Nothing beats the ability to make use of your network when you are at home and when you are travelling. The AmpliFi Alien Wi-Fi 6 router has been designed to let you experience this networking benefits. Let us take a look at the features of the AmpliFi Alien Wi-Fi 6 router and analyze its performance.
Not too long ago, I installed the AmpliFi Alien Wi-Fi 6 router into my home and I am quite impressed by its overall performance. It offers excellent range coverage for my two-storied home and it provides me with fast, stable and a very reliable network. A huge bonus that I am really benefitting from is the unique teleporting feature that comes with my AmpliFi Alien Wi-Fi 6 router that allows me to route my web traffic and make use of my network features when I travel.
AmpliFi Alien (Wi-Fi 6 router) Review and Breakdown
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The AmpliFi Alien is a mesh router that supports Wi-Fi 6 technology. It is backward compatible with other routers that have the 802.1 1 ac/n/g/a/b standard. Also, it is a mesh ready router that is tri-band with a 2.4 and 5 GHz band that support Wi-Fi 6 and an additional 5 GHz band that supports Wi-Fi 5. It supports the 20, 40 and 80 MHz channel width but does not support the 160 MHz channel width.
It is a slightly large router with a weight of 1.2 Kgs which makes it very sturdy when in use. It is powered by a 2.2 GHz 64-bit quad core central processing unit that optimizes its performance. Additionally, it comes with a touchscreen that indicates the router status and helps you carry out ISP speed tests. Through the AmpliFi mobile app, you are able to manage and control your home network. The mobile app also allows you to repair small fixes on your router when connectivity failures happen. Aside from the mobile app, you can also access the web user interface to help you manage and control your home network.
The AmpliFi Alien Wi-Fi 6 router has four Gigabit LAN ports and one Gigabit WAN port. However, it does not come with a multi-gig network port. Also, it does not support link aggregation and does not come with any USB port so you may not be able to add your storage devices. On the brighter side, you are able to use it as an access point as it supports bridge mode.
What we liked
- It has fast throughput speeds and excellent range coverage
- It comes with a special teleport feature that lets you route your web traffic from anywhere
- It has a modern and elegant design
- It is easy to setup and install
- It has an ad blocking feature
What we didn’t like;
- The second 5 GHz band can only support Wi-Fi 5
- It does not come with a multi-gig network port
- It does not support 160 MHz channels
AmpliFi Alien (Wi-Fi 6 router) Specifications
Model |
AmpliFi Alien (Wi-Fi 6 router) |
Wi-Fi technology |
Wi-Fi 6 |
Speed bandwidth |
Up to 7685 Mbps |
Range Coverage area |
Up to 2700 square feet |
Frequency band |
2.4 and 5 GHz (tri-band) |
Operating temperatures |
0 – 35 ° C |
Wireless encryption |
128-bit encryption |
Security protocol |
WPA 2/ WPA 3 |
Connection log |
40+ devices |
MU-MIMO and Beamforming technology |
Yes |
Home network control |
AmpliFi app |
Availability |
AmpliFi Alien (Wi-Fi 6 router) Features
Design and Structure
The AmpliFi Alien Wi-Fi 6 router comes with an elegant modern design that adds the aesthetic fabric of your home. It is cylindrical in shape with a flattened top. Its elegance is identified in the touchscreen interface at the front which provides information on your network traffic, the status of your network and it also allows you to perform internet speed tests without having to use the mobile app Also, it has a fancy ring of LED lights closer to the bottoms. These LED lights have been designed to indicate the power status of your AmpliFi Alien Wi-Fi 6 router and its internet connection status. The LCD touch interface is so useful because it constantly reminds and shows you whether your router would need a firmware update.
At the back of the AmpliFi Alien Wi-Fi 6 router, there is a built-in switch that has been designed with four Gigabit Ethernet ports that allow you to establish wired connections on your devices. At the bottom of the router, there is the power button and a reset button. Its size dimensions are at 12.1 x 5.6 x 5.5 and it weighs about 5.9 pounds
Speed and Performance
The AmpliFi Alien Wi-Fi 6 router comes as a tri-band; that is a single 2.4 GHz band, a 5 GHz band that supports Wi-Fi 6 and another 5 GHz band that supports Wi-Fi 5. It has throughput speeds of 7,685 Mbps which has been distributed as 1,148 Mbps on the 2.4 GHz band, 4,804 Mbps on the first 5 GHz band and 1,733 Mbps on the second 5 GHz band that supports Wi-Fi 5.
