OVERVIEW: Xiaomi Router 3 - dual-band Wi-Fi-router for $ 29
Devices / / December 19, 2019
Virtually all modern devices are equipped with Wi-Fi support in the 5GHz band. Higher speed, less interference. It is time to move to this standard, and our readers, because thanks Xiaomi it can be done for ridiculous money. As a bonus - the opportunity to create your own home media server without spending just two clicks.
We've learned that things are either cheap or quality. Gadgets by Xiaomi often break stereotypes, offering advanced features, high build quality and low cost simultaneously.
Is no exception and line of home routers companies. Today, it includes the Budget Youth, practical Router 3 and some NAS options (server downloading, storage and distribution of content over a home network), the youngest model which gradually ceases sell.
Xiaomi Router 3 - the best option for the home, because of other dual-band routers for $ 29 you simply will not find.
Appearance
Xiaomi designers is sometimes possible to create true masterpieces. Router 3 - one of them. Matt white, sleek and stylish.
There are no router mounting holes and brackets, because of what place the router on a wall will not work. Will not help, and numerous holes for ventilation - the standard attachment can not be put in them. But this is not a disadvantage, because Xiaomi Router 3 is suitable for any interior or even its absence.
By the way, too, no radiator - passive cooling. Considerable heat is not observed.
Used solutions have led to a decrease in weight, absolute silence in operation and the possibility of installing the router in any interior. It is difficult to find a room in which there will not Xiaomi Router 3 places.
All connectors on the rear panel 2 LAN port (100 Mbit / s) for connecting a network cable, WAN for wired devices to the router, USB 2.0 port, a connector for power and hidden button reset.
To alert the user about the modes of operation is the standard light bulb on the LAN input and a bright light on the front panel of the device.
Characteristics
The basis of the router has become a single-core processor MediaTek MT7620A with a frequency of 580 MHz. The memory volume - 128 MB. The same amount set aside for storage of firmware and settings.
A router refers to a class of AC1200 and gives the speed to 1200 Mbit / s. This is achieved by dividing the channel into two separate network Wi-Fi: at 2.4 (with a speed of 300 Mbit / s) and 5 GHz (at speeds up to 867 Mbit / s). eigenpair independent external antenna is used for each frequency band. MIMO is implemented protocol 2 × 2. With it achieved an increased rate and a fast data exchange between the devices connected to the network.
All network ports are designed for speed of 100 Mbit / s. But to use Wi-Fi at 5 GHz with Xiaomi Router 3 at full speed can only be within the wireless network.
Software
Largely due to the popularity of Xiaomi single ecosystem, which include engineers a growing number of devices that connect to a single application for managing smart home MiHome. Xiaomi Router 3 is no exception.
If the other devices of the house is not, you can use a separate application MiWiFi Router to configure and manage all routers Xiaomi.
The only drawback - the lack of Russification. All settings are available only in English. Russified version can be installed by downloading the apk-file from one of the thematic resources. But this is not the worst: in the Web version of the interface used by the Chinese. In this case, help or translator, or flashing.
The application interface MiWiFi Router has four tabs.
In the first tab, you can find a list of all devices that have ever been connected to the router. You can also find out information about traffic, current consumption, see the IP- and MAC-addresses, disable access to the internet, lock the device or set the bandwidth for it. There's going to set up other networking devices companies.
The second tab is required for access to the connected drives.
The third tab provides access to the capabilities of the built-in BitTorrent client. It supports torrent files. The last tab contains all of the other settings.
You can change the login and password to connect to Wi-Fi and a router firmware update, turn off the light display or configure a guest network. Immediately adjusts timetable for Wi-Fi and a planned restart.
In the appendix, there are more advanced features. For example, select "Optimize Wi-Fi» (Wi-Fi Optimization) starts the analysis of the environment and selects the optimal settings. There is a built-in Task Manager (Task Manager), which allows you to configure downloads and uploads.
In "Bandwidth Management» (Manage Bandwidth) You can configure the network bandwidth to the router and each of the connected devices. It is possible to configure your own cloud for photos from all connected mobile devices.
There is a built-in Samba client, allowing the router to turn into a home media server.
The web interface control device can be accessed by opening the site in the browser miwifi.com or by clicking on the address 192.168.31.1. Here you can configure the VPN, DHCP, port-forwarding, modes of operation (router, repeater, bridge). Using third party firmware can extend the functionality of the device.
Price: Free
Price: Free
Testing
Testing was conducted in a standard two-bedroom apartment. The router has been installed at the entrance. In addition it was acquired signal amplifier Xiaomi Mi WiFi Amplifier.
Coating quality was above all praise. To demonstrate the work was carried out a small dimension. The figure shows the plan of the apartment, the screenshots - level signal at points 1, 2, 3, 4 in accordance with a sequence number. Network with signature plus - amplified by the Xiaomi Mi WiFi Amplifier signal.
Router perfectly distributes the Internet is not only 55 square meters apartment. The coverage area extends to the parking lot, and on landing. Enough even neighbors.
In the above networks are shown screenshots signal levels in the 2.4 GHz band.
In this case, signal levels networks shown in the 5 GHz band.
The Wi-Fi network speed is a little less, but even the current tariff allows you to transfer all the possible connection speed. When wired connection router "squeezes" location 100 Mbit / s.
Unfortunately, because of the 100-megabit LAN router capabilities in the 5 GHz band is limited - it just is not able to offer higher Internet speeds. However, one can construct a home network, connecting device.
In addition, Xiaomi has limited USB-ports options. Can be plugged in stores, but not printers and 3G-modems. Built-in print server, the official client, either.
But you can set up automatic backups of photos from your smartphone, as well as use a built-in download client.
Additional features: Mi WiFi Amplifier
If required to expand the coverage area by using the corporate amplifier Mi WiFi Amplifier.
Externally, the device resembles an ordinary 3G-modem in a white matte plastic. The lower part is equipped with a hinge for easy installation. Mi WiFi Amplifier - even more laconic gadget than 3 Router: on it there is only a status LED and a recessed reset button.
To connect it suffices to Amplifier in the USB-port of the router and wait until the blue LED lights signal. After the signal amplifier fits into any USB-port powered.
Coverage area increases almost doubled. The full force to show this is not possible because of the small size of the apartment, but the signal strength charts all show quite convincingly.
The device is capable to broadcast a signal only at a frequency of 2.4 GHz and, according to official figures, operates solely with routers Xiaomi. At a certain share of luck and the correct version of the application Mi WiFi Amplifier manages to connect to the routers of other brands with the help of corporate applications Mi Home.
Why choose Xiaomi Router 3?
- Support for dual-band Wi-Fi 2,4 / 5 GHz.
- MIMO support.
- Ability to connect an external drive.
- Easy setup using the application for iOS and Android.
- Ability to create a home network.
- The cheapest router in its class. Price - $ 29.
- Convenient (and cheap - just $ 8) Expanding coverage area via Mi WiFi Amplifier.