The last few years have forced many of us to change work habits and relying on our home internet infrastructure has become a priority. The smart working, distance teaching and all the other work and study mechanics developed in recent years, have made having a stable and efficient internet connection become a priority. Fortunately for us FRITZ! Box has a long experience in this field developed over many years, well before the "post" -pandemic upheaval. To cope with these difficulties, the company has thought of the FRITZ! Box 6850 router now with support for the 5G network. We, smartworkers "before it was cool", we put the FRITZ! Box 6850 5G to the test and this is its review.
Our review of the FRITZ! Box 6850 5G router
The model of FRITZ! 6850actually improves the lives of working internet users and not for a few years already, but since October 2021 it has evolved adding 5G connectivity to its arsenal of useful features. 5G is a technology still under development, antenna attacks permitting, but its coverage is becoming increasingly broad across the country. This new version could therefore be the winning one to deal with all the problems that afflict the ether.
But let's start with order.
Specifications
In detail, the new AVM router offers the following features:
- 5G router with 4 x 4 MIMO up to 1,3 Gbps per bande n1 (2,1 GHz), n3 (1,8 GHz), n5 (850 MHz), n7 (2,6 GHz), n8 (900 MHz), n20 (800 MHz), n28 (700 MHz), n38 (2,6 GHz), n40 (2,3 GHz), n41 (2,5 GHz), n78 (3,5 GHz)
- Support for Standalone 5G and non-standalone 5G (3GPP Release 15)
- Internet access 4G trams (modem LTE CAT-16) up to 1 Gbps for bands 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28 and 32 (1,5 GHz), as well as TDD bands 38, 40, 41, 42 (3,5 GHz), 43 (3,7 GHz)
- Compatibile con Dynamic Spectrum Sharing (DSS) e UMTS/HSPA+ (3G)
- Wi-Fi Dual AC + N up to 1266 Mbps
- Tool of intelligent alignment, which helps users determine the optimal position and best alignment of cell phone antennas
- Two SMA connectors for installing external antennas
- Four Gigabit LAN ports and one USB 3.0 port
- Telephone switchboard and DECT base for up to six phones and support for home automation applications.
- Connection for analog telephone or fax
- FRITZ! operating system: with Wi-Fi Mesh support, parental controls, media server, NAS FRITZ !, guest access to the wireless network, MyFRITZ! and more
Design
IThe FRITZ! Box 6850 5G router features a classic yet elegant design. White and red dominate the upper part where the classic signal lights of the operating sections such as Power, WLAN, WPS and so on are located. The back, as often happens, is the most interesting part. Here we find in fact theinput of the power supply cable, the two LTE antennas, 4 LAN ethernet ports, the input for the VOIP phone and the slot for the SIM card which requires a Mini-SIM.
Technology and connectivity
From the description of the modem, it is clear that this version of the 6850 5G router does not support ADSL connectivity and can therefore only be used with a mobile network including, precisely, the 5G network. The FRITZ!Box 6850 5G è dual band and broadcasts on 2,4 GHz (Wireless N) and 5 GHz (Wireless AC) frequency bands. This translates into the ability to use multiple wireless devices that require broadband usage. Thanks to Mesh networkFurthermore, the FRITZ! Box can always assign the best possible connection based on where it is located.
The latter is one of the most important features as we are talking about a router that does not need physical access to the home telephone network. It is in fact a cross between a classic router and a portable router (the famous soap bars) as it does need a wall power supply but can be moved for better reception of the mobile network.
From this and other factors, such as the active offer on the SIM card, the operator and the coverage of the city where you are, the Download and Upload speed which makes it impossible to compare with other connection systems. Just know that the system supports a Wi-Fi 5 network of up to 866 MBit / s for 5GHz, and 400 MBit / S for 2,4GHz.
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In keeping with the good tradition of FRITZ! Boxes, system configuration is really quick and easy. Just insert the SIM card into the back of the router (remember, a MINI-SIM) and set up the connection through the router. An instruction booklet included in the package will guide you through the configuration. Unlike the home pages of most routers out there, FRITZ! Box has managed to develop a clear and user friendly interface to guide you to the correct setup in just a few clicks.
Once you have set up your router and activated your LTE network you are ready to surf the net, but how did this FRITZ! Box behave in the field?
Our test of the FRITZ! Box 6850 5G
We tested the new FRITZ! Box 6850 5G by temporarily replacing it with our usual tools. As a SIM card we used a TIM card with 5G support which offered 10GB of internet every month.
Let's start immediately by saying that the router has a basic system, in a good sense of the term, which makes installation simple and immediate. This is not a real plug-and-play but very few clicks are enough to have internet available. And it is precisely the arrangement that is a fundamental element to improve the performance of the router, the physical arrangement of the same. Some points in your home will indeed have higher network reception than others. Imagine the router as a smartphone, where the call quality depends on where you are. After a couple of tests, we were able to find the ideal spot that was also close enough to an electrical outlet.
The TIM network, in the territory of Rome, proved to be stable and efficient supported by the excellent system offered by FRITZ! Box. The stability that is usually lacking in the data network of smartphones, with this router reaches the same levels as those of a fixed network without the inconveniences that this entails. The FRITZ! Box 6850 5G is indeed designed for those users who do not want the constraints typical of fixed networks but they prefer to take advantage of the freedom and versatility of the mobile network. Considering the more than convincing offers of certain operators and the versatility of 5G that is about to reach its peak, this is a more than sensible choice.
The review of the FRITZ! Box 6850 5G router in a nutshell
The FRITZ! Box 6850 5G is the ideal ally for users who want a stable and efficient internet network without the constraints of a fixed network. The versatility of the LTE and 5G network (in the areas where it is supported) is in fact the strong point of this router that will delight many users. Obviously, the limits of data networks must also be considered, especially when it comes to limited traffic networks. In our test, for example, 10GB per month was not enough to cover the needs of our work but this element varies depending on the use you intend to make.
Ultimately, the FRITZ! Box continues to hold up the performance bar it has accustomed us to over the years. The 5G version of the FRITZ! Box 6850 is a model that exploits the potential and speed of 5G, performance that will soon become the norm, we might as well take advantage of it now thanks to FRITZ! Box.
Prices and availability
The FRITZ! Box 6850 5G is now available from specialist retailers of FRITZ! Products. and at AVMin Premium Partners at a price of approximately € 599.
