The latest mesh Wi-Fi system from Linksys, the Velop AX4200, is a tri-band model based on Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) technology that’s designed to bring wireless connectivity to all corners of your home. It’s a bit more affordable than its more powerful sibling, the AX MX10, which we reviewed earlier this year, but at $499.99 for a three-piece system, it’s still plenty expensive. In testing, the AX4200 was easy to install and delivered solid throughput scores, as well as a very large coverage area, but it couldn’t keep pace with our Editors’ Choice winner, the Asus ZenWiFi AX XT8, and it doesn’t offer as many features.
Velop AX4200 Design and Features
We reviewed the MX12600 system, which consists of three identical nodes that cover a total of 8,100 square feet, but you can purchase a single-node MX4200 ($249.99) if you only need to cover up to 2,700 square feet.
This system uses the same big white enclosures as the Velop MX10. They stand 9.6 inches tall and are 4.5 inches in width and depth. Linksys puts all that bulk to good use: Each node has four Gigabit Ethernet ports (3 LAN, 1 WAN) and a USB 3.0 port. Other Wi-Fi systems such as the TP-Link X60 AX3000 and the TrendNet TEW-830MDR2K are equipped with only two LAN ports. The top of each Velop node has an LED status indicator that turns blue when connected, red when it loses its internet connection, yellow when it’s out of range of another node, and purple during setup. An On/Off switch, a reset button, and a WPS button are located on the base of each node.
The Velop AX4200 is powered by a 1.4GHz quad-core processor, 512MB of RAM, and 512MB of flash memory. It’s a tri-band Wi-Fi 6 system that can reach data rates of up to 600Mbps on the 2.4GHz band, 1,200Mbps on one of the 5GHz bands, and 2,400Mbps on the second 5GHz band. The system supports dynamic wireless backhaul as well as wired backhaul, and uses the latest 802.11ax technologies including WPA3 encryption, 1024 QAM, Orthogonal Frequency-Division Multiple Access (OFDMA) data transmissions, MU-MIMO simultaneous data streaming, and direct-to-client signal beamforming, but it doesn’t support 160MHz channel bandwidth.
You can manage your Velop network using a web portal or with the Linksys mobile app for Android and iOS devices. When you launch the mobile app, the home screen will display the name of your network, its status (online/offline), and tabs for connected devices and nodes. Tap the devices tab to see a list of clients, and tap any client to assign bandwidth priority, view IP and MAC address information, and enable parental controls for that specific client.
Below the device and node tabs are Internet Speed, Connections, Parental controls, and Guest Network tabs. The Internet Speed tab displays the latest results of the Speedtest utility, which you can run by tapping the panel. The Connections tab displays the name of the last five clients to connect to the network and shows which node they’re connected to. The Parental Controls tab takes you to a screen where you can assign controls to any client, and the Guest Network tab allows you to configure and enable and disable guest networking.
Parental controls are basic: You can pause internet access with the touch of a button, schedule pauses, and block specific websites, but you don’t get the granular age-based filters that you get with the TP-Link X60 AX3000 and the Asus ZenWi-Fi AX XT8 systems. Moreover, the Velop AX4200 lacks the anti-malware tools that you get with the above-mentioned models.
Tap the three-bar icon in the upper left corner to access the settings menu. Here you can view the status of all client devices, access Parental Controls, enable guest networking, and configure notifications such as when a node goes offline. Use the Wi-Fi settings to configure security (WPA2/WPA3 mixed and personal) and to edit your Wi-Fi password. There’s also a Channel Finder utility that will run a scan to find the optimal channels for your environment. Network Administration settings allow you to update firmware, change your time zone, view IP details, and submit error reports to Linksys. Advanced Settings include DHCP and IPv6 settings, Port Forwarding and Port Triggering settings, Wi-Fi MAC filtering, and DNS settings.
Installing the Velop AX4200
As is the case with most mesh Wi-Fi systems, the Velop AX4200 is easy to install. I downloaded the mobile app and tapped Set Up a New Wi-Fi Network at the bottom of the welcome screen. I selected Velop from the list of network types, and then selected Separate Modem and Router as my previous internet source (the other option is if you have a combination modem/router).
Following the on-screen instructions, I unplugged my existing router, plugged in a node, and connected it to my modem. I then waited several seconds for the Velop node to begin blinking purple, tapped Next, and created an account. The app was linked to my account, and I was prompted to name my Wi-Fi network and give it a password. I gave the node a location and tapped Next to add the second node. I plugged the node into an outlet in my living room, tapped Next, and when the LED began blinking purple, tapped Yes, It’s Blinking Purple. After four minutes the app informed me that the node placement was just right. I gave the node a location, repeated the process for the third node, and the installation was complete.
Velop AX4200 Performance
The Velop AX4200 is a good performer, but not the best we’ve tested. The main router notched a score of 712Mbps on the close-proximity (same room) throughput test, coming in behind the TP-Link AX60 and the Asus ZenWi-Fi AX XT8. It also trailed its more expensive sibling, the Velop AX MX10, which is configured with a faster CPU and more memory. The AX4200’s score of 299Mbps on the 30-foot test was a bit faster than the TP-Link AX60, but not quite as fast as the Velop AX MX10 or the ZenWi-Fi AX XT8.
The Velop AX4200 satellite node’s score of 558Mbps on the close-proximity test beat the TP-Link AX60, but was more than 100Mbps slower than the Velop AX MX10 and the ZenWi-Fi AX XT8. On the 30-foot test, the AX4200 node managed 413Mbps, beating the TP-Link AX60 by 27Mbps, but placing a distant third to the ZenWi-Fi AX XT8 and the Velop AX MX10.
We use an Ekahau Sidekick Wi-Fi diagnostic device and Ekahau’s Survey mobile app to measure signal strength. (Note: Ekahau is owned by j2 Global, the parent company of Ziff Media Group, the publisher of PCMag.com) The software generates heat maps that display wireless coverage throughout our test home. On the map, darker green areas indicate the strongest signal measurements, and lighter green and yellow areas show a weaker signal. The circles represent the location of the router and the satellite node. As illustrated above, the Velop AX4200 router and node provided strong signals throughout the entire house, with only one small area of the garage receiving a slightly weaker signal.
Lots of Coverage, but Not the Overall Leader
The Linksys Velop AX4200 delivered good overall throughput performance in testing and had no trouble broadcasting a strong signal throughout our test house. Numerous LAN ports, good range, and easy installation are additional reasons to consider it if you’re in the market for a whole-home mesh Wi-Fi system. That said, the AX4200 doesn’t support 160MHz channel bandwidth, and it lacks malware protection. While it doesn’t provide quite as much coverage (5,500 square feet for $450), the Asus ZenWiFi AX XT8 gives you both, along with better performance, stronger parental controls, and a multi-gig LAN port. As such, it remains our Editors’ Choice for mesh Wi-Fi systems.
