When browsing through the Best Router options, you might not have seen the name Synology anywhere. But the Synology RT2600AC Router deserves praise for its fantastic performance and customizability for the price. It deserves the title of Best Small Business Router below 200 bucks.
Why We Like It – Synology RT2600AC Router
Not many people have heard about Synology when it comes to consumer-grade wireless routers. But, their Synology RT2600AC Router actually provides fantastic performance for the price. It is one of the very few routers that can even deliver the promised speeds over Wi Fi if you have that kind of internet connection available to you.
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- LAN ports are configurable to double as a WAN port
- VPN server configurable from the wireless routers level
- Compatible with DS Router mobile app
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- Privacy concerns
- The Wi Fi range of this Synology router is not that great
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Performance
The performance of this Synology Router is more than enough even for setting up a media server or a network storage server (access point). It’s obviously not going to be as good as something like the Netgear Nighthawk X10 AD7200. But one feature in its operating system package center (Synology Router Manager) sets it apart from most consumer-grade routers. And that is the Dual WAN feature, which enables users to aggregate multiple internet connections from different ISPs, in order to get more than one-gigabit internet speed over WiFi.
Range
The range of this router is not bad, but it’s not that great either. It is a dual band router, and the MU MIMO technology provides fantastic performance, even if you don’t have a full WiFi signal. But, it won’t be as good as even an entry-level mesh router like the Netgear Orbi RBK50. Be sure to check out the WR902AC Review, if you are interested in a router that has a physical switch for switching between the Client Mode, Hotspot Mode, and Range Extender Mode.
Durability
It’s more of a server-grade wireless router, so obviously, it won’t look as good as the Netgear Orbi WiFi 6. But just like a few other wireless routers, there are a lot of security concerns with a lot of features built into this thing.
Ease Of Use
If you download the DS router app on your phone, then you can easily control this dual band router wirelessly. It might be slightly complicated for a new user at first, but it’s pretty to get the hang of. And it is feature-rich, similar to the Synology Router Manager software.
Value
For a router that comes with so many storage slots and customizability, 200 bucks is a pretty reasonable price for it. This dual band router might not be that great for new users, but advanced users will love it. However, there are a few privacy concerns, as we mentioned before. But, if you want something that’s a bit easier to use, you can also go for the Asus BRT-AC828.
Synology RT2600AC Router Wrap Up
The Synology RT2600AC Router is more of a professional networking switch in the disguise of a consumer-grade router. If you like having more control over your entire home network, this is better than most other wireless routers in that aspect.
