New router launches: WiFi 7, 10 Gbps, 5G and travel routers

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The world of routers is undergoing a true silent revolution. Between new WiFi 7 router releases, more affordable WiFi 6 devices, and 5G FWA solutions , operators and manufacturers are moving very quickly to ensure our home and mobile connections take a significant leap in speed, coverage, and stability. It's worth reviewing our router configuration tips to get the most out of them.

In recent months we have seen how Movistar, Digi, Orange and brands such as TP-Link or MitraStar have put forward new routers and WiFi Mesh systems that pave the way for what we will have in our homes and offices: fiber up to 10 Gbps, WiFi 7, 10 GbE, WiFi Mesh and portable travel routers with advanced features such as VPN or captive portal.

New 5G FWA routers and Movistar equipment upgrades are here

Telefónica has decided to thoroughly update its customer equipment catalog. On the one hand, it has begun deploying its new Smart WiFi 7 router for XGS-PON fiber connections up to 10 Gbps , and on the other, it has launched a 5G FWA device designed for those who cannot subscribe to fiber but do have good mobile coverage; if you are a customer, you can find out how to configure your Movistar router to take advantage of it.

This new 5G fixed radio access router is the MitraStar IGW-1121GX2X2-Mv3 model . It's a device that departs from Telefónica's previous design style, opting for a more understated and discreet aesthetic, but with a strong focus on reducing costs and facilitating widespread deployment in areas without fiber optic coverage.

The MitraStar 5G router retains two Ethernet LAN ports, an RJ11 connector for a landline phone, a SIM card slot , and two connectors for external antennas, allowing for improved reception in challenging locations. However, the Wi-Fi capabilities have been reduced compared to the first 5G router Movistar launched in 2024.

We're still looking at a WiFi 6 router , but with a simpler MIMO and fewer internal antennas , resulting in somewhat less robust coverage within the home. To better understand the differences between standards, you can read about the real advantages of WiFi 6. In return, the device enables 160 MHz channels in the 5 GHz band, allowing you to maximize speed when conditions are right and the radio environment isn't too congested.

The context for this launch is clear: Telefónica wants to extend 5G FWA access to more homes where fiber is not yet available . With nearly 9.000 5G nodes deployed in the n78 band, the operator can offer speeds of several hundred megabits per second and relatively low latency, putting it in a good position to prevent users from turning to solutions like Starlink when looking for a fixed broadband alternative.

Smart WiFi 7 and Movistar's 10 Gbps XGS-PON fiber

At the same time, Movistar is finalizing the details of its new Smart WiFi 7 router, compatible with XGS-PON . This device will be key to enabling its best fiber optic plans to reach commercial speeds of up to 10 Gbps symmetrical on the FTTH network that already covers more than 31 million homes. If you have any questions about access technologies, consult our complete guide to ADSL, fiber optic, and telephony.

Telefónica's CTIO announced at the MWC in Barcelona that the network would be upgraded to XGS-PON technology to enable 10 Gb connections , and that to take advantage of that capacity a new HGU (Home Gateway Unit) with next-generation WiFi would be necessary, which is precisely this Smart WiFi 7.

Until now, the long-standing HGU with WiFi 5, launched in 2015, has remained very prevalent, especially in Movistar's fiber-only plans and its secondary brand, O2 . However, its role is coming to an end. Smart WiFi 6, with several revisions since 2021, is taking over in the mid-range, while the new Smart WiFi 7 will be reserved for the most advanced plans with higher speeds and better wireless performance.

The goal of this new generation is to offer better wireless coverage, more effective bandwidth and lower latency , something crucial for services such as online gaming, 4K and 8K streaming, intensive teleworking or professional applications that require very stable connections.

Although all its final specifications have not yet been published, Movistar's Smart WiFi 7 will be aligned with the IEEE 802.11be standard, with improved channel width capabilities, greater modulation and multi-link operation to take advantage of the XGS-PON network that supports up to 10 Gbps.

Digi loosens its grip: WiFi 6 for almost everyone and WiFi 7 in its most powerful plans

While Movistar is preparing for WiFi 7 linked to its XGS-PON fiber optic network, Digi has been making moves to democratize its WiFi 6 router among a wider range of fiber optic customers . Until recently, not all plans included this type of modern device.

