Synology brand products do not need advertising. It is well known that under this trademark, the world has seen reliable and durable NAS devices, which we have written about before. Calling the Synology Mesh Router MR2200ac a novelty is difficult, as it appeared on the market a year ago. At the time of release, there was a very suspicious attitude towards the router. But after a year, it can confidently be said that this is one of the best budget network devices for small businesses.
What is the Synology Mesh Router MR2200ac
If you are not yet familiar with Mesh system, it is better to start with this technology. Mesh network is a modular system (at least two routers) capable of independently balancing the load between devices. One device connects to the internet, and the others, using a wireless network, synchronize, fully controlling the Wi-Fi network inside the premises.
Essentially, this is an improved version of a Repeater. In a Mesh system, you need to set up the main device, and the others automatically pull the settings. In repeaters, everything needs to be configured separately, and there is no quality load balancing on wireless channels.
Synology Mesh Router MR2200ac is a tri-band router. The device is aimed at home users and is positioned in the budget segment. The manufacturer assures that one such router can cover an area of up to 180 square meters with a quality signal. The Synology Mesh Router MR2200ac is ideal for owners of multi-story private houses. If you install one network device per floor, you can create an ideal wireless network.
Technical specifications of Synology Mesh Router MR2200ac
| Standard | 802.11ac |
| Number of bands and their maximum speed | 1 x 2.4 GHz@400 Mbps, 2 x 5 GHz@867 Mbps |
| Support for Multiple SSID | Yes |
| WAN input | 1×10/100/1000 Ethernet |
| LAN output | 1×10/100/1000 Ethernet |
| USB presence | Yes, 1xUSB 3.0 |
| Antenna type | Internal |
| Support for MU-MIMO/MIMO | Yes/Yes |
| Firewall | Yes |
| NAT | Yes |
| VPN support | Yes |
| DHCP server | Yes |
| DMZ | Yes |
| Web interface | Yes (SRM) |
| Telnet | No |
| Media Server | Media indexing
Compliance with DLNA standard Support for PS3/PS4/Xbox 360/Xbox One |
| Encryption modes | WPA3-Personal, WPA3-Personal/Enterprise, Wi-Fi Enhanced Open (OWE) |
| Outdoor mounting capability | No |
| Price | $130-150 per device |
Overall impressions of the Synology Mesh Router MR2200ac
The most pleasant aspect is that, like the NAS of the excellent Synology brand, the router is fully automated. To set it up, simply connect the Synology Mesh Router MR2200ac to the internet and power it on. The first page of the instructions shows the address to enter in the browser to access the admin panel. If you connect a PC or laptop via LAN cable, the setup window will launch automatically. Then, a helper appears, which very clearly and understandably helps to configure the router.
Impressions are only positive. This includes the declared speed characteristics and fine-tuning the network for small businesses. During all the time of use, there was only one remark – for the Mesh system to work properly, it is necessary to ensure that all devices have the same version of the SRM operating system. This mainly concerns enthusiasts of updates. Improve one device – do the same with the rest of the equipment.
