This wireless router can’t possibly be good… can it? - Minion Routers

ShortCircuit

12 Apr 202410:32

Summary

TLDRThe video script discusses the reviewer's experience with Minion-themed Wi-Fi routers named Bob and Kevin. Bob is an AX1800 Wi-Fi 6 router, while Kevin is a more expensive, AX5400 Wi-Fi 6E tri-band router with additional features like a 2.5 GbE Uplink Port and an upgraded Qualcomm processor. Despite their novelty appearance, both routers offer mesh support and WPA 3 security. The review highlights the routers' performance out of the box, noting issues with band switching and antenna pickup patterns, ultimately concluding that while they are charming, their performance limitations may not suit all users.

Takeaways

🛍️ The Minion Wi-Fi routers, Bob and Kevin, were purchased as novelty items but are also functional networking devices.
🌐 Bob is an AX1800 Wi-Fi 6 router, while Kevin is an AX5400 Wi-Fi 6E router, indicating different levels of performance and support for newer Wi-Fi standards.
📈 Kevin supports tri-band frequencies (2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, and 6 GHz) at 160 MHz channel widths, a feature typically found in higher-end routers.
🔋 Kevin comes with a 2.5 Gb Uplink Port and an upgraded Qualcomm processor, as well as 512 MB of RAM, suggesting a focus on performance.
🔍 The routers are designed by Davincom, a Korean company specializing in business and education networking since 2000.
🖇️ Both routers support mesh networking, allowing for a network of Bobs connected to a Kevin for internet connection.
🔐 They support the latest WPA 3 security protocol, which is important for securing Wi-Fi networks.
📦 The box contents are minimal but include everything needed for setup, except for a network switch if more than one wired connection is needed.
🛠️ The setup process is straightforward, involving scanning QR codes for easy configuration, although the reviewer encountered issues with Apple devices.
📊 Out-of-the-box performance was decent but not exceptional, with good speed and transfer rates but issues with band switching and antenna pickup patterns.
🚫 The routers may not be suitable for larger spaces or for users who need consistent performance across different areas of a home or office due to antenna limitations.

Q & A

What are the minions Wi-Fi routers referred to in the script?
-The minions Wi-Fi routers mentioned in the script are named Bob and Kevin.
What Wi-Fi standards do the Bob and Kevin routers support?
-The Bob version supports Wi-Fi 6 (AX1800), while the Kevin version supports Wi-Fi 6E (AX5400).
How many frequency bands does the Kevin router support?
-The Kevin router is tri-band, supporting 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, and 6 GHz each at 160 MHz channel widths.
What is special about the Uplink Port in the Kevin router?
-The Kevin router features a 2.5 Gig Uplink Port, which is notable at its price point and indicates a focus on performance.
What processor does the Kevin router use compared to the Bob version?
-The Kevin router uses an upgraded Qualcomm processor, while the Bob version uses a more basic dual-core MIPS IIA processor.
How much RAM does the Kevin router have?
-The Kevin router has 512 megabytes of RAM.
What company designed the minions routers?
-The routers are designed by Davincom, a Korean company specializing in business and education networking since 2000.
Does the minions router support mesh networking?
-Yes, the minions routers support mesh networking, allowing for multiple routers to be connected and configured together.
What security protocol does the minions router support?
-The minions routers support WPA 3, which is an important security feature for modern Wi-Fi networks.
What were the main concerns raised about the minions routers online?
-The main concerns were the lack of support for PPPoE and a vulnerability where the Wi-Fi passphrase is passed to the console in plain text, requiring physical access to the device.
What was the reviewer's final recommendation regarding the minions routers?
-The reviewer could not recommend the minions routers for anything other than their cuteness factor and suggested looking elsewhere for better performance, such as an ISP-provided access point.

Outlines

00:00

🛍️ Unboxing and Initial Impressions of Minion Wi-Fi Routers

The paragraph begins with the narrator sharing their experience of discovering Minion-themed Wi-Fi routers on Reddit and subsequently purchasing them. The routers are named Bob and Kevin, with Bob being an AX1800 (Wi-Fi 6) and Kevin an AX5400 (Wi-Fi 6E). The narrator highlights the unique features of the routers, such as the 2.5 Gbps Uplink Port on Kevin and the upgraded Qualcomm processor compared to Bob's dual-core MIPS processor. The routers are designed by Davin, a Korean company specializing in business and education networking. The narrator also mentions the inclusion of a QR code for the installation guide and the lack of additional information online beyond what's provided on the box. The paragraph concludes with the narrator expressing surprise at the detailed design of the routers, including the Minion's shoes and cable.

05:02

🔧 Setup Process and Initial Testing of Minion Routers

This paragraph details the setup process of the Minion routers, which involves scanning QR codes for easy configuration. The narrator encounters issues with the setup on an iPhone due to Apple's default DNS settings but finds success on Android and other devices. The control panel features a default admin username of 'Bob,' adding to the novelty of the product. The narrator discusses the lack of certain features in the Wi-Fi settings and addresses concerns raised online about the routers, including a lack of PPPe support and a potential security vulnerability. The paragraph concludes with the narrator conducting performance tests on the routers, noting decent out-of-the-box performance but highlighting issues with the routers' ability to switch between Wi-Fi bands and poor horizontal pickup pattern.

