Zyxel USG Lite 60AX WiFi 6 Security Router Review – MBReviews Leave a comment

If the identify didn’t give it away, this can be a lighter model of the USG line which has been the spine of the Nebula-powered networks for years. And by mild, I don’t imply that it weighs much less, though it does for the reason that router is now fabricated from plastic as a substitute of metallic, however about Zyxel’s try at simplifying issues for the SMBs and energy customers.

The USG Lite 60AX continues to make use of the Nebula Cloud platform and, identical to the SCR 50AXE, there isn’t any native administration platform which I discovered a bit curious. Which means this router is smart when used alongside a number of entry factors and switches, in any other case, the Nebula platform is unquestionably overkill.

On the similar time, I observed the similarities between it and the ASUS TUF-AX4200, so there’s a likelihood that you would be able to set up OpenWRT in case Zyxel decides to not assist this system anymore. The USG Lite 60AX does have a few 2.5GbE ports, a transparent enchancment over the WiFi 6E SCR 50AXE, however no, there isn’t any assist for the 6GHz radio. Does it matter? I don’t suppose it’s a deal breaker particularly contemplating the present state of 6GHz adoption which isn’t that nice.

MLO is barely supported on some cell units. Might it have been a future-proof function? Perhaps. However then once more, I’m positive a brand new WiFi 7 USG safety router will turn into accessible when the brand new commonplace matures a bit. Another options embody a Subscription-free ransomware safety, in addition to different security-focused options together with an Advert-blocker. These appear to be getting extra common these days. I’m wondering why is that, Google? Anyway, let’s get a better take a look at the Zyxel USG Lite 60AX.

Design and Construct High quality

The USG Lite 60AX has a unique kind issue than let’s say the USG FLEX 200HP which was designed to take a seat in a rack. It follows an identical design to the SCR 50AXE, so it sits vertically and it depends on a rotating piece of plastic for stability.

It does work, however I’m nervous about its longevity. The case is fabricated from plastic and Zyxel says that it used 95% post-consumer-recycled (PCR) plastics within the building of the system which is a step in the suitable route. The body of the router is white, like the remainder of the case, however there’s a crimson portion which is a type of attribute for the Zyxel USG routers and gateways.

From beneath it, there’s a single standing LED which shined by way of and also you do have to seek the advice of the handbook to know what every colour means. The person standing LEDs are simply not cool anymore. Sigh. Flip the router round and we are able to see the ports space. The primary 4 are Gigabit LAN ports, adopted by a few 2.5GbE ports, one for LAN, the opposite for WAN.

Beneath them, there’s the Reset button and the 12V Energy port. If in case you have a better look above the ports, we are able to see a detachable cowl which hides a Console port and you may see the schematics right here.

The Warmth Administration

After seeing that the USG Flex 200HP relied on passive cooling, I had no doubts that the Lite 60AX would take the identical street and certainly, there are not any followers. Ubiquiti appears to be the one one adamant on normalizing it, however different producers discovered different methods to maintain their {hardware} cool.

As you may see from the video I took with a thermal digital camera, the USG Lite 60AX doesn’t warmth up and the temperature stays inside cheap limits even whereas I used to be working a number of the extra heavier assessments.

Zyxel USG Lite 60AX Teardown

Mud could accumulate in time and maybe the thermal paste must be modified, so it’s essential to know if it’s simple to get into the USG Lite 60AX. I solely needed to take away the 2 screws on the backside after which utilizing a prying software, I indifferent the 2 vertical components. Then, I might see the antennas and after taking out the warmth spreaders, I might see the primary elements. I did make a dedicated teardown video if you wish to see it in additional element. And I additionally added a comparability desk.

The Wi-fi Take a look at (5GHz)

Now let’s get on with the assessments and we’re going to start out by checking the only consumer throughput utilizing three totally different consumer units. One is WiFi 6 and two are WiFi 5.

The throughput is greater than anticipated, going above 1.7Gbps upstream when utilizing the 160MHz channel bandwidth.

It’s truly second to the ASUs TUF-AX4200 which does share the identical platform with the UG Lite AX60, so it’s not a coincidence.

Utilizing the 80MHz channel width, there are higher routers on the market, however the Lite AX60 continues to be performing very well, going shut to at least one gigabit.

The throughput stays wonderful even downstream, however let’s additionally take a look on the vary of the wi-fi router.

We’re essentially the most within the spot the place the sign attenuation is -85dB and we are able to see that the WiFi 6 consumer had no bother sustaining an honest throughput, whereas one WiFi 5 was a bit much less spectacular and the opposite dropped out utterly.

And that is true each upstream and downstream. So, to get the utmost out of this router, use WiFi 6 units.

I’ve additionally added a longer-term efficiency graph which included a comparability with the ASUS TUF-AX4200.

The Wi-fi Take a look at (2.4GHz)

Let’s now try the throughput when utilizing the two.4GHz radio band because it’s going for use quite a bit contemplating the ever rising variety of consumer units.

I used the 40MHz channel bandwidth to get a greater throughput, however it’s almost certainly wiser to make use of 20MHz for a greater sign penetration. That being mentioned, upstream, it’s an honest efficiency, particularly when utilizing the WiFi 6 consumer, whereas the 2 WiFi 5 purchasers outcomes have been much less attention-grabbing.

The vary check reveals that we are going to get goo outcomes fairly far and at 70 ft in my home, the sign attenuation was -74dB. When in comparison with different wi-fi routers, the USG Lite AX60 is barely above common.

The Multi-Consumer Checks (5GHz)

Let’s transfer on and see how the Zyxel USG Lite AX60 handles varied sorts of site visitors ran on a couple of consumer units on the similar time. And I used the identical computer systems as earlier than which you’ll be able to see right here. And I’ve additionally added the sign attenuation that I measured on the consumer stage.

