Having a good internet connection is about improving the internet chain’s weakest link. As a consumer, we don’t want to understand that chain. We want it to work. We want our Netflix to be uninterrupted, we want to work from home with a clear video conference, and we want to scroll social media from any part of our home. Your NBN provider makes up a big part of that chain, but once it gets to your house, it’s your problem.
Easy to set up and use, the D-Link Aquila Pro AI M60 AX6000 helps streamline your home Wi-Fi network.
Table of contents
What is a mesh system?
A mesh system is another name for a mesh Wi-Fi router. The internet comes into your home as a single connection that must be divided up and shared with the many devices in your home. A single Wi-Fi router has a limited range in your home, depending on home size.
A mesh Wi-Fi router allows several satellite boxes to spread around your home to extend the Wi-Fi range. Each satellite needs to be within good Wi-Fi range of each other, which will be around 15-20 metres depending on interference, such as walls, which reduce the signal strength. The satellites can also be linked by Ethernet cable, allowing you to place a satellite out of Wi-Fi range and then set up additional Wi-Fi coverage, like in a garage.
Mesh makes extending your Wi-Fi network across a greater area easier and allows your connected devices to connect seamlessly. Older extender devices were hard to set up, and your devices did not like switching between the router and different extenders, resulting in poor internet.
Features
The D-Link Aquila Pro AI AX6000 Wi-Fi 6 Smart Mesh System, also known as the M60, is a high-quality, simple-to-install home internet system that uses the latest WPA3 encryption to safeguard communications.
The D-Link M60 is D-Link’s fastest-speed Wi-Fi mesh solution. It supports 2.4GHz (which will provide a greater range) up to data transfer speeds of 1,148Mbps and 5GHz (faster speeds, smaller range) up to 4804Mbps Wi-Fi frequencies. Streaming a 4K movie will require up to 25Mbps. A typical NBN connection is 50Mbps, so this mesh system will support all your needs. This setup is ready for 8K movies when they become available.
The M60 3-pack will give you Wi-Fi coverage in a larger home of up to 740 square metres.
The Aquila has a unique design that will not look out of place as a table ornament. Internally, its antennas are positioned in multiple directions, meaning you can flat-mount the router or hang it on a wall vertically. The benefit is that, unlike a traditional antenna that sends a signal primarily out perpendicular, these multiple antennas will give you 360-degree spherical coverage, meaning you will get coverage in all parts of your home.
It supports the Wi-Fi 6 standard, which means any Wi-Fi 6-compatible devices will benefit from better security, improved coverage and faster throughput.
The D-Link M60 uses AI to automatically improve connectivity by adjusting the Wi-Fi signals to improve your situation. Let’s say your home is within your neighbour’s Wi-Fi network range. This will mean everyone is competing for radio frequencies or channels. The Aquila will work out which channels others are not using and automatically use the least congested channels.
It also automatically moves your connected devices between Wi-Fi bands to maximise performance. It will also recognise that some applications need more bandwidth. The software ensures that devices needing lots of internet bandwidth, like video conferencing, get what they need to work properly.
The three-pack box includes three satellites with power packs, an Ethernet cable, and a simple start-up sheet.
The M60 has a 2.5 Gigabit WAN (connects to your NBN modem) port and four gigabit Ethernet ports on each satellite, so devices like a printer or shared storage device can easily be connected with a cable. This is useful if the device you want to connect does not support Wi-Fi. Alternatively, network traffic for the connected device is expected to be very high, meaning it does not have to wait for its turn to communicate via Wi-Fi.
D-Link Aquila Pro AI M60 AX6000 specs and price
| Range | Three-pack: 740 square metres Two-pack: 510 square metres |
| Connection | Wi-Fi 6 up to 6Gbps Dual-band: 2.4GHz and 5GHz 1 x 2.5Gbps WAN port 4 x Gigabit Ethernet LAN ports |
| Dimensions | 23 x 16 x 18 cm each |
| Weight | 584 grams |
| Price (RRP) | $999.95 (three-pack as tested) |
| Warranty | Three years |
| Official website | D-Link Australia |
Using the D-Link Aquila Pro AI M60 AX6000
D-Link has released a few smartphone apps, so download the Aquila one. Unlike some mesh multipacks, any of the two or three included 23 x 16 x 18cm satellites can be used as the router box you connect to the internet. This is done with a supplied Ethernet cable connecting to your NBN modem and the yellow Ethernet port on the rear of your M60 boxes. This simple setup does not require your old router, which you need to remove.
After installing and opening the Aquila AI app, you must scan a QR code located at the bottom of the satellite using your phone. The app then asks if you are setting up a new network or extending an existing one. Now, simply follow the instructions on your smartphone screen.
Additional satellites are added by turning them on one at a time. You will know if the additional satellite is in Wi-Fi range when a solid white LED is displayed on the front of the new satellite.
I have set up many Wi-Fi routers over the years, and the AX6000 has to be the simplest so far, especially considering it will exceed the needs of 99% of households.
You can set up a guest network to keep guests separate from your home devices and information. For example, guests cannot access your printer or shared storage drive. You can also limit guests’ speed to ensure the best performance for the family. Providing guest access is as simple as scanning a QR code.
The smartphone app allows you to customise your setup, receive notifications and usage reports, set up schedules, and block certain sites.
If you are technically minded or if you need to prioritise or restrict access, D-Link provides client priority, which allows you to optimize the quality of service (QoS) to different devices. For example, Mum’s laptop or the TV could be given priority for video calls or streaming TV apps. If, on the other hand, you want to restrict the kids’ usage, you can use parental control from the app to restrict which websites they can visit or perhaps what hours they have access to the internet.
I originally installed this trial unit using an Ethernet connection between the satellites, but I have since removed it because I can get faster data transfer speeds via Wi-Fi.
The only question I had was why D-Link did not include the faster Wi-Fi 6E or Wi-Fi 7 standard, which are faster and support the 6GHz band.
Who is the D-Link Aquila Pro AI M60 AX6000 for?
If you are not technical but your family is complaining about the internet connection at home, then this is a far superior solution to what your NBN retailer has provided.
Your home needs fast, reliable internet access. To achieve this, you want a reliable, simple-to-setup, and run Wi-Fi router that will allow all your devices to access the internet.
Using Wi-Fi 6, mesh technology and AI, the M60 Aquila Pro AI AX6000 from D-Link ensures everything in the background runs well. This mesh solution will ensure that devices do not suffer from congestion and are usable throughout your home.
The M60 is cost-effective, part of an excellent ecosystem that offers expansion options, and easy to set up.
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