Specifically, the 300 Mbps indirect fiber plans , both fiber-only and converged, did not include a WiFi 6 router. This was a particularly noticeable omission for those looking for a cheap but up-to-date offer, as the Smart Fiber option was out of reach for some users.

In a matter of weeks, Digi has revised this policy, and now all its fixed internet plans include the installation of a router with WiFi 6 technology . This change makes sense considering that the operator has recently added two new models with WiFi 6, giving it the capacity to cover its entire catalog, including its 300 Mbps indirect fiber optic service.

For those who were left out, the alternative until recently was to receive one of the WiFi 5 routers that Digi was still using . Among the models that the company installed randomly were devices such as the ZTE ZXHNH298A, the OBSERVA TRG24AC, the ZYXEL EMG5523-T50B, and the ZTE-H298Q, all of them with more modest specifications and without the advantages of WiFi 6 in terms of efficiency and capacity.

In parallel, Digi has been deploying WiFi 7 routers on its 10 Gbps Pro Digi fiber optic service . Initially, it used the ZTE F8748 (and variants like the F8748Q in some cases), a high-end device compatible with this new wireless standard, which was offered to the first customers of its 10 Gbps connection. However, that promotion ended, and subsequently, Digi returned to prioritizing WiFi 6 devices for most new connections.

Digi's new WiFi 7 router: Goodbye ZTE, hello TP-Link XGB430v Pro

Digi's commitment to WiFi 7 hasn't stopped there. The Romanian operator has begun installing a new WiFi 7 router, the TP-Link XGB430v Pro , for users who subscribe to its more expensive fiber optic plans, presumably new customers of its 10 Gbps Pro-Digi fiber service.

Digi was the first operator in Spain to provide its customers with a WiFi 7 router , something it did at the beginning of last year to promote its 10 Gbps fiber optic service. Even then, it emphasized the advantages over WiFi 6: faster transfer speeds, lower latency, better coverage, greater capacity for multiple devices connected simultaneously, a better overall wireless experience, and more efficient energy consumption.

The new TP-Link XGB430v Pro maintains this philosophy, albeit with some important differences. It's a dual-band (2,4 and 5 GHz) WiFi 7 router, lacking the 6 GHz band , just like the ZTE routers Digi used to use. However, it compensates for this absence with EasyMesh compatibility, allowing you to create a mesh WiFi network with other compatible devices to extend coverage.

In terms of wired connections, the device includes an XGS-PON port, a 10 GbE WAN/LAN port , several gigabit LAN ports, two RJ11 ports for landline telephony, and a USB 3.0 port, making it a very complete router for advanced homes and small offices that want to take advantage of 10 Gbps fiber optic speeds.

In addition to its technical features, the TP-Link XGB430v Pro also boasts a sleek design, featuring a white finish, a casing made from 100% recyclable plastics, and a wall-mounting bracket , making it easy to integrate into any living room or office without needing to hide it.

Orange and its WiFi 7 router: cutting-edge technology for homes and businesses

Orange, within the MásOrange group, has also fully entered the WiFi 7 race with the launch of its WiFi 7 router for direct fiber customers , especially linked to its Love and Home tariffs for individuals and businesses.

The company positions this launch as a revolution in wireless technology for the home and professional environment , in line with other previous pioneering moves such as the deployment of fiber up to 10 Gbps with XGSPON, the deployment of WiFi 6E and the active promotion of 5G Stand Alone (SA).

According to the group itself, the goal is to combine the large capacity of its fiber network, which already reaches some 30 million locations , with a WiFi 7 router that guarantees a top-level wireless experience, with greater speed, more capacity for multitasking and a more robust network; in addition, it seeks to improve energy savings in networks through more efficient devices.

The company positions this launch as a revolution in wireless technology for the home and professional environment , in line with other previous pioneering moves such as the deployment of fiber up to 10 Gbps with XGSPON, the deployment of WiFi 6E and the active promotion of 5G Stand Alone (SA).

Orange itself highlights that the technical capabilities of WiFi 7 can make a difference in uses such as competitive online video games, remote medicine, offices with many connected workstations , 4K and 8K streaming services, and any other scenario where response times, robustness and the absence of interference are essential.