The software that I used is net-hydra which was developed by Mr Jim Salter and you should utilize it for your self since it’s available on GitHub. That being mentioned, let’s see the latency when 5 consumer units ran simultaneous 1080p site visitors.

Unsurprisingly, we see the WiFi 6E and the 6 purchasers performing the most effective, with two of them remaining close to 50ms for the whole length of the check. The remaining raised close to and above 100ms which is a bit removed from preferrred efficiency. Transferring on, it’s time to run simulated 4K site visitors on the 5 consumer units and, whereas there’s positively a latency enhance, it’s not as radical as I anticipated.

It’s truly a really related efficiency to what I noticed after I examined the ASUS TUF-AX4200. It’s nonetheless not a great latency, so you must restrict the variety of purchasers or depend on cable in case you completely want 5 units to run 4K streaming on the similar time.
After that, I included intense searching site visitors to run alongside 1080p streaming and the primary graph reveals if there was an impression on the previous sort of latency.

There clearly was, with the WiFi 6E consumer freaking out and going above 100ms for 10% of the time. The remaining stayed close to 100ms, with one consumer, the ZimaBoard going a bit previous 100ms for the whole check.

The extraordinary searching graphic confirmed an honest efficiency, with one consumer going above 1s for 1% of the time, so it’s negligible. Total, it’s a greater efficiency than the TUF-AX4200.

Afterwards, I ran the extreme searching site visitors alongside 4K streaming and, whereas it was a good efficiency between the 5 consumer units, the TUF-AX4200 did a bit higher right here.

The extraordinary searching graph does put the Lite 60AX within the benefit. Now it’s time to vary issues a bit and embody a few downloading purchasers, leaving one for the 4K streaming and two for the extreme searching.

The efficiency of the downloading purchasers appears a bit totally different than what I noticed on the TUF-X4200, although one did keep close to 100ms just about on a regular basis. Additionally, the general throughput for the downloading purchasers is 627.2Mbps.

Subsequent, I eliminated one downloading consumer and changed it with 4K streaming. One 4K streaming consumer gave up instantly, however the remaining carried out a lot better than anticipated, higher than what I noticed on the TUF-AX4200.

Let’s go even lighter on the USG Lite 60AX by working there sorts of simulated site visitors on three consumer units. The downloading consumer did a bit higher than on the TUF-AX4200 and I suppose the opposite two purchasers reveals a considerably related efficiency.

Let’s restrict the stress much more by downloading a 1MB file this time alongside intense searching and VoiP. I’m going to match the latency with the TUF-AX4200 as soon as once more and each the VoiP and the extreme searching and virtually equivalent, however the downloading consumer appears a bit higher on the Zyxel router. The downloading consumer throughput was 192.8Mbps.

Lastly, I ran the downloading site visitors on the 5 consumer units and the result’s as anticipated. One consumer managed to go over 3s, so it’s greatest to not push the router this a lot. Additionally, the overall throughput was 659.1Mbps.

The Standalone Platform

Identical to the SCR 50AXE, the Zyxel USG Lite 60AX was developed with the Nebula Cloud platform at its core, so there was little or no thought put in for the standalone software program. There’s one, however it’s severely bare-bones.

There are three most important areas, one is the Dashboard which reveals some standing data, adopted by the Community the place you may modify the WAN settings and lastly, there’s the Upkeep the place you get some instruments for trying out some community behaviors and a Log part. That’s all, however as I discussed within the intro, I’ll try to put in OpenWRT on it, so keep tuned for the subsequent video.

The Nebula Cloud Controller

After including the USG Lite 60AX to the Nebula Cloud Controller, I might see some standing data on the Dashboard, however I initially couldn’t get a number of the areas kind the Safety part to get populated. I discovered later that it’s because I had no accessed the controller for greater than 30 days, so the Cloud Saving Mode was mechanically enabled.

Disabling it did be sure that the beforehand unpopulated areas would now present the required data. That being mentioned, the Monitor and the Configure sections work as meant and I might test the logs, the VPN connections and get a Risk report, whereas the Content material Filter report was beneath a paid subscription. Below Configure, we get fairly a couple of choices. First, we have an interest to arrange the WiFi facet which might be completed beneath Radio and SSID settings.

And there are some Superior settings as nicely for Price-limiting, organising an authentication methodology for visitor purchasers and adjusting the way in which the purchasers will work together with the networks. We’re not completed as a result of this can be a safety router and it does have some highly effective options to supply. You may see beneath Risk Administration that you would be able to allow the blocking of varied sorts of intrusions, together with adverts, however it’s attainable to set an Exception checklist for IP tackle or purchasers, in addition to block or enable sure domains.

Below Visitors administration, we get some site visitors shaping choices, content material filtering and extra. We additionally get a Firewall with implicit guidelines and it’s attainable so as to add a NAT digital server. Lastly, we get some VPN settings and we are able to arrange Website-to-Website VPNs, together with for Non-Nebula friends and I’ve observed that there’s a Distant entry VPN which appears to be in Beta proper now. I noticed that there have been two 2.5GbE ports accessible and assumed that maybe we might get some dual-WAN choices, however sadly I couldn’t discover it. Perhaps sooner or later.

The Conclusion

This hands-off method could be very common for lots of purchasers as a result of in any other case they would wish a devoted IT division, so the prospect {that a} distant crew can deal with all of their wants is essentially the most interesting to them. Which is why the Cloud-only method makes plenty of sense for many companies, however it doesn’t for energy customers. So who’s the Zyxel USG Lite 60AX for? Judging by the Cloud-focused software program, I’d say that regardless of being referred to as lite, it’s nonetheless designed with companies in thoughts, almost certainly the smaller ones.