The AmpliFi Alien Wi-Fi 6 router does not come with a multi-gig network port therefore your wired connections can only receive throughput speeds of up to 1,000 Mbps. The AmpliFi Alien Wi-Fi 6 router is optimized with MU-MIMO technology which allows your multiple devices to simultaneously receive and transfer data streams. Its beamforming technology focus the Wi-Fi signal directly to your connected devices which gives it better network performance.
It is manufactured with Orthogonal Frequency-Division Multiple Access technology which assists with communication of data within the three frequency bands and eliminates wireless interferences on your network. It performance is strengthened by a 2.2 GHz 64-bit quad-core central processing unit.
A special feature of the AmpliFi Alien Wi-Fi 6 router is the AmpliFi teleport which allows you to route your web traffic on your home network even when you are travelling. Aside from that, you are able to freely access VPN services alongside the teleport feature which secures your network when you are connecting to a public Wi-Fi hotspot.
Range and Capacity
The AmpliFi Alien Wi-Fi 6 router has been designed to cover a range of about 2700 square feet. It is featured with high performing internal antennas that allow it to extend the signal across your home. Also, when you want to extend your Wi-Fi coverage throughout your home, you can purchase multiple AmpliFi Alien Wi-Fi 6 routers as they join together and create a stronger mesh system.
Security and Network Control
Through the AmpliFi app and its web interface you are able to control, manage and monitor your home network. Also, you are able to restrict devices from your network and block your children’s devices from malicious websites and adult content. This gives a safer internet experience for your children and protects your network from infectious sites.
Your network is secured with WPA2 / WPA 3 security protocols and has 128-bit encryption. Also, it is protected by a built-in firewall that is a barrier between your network and the outside internet. This way, your network can only be used by devices that you have selected for it.
Who is it best suited for?
The AmpliFi Alien Wi-Fi 6 router would work well for you if you live in a large home. Also, it is an ideal router when you would like to upgrade our home network. You should also consider the AmpliFi Alien Wi-Fi 6 router if you are a frequent traveler because it allows you to make more use of your home network from anywhere.
Are there any alternatives to the AmpliFi Alien (Wi-Fi 6 router)?
Yes. Alternative routers to the AmpliFi Alien Wi-Fi 6 router are the NETGEAR RAX200, the Asus GT AX1100 and the Arris SURFboard Max Pro.
Features of the alternative routers
Model |
NETGEAR RAX200 |
Asus GT AX1100 |
Arris SURFboard Max Pro |
Wi-Fi technology |
Wi-Fi 6 |
Wi-Fi 6 |
Wi-Fi 6 |
Speed bandwidth |
Up to 10,800 Mbps |
Up to 11,000 Mbps |
Up to 7,800 Mbps |
Range Coverage area |
Up to 2,500 square feet |
Up to 2,500 square feet |
Up to 6,000 square feet |
Frequency band |
2.4 and 5 GHz (tri-band) |
2.4 and 5 GHz (tri-band) |
2.4 and 5 GHz (tri-band) |
Operating temperatures |
0 – 35 ° C |
0 – 35 ° C |
0 – 35 ° C |
Wireless encryption |
128-bit encryption |
128-bit encryption |
128-bit encryption |
Security protocol |
WPA 2/ WPA 3 |
WPA 2/ WPA 3 |
WPA 2/WPA 3 |
Connection log |
40+ devices |
40+ devices |
40+ devices |
MU-MIMO and Beamforming technology |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Home network control |
Nighthawk app |
Asus Router App |
SURFboard Max manager app |
Availability |
Verdict: Should you get the AmpliFi Alien (Wi-Fi 6 router)?
Yes. In as much as the AmpliFi Alien Wi-Fi 6 router could use a few improvements such as adding support for the 160 MHz channel, a multi-gig Ethernet port and allowing for Link aggregation, it remains a high-performing router that will elevate your networking experience. It unique teleporting feature would be a huge bonus to your home network.
FAQs
Does my AmpliFi Alien Wi-Fi 6 router have a USB port?
No it does not. Because of this you are not able to add your storage devices such as flash discs and hard drives to your router.
Can my AmpliFi Alien Wi-Fi 6 router support ad blocking?
Yes. The AmpliFi Alien Wi-Fi 6 router allows you to enable the DNS-based ad-blocking option through its web interface. However, this option only allows you to turn ads on and off, you cannot access any advanced settings on it.