomi Redmi AX5 router is also a bet on the future, thanks to the inclusion of Wi-Fi 6 connectivity and all its connection options we have a significant improvement in the management of home networks. Without a doubt the strengths of this router are its excellent coverage, the power of the Qualcomm IPQ6000 SoC, the four amplifiers installed and the four antennas that give very good performance.
There is no doubt that the Xiaomi Redmi AX5 router is a very good investment for the future and a significant improvement over any router installed by telecommunications operators.
Where to buy the Xiaomi Redmi AX5
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