What does WiFi 7 really offer compared to WiFi 6 and WiFi 5?

The WiFi 7 standard, also known as IEEE 802.11be Extremely High Throughput (EHT) , is designed to operate simultaneously on all three available bands: 2,4 GHz, 5 GHz and 6 GHz, making the most of the available spectrum and better managing congestion.

While WiFi 6 and its evolution WiFi 6E were created with the intention of efficiently supporting a very large number of connected devices , the main goal of WiFi 7 is to provide a significant leap in speed for all devices, while maintaining or improving efficiency.

Among its technical advancements are a channel width of up to 320 MHz, 4096-QAM modulation (4K-QAM) , greater flexibility in resource allocation (Multi-RU), and multi-link operation (MLO). All of this translates into speeds up to 4,8 times faster than WiFi 6 and approximately 13 times faster than WiFi 5 under ideal conditions.

Chipset manufacturers like MediaTek indicate that in highly congested environments, it's possible to reduce latency by up to 80% thanks to the advantages of MLO ( Multi-Loop Layout). This technology allows the use of multiple bands simultaneously for the same data flow, selecting the most appropriate links based on traffic priority, and even redundant packets to ensure a more stable connection.

One specific use of MLO is the ability to route less demanding traffic (email, background updates) over slower bands such as 2,4 GHz , and reserve the faster and wider bands (5 or 6 GHz) for flows that require higher priority, such as video conferencing, cloud gaming, or high-resolution streaming.

WiFi Mesh, 10 GbE and gaming routers: other key trends

Beyond the operators, the market for home and professional routers is full of manufacturers such as ASUS, FRITZ!, TP-Link, D-Link, Linksys or Netgear , who compete with models for all budgets: from equipment for around 30 euros to advanced solutions of more than 300 euros, not counting the purely professional field.

Many of these manufacturers have excelled in specific categories, such as the ASUS ROG range, geared towards the gaming world with routers that optimize latency, prioritize game traffic, and offer special features such as low-latency VPN integration or cloud services.

Modern routers can be categorized by their specialization: some prioritize high-performance wired networks, others maximum Wi-Fi speed . While the stability of a wired Ethernet connection remains superior, the reality is that with technologies like Wi-Fi 6 and Wi-Fi 7, in many homes the experience of using a wired connection versus Wi-Fi has become almost indistinguishable in terms of speed and latency.

One of the biggest recent revolutions has been the popularization of WiFi Mesh networks . This approach involves having several nodes distributed throughout the home, each acting as an access point and extending coverage evenly. The result is that even large or poorly laid-out houses can be almost completely covered without dead zones.

The WiFi Alliance gave a key boost when it forced manufacturers to offer interoperable Mesh devices , allowing nodes from different brands to be combined within the same system, something that was previously almost impossible without committing to a single closed ecosystem.

Meanwhile, wired connectivity is also undergoing its own evolution, moving from Gigabit Ethernet (1 GbE) networks to 10 GbE connections . Major PC motherboard manufacturers already include models with 10 GbE ports, and high-end routers are beginning to incorporate both 10 GbE WAN and LAN to take full advantage of next-generation fiber connections.

To take advantage of this increased bandwidth, the router alone is not enough: the entire infrastructure needs to support 10 GbE , from the switch to the end devices and their storage units, making this transition a gradual but unstoppable process in advanced home environments and small businesses.

Gaming routers occupy a special category , incorporating specific technologies to reduce lag, prioritize game traffic, and, in many cases, offering subscriptions to gaming-focused VPNs that establish an optimized tunnel between the player and the servers. These features are usually linked to paid services once the promotional period ends.

WiFi Mesh systems with WiFi 7: the example of the TP-Link Deco BE3600

If you experience occasional outages, bottlenecks, or a weak signal in certain rooms at home, one of the most interesting solutions is to opt for a WiFi Mesh system with WiFi 7, such as the TP-Link Deco BE3600 , which is starting to appear on the market with attractive discounts.

This three-node Deco BE3600 pack offers dual-band WiFi 7 connectivity, with combined speeds of up to 3,6 Gbps (approximately 2.892 Mbps on 5 GHz and 688 Mbps on 2,4 GHz). The idea is to cover good-sized homes while maintaining a single SSID, so users can move around their house without worrying about which access point they're connected to.

