Image: Ubiquiti
Ubiquiti has announced its first Wi-Fi 6 router, the AmpliFi Alien. The tri-band router supports the latest Wi-Fi 802.11ax standard and includes four gigabit LAN ports on its rear, along with a single WAN port to receive an internet connection. You can also pair multiple units together to create a mesh network. The router costs $379 and is available now from AmpliFi.com.
Despite what its “Alien” name suggests, the router has a nicely understated design compared to most other Wi-Fi 6 routers on the market, many of which have ended up looking like sci-fi robot spiders. Ubiquiti’s router does have a pair of design flourishes, however: there’s a small touchscreen on its front, which shows off the time, date, and connectivity information, and an LED light on its bottom that lights up when the router is configured and ready for use.
At $379, the AmpliFi Alien has a similar price to many other early Wi-Fi 6 routers that were released this year. The Linksys Wi-Fi 6 Velop, which was announced at the end of October, starts at $399 for a single router. Netgear’s Wi-Fi 6 Orbi is more expensive at $699.99, but that gives you a two-pack that includes one router and a satellite. All three options are still a lot to pay for Wi-Fi, but that’s the current price of future-proofing your network for the next generation of Wi-Fi 6 devices.