Each Deco BE3600 unit includes two Gigabit Ethernet ports , allowing you to both connect wired devices and establish a wired backhaul between nodes to free up airtime from internal traffic and make better use of the available WiFi band.

Its advanced features include the ability to create a unified network with smart roaming , advanced parental controls to manage screen time and content, and a real-time IoT security system to monitor threats and protect connected devices such as cameras, smart plugs, or smart speakers.

An important detail is that this system is compatible with all generations of WiFi and with any Internet provider , since it can be connected behind the operator's router or configured as the main router, adapting to different scenarios without major complications.

Portable routers with WiFi 7: the TP-Link TL-WR3602BE for travel

The rise of remote work and frequent travel has led many users to consider carrying their own router in their backpack. TP-Link has capitalized on this trend by launching the TP-Link TL-WR3602BE, a portable router with WiFi 7 that directly targets the travel router market.

Initially unveiled at CES 2025 and now available in some markets, this model stands out for being very compact (approximately 12 x 9 x 3,5 cm) and easy to transport, but at the same time capable of providing very competitive performance thanks to its support for WiFi 7.

On the 5 GHz band it can reach speeds of up to 2882 Mbps and on 2,4 GHz around 688 Mbps , in addition to supporting up to 90 devices connected at the same time, so it can easily cover the needs of a family, a workgroup or even small events.

In terms of physical connectivity, it includes a 2,5 Gbps WAN port, a Gigabit Ethernet port, and a USB 3.0 port , allowing you to connect some devices by cable, share storage, or use it for different advanced operating modes.

Power is supplied via a USB Type-C port , allowing it to be connected to either a standard power adapter or a power bank. This makes it possible to use it virtually anywhere, from a hotel room to a train or a temporary office.

Usage modes and advanced functions of the TL-WR3602BE portable router

One of the TL-WR3602BE's biggest selling points is its exceptional configuration flexibility. The device offers seven distinct operating modes : classic router, hotspot (for sharing an existing connection), USB tethering, USB modem, access point (AP), network extender (repeater), and client.

This allows, for example, creating a private network in a hotel by taking advantage of the public WiFi connection , connecting a mobile phone via tethering to share its data connection, or extending the signal of an existing wireless network in a holiday home or shared office.

One particularly useful feature is captive portal management , which allows the router to handle logging into public WiFi networks (such as those in hotels or airports) and share that connection with multiple devices without each one having to go through the authentication process.

Furthermore, the TL-WR3602BE can act as both a VPN client and server , supporting protocols such as WireGuard and OpenVPN. This makes it ideal for those who need encrypted and secure connections, and it allows for easy integration with providers like Surfshark or NordVPN.

Compared to other popular portable routers, such as GL.iNet models (for example, the Beryl AX GL-MT3000, highly regarded for being based on OpenWrt), TP-Link's device takes a generational leap by incorporating WiFi 7 and a 2,5 Gbps WAN port , placing it at the top of the market for users who need maximum speed and low latency, especially if they manage many devices.

Carrier-provided routers versus your own routers: what to consider

With so many router launches by operators and manufacturers, many users are wondering whether it's worth sticking with the router installed by their company or opting for their own mid-range or high-end equipment.

Routers provided by internet service providers (ISPs) typically have the advantage of being integrated into the service, offering direct technical support, and, in many cases, receiving automatic updates . Furthermore, they increasingly include advanced technologies such as WiFi 6, WiFi 7, 10GbE support, and integrated Mesh features.

On the other hand, routers from independent manufacturers allow much more customization of the network, choosing the WiFi standard and the features that best suit the use that will be given to it, and in general they offer more advanced configuration options, detailed QoS, VPN, granular parental control or integration with voice assistants.

In any case, with the arrival of WiFi 7, operators like Movistar, Digi, and Orange are narrowing the gap with specialized manufacturers, as they are starting to offer cutting-edge equipment at no extra cost in their most advanced plans , which means that more and more users are sticking with the official router for convenience and performance.

Everything suggests that in the coming years we will see a coexistence of very complete operator routers, manufacturer WiFi Mesh systems, portable routers for travel and specific gaming or professional solutions, giving rise to a very varied ecosystem where each user will be able to choose exactly the type of network they need.