10:04

📶 Evaluation of Minion Routers' Performance and Practicality

In the final paragraph, the narrator evaluates the practicality of using the Minion routers as functional Wi-Fi access points. Despite their cute design, the narrator finds that the routers are not recommended for anything beyond their novelty factor due to their performance limitations. The narrator notes that the routers work well in extremely small spaces but advises users seeking better performance to look elsewhere. The paragraph ends with a comparison to an ISP-provided access point and a recommendation to subscribe to 'Short Circuit' for more tech-related content.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Minions Wi-Fi routers

Minions Wi-Fi routers are novelty networking devices designed with the appearance of minions from the popular animated film series. These routers are not just for aesthetic appeal but are functional devices intended to provide Wi-Fi access to users. In the video, the reviewer has purchased these routers and is testing their functionality and performance.

💡Wi-Fi 6 and Wi-Fi 6E

Wi-Fi 6 and Wi-Fi 6E are standards for wireless networking technology. Wi-Fi 6, also known as 802.11ax, offers improved performance in congested areas and enhanced security with WPA 3. Wi-Fi 6E extends Wi-Fi 6 by adding support for the 6 GHz frequency band, which provides more bandwidth and less interference. These standards are significant in the context of the video as they define the capabilities of the Minions routers being reviewed.

💡AX1800 and AX5400

AX1800 and AX5400 are specific model numbers that refer to the performance and capabilities of networking devices. These numbers indicate the maximum theoretical speed and the Wi-Fi technology used. For instance, AX1800 implies support for Wi-Fi 6 with a maximum speed of approximately 1800 Mbps, while AX5400 implies a higher performance device with support for Wi-Fi 6E and speeds up to 5400 Mbps.

💡Tri-band

Tri-band refers to a type of Wi-Fi router that has three separate wireless frequency bands, typically 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, and a second 5 GHz or 6 GHz band. This configuration allows for better performance by reducing congestion and providing dedicated bandwidth for certain devices or tasks.

💡2.5 Gig Uplink Port

A 2.5 Gig Uplink Port refers to an Ethernet port that supports speeds of up to 2.5 Gbps (Gigabits per second). This is significant for networking devices as it allows for faster wired connections, which can be beneficial for devices that require high-speed data transfer, such as servers or high-performance computers.

💡Qualcomm processor

A Qualcomm processor refers to a system-on-chip (SoC) designed and manufactured by Qualcomm, a leading company in the semiconductor industry. These processors are known for their efficiency and performance, often used in networking devices to handle complex tasks and improve the overall functionality of the device.

💡Mesh networking

Mesh networking is a type of network topology where nodes (routers or access points) are interconnected, allowing data to be transmitted through multiple paths. This enhances network coverage, reliability, and performance by providing alternative routes for data and reducing the impact of a single node failure.

💡WPA 3

WPA 3, or Wi-Fi Protected Access 3, is the latest security protocol for Wi-Fi networks. It provides improved security features such as stronger encryption and easier configuration for devices, making it more difficult for unauthorized users to access the network.

💡Performance

In the context of networking devices, performance refers to the efficiency, speed, and reliability with which a router can transmit data over a network. It is a critical factor in determining the quality of the user's internet experience, especially in terms of activities that require high bandwidth or low latency, such as streaming or online gaming.

💡Antenna pickup pattern

The antenna pickup pattern of a wireless router refers to the physical coverage area of the Wi-Fi signal emitted by the router's antennas. It describes how effectively the router can transmit its signal in different directions and how well it penetrates obstacles such as walls or floors.

💡Novelty item

A novelty item is an object that is unusual, interesting, or amusing, often due to its unique design or concept. In the context of the video, the Minions Wi-Fi routers are considered novelty items because of their distinctive appearance based on characters from a popular animated film, which may initially lead consumers to question their functionality and performance.

Highlights

The user purchased Minion-themed Wi-Fi routers named Bob and Kevin, inspired by a post on Reddit.

Bob is an AX1800 Wi-Fi 6 router, while Kevin is an AX5400 Wi-Fi 6E router, indicating different levels of performance and support for newer Wi-Fi standards.

The Kevin version is tri-band, supporting 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, and 6 GHz each at 160 MHz channel widths, which is unusual for a novelty item.

Kevin features a 2.5 Gb Uplink Port and an upgraded Qualcomm processor, compared to the dual-core MIPS IIA processor in Bob.

Both routers have 512 megabytes of RAM, which is surprisingly ample for devices perceived as novelty items.

Designed by Davincom, a Korean company specializing in business and education networking, the routers also support mesh networking and WPA 3.

The physical design of the routers is detailed, with attention to features like the Minion's shoes and cable.

The setup process involves scanning QR codes, but the user encountered issues with Apple devices, which were not present with Android or desktop/laptops.

The control panel has a default admin username of 'Bob', adding to the novelty and charm of the product.

The user discusses a sponsor, manscaped, offering a discount with the code 'circuit', highlighting a humorous and somewhat unrelated product placement.

The Minion routers were tested for functionality, with Bob achieving 500 Mbps download and 700 Mbps upload, showing reasonable out-of-the-box performance.

When moving away from the router and through walls, the routers struggled to switch between bands effectively, leading to inconsistent connections.

The antenna pickup pattern was found to be vertically strong but horizontally poor, affecting the router's ability to provide consistent Wi-Fi coverage across a space.

The user concludes that while the Minion routers are charming and cute, they are not recommended for performance, except in very small spaces or as a novelty accessory.

The review suggests looking to an ISP-provided access point for better performance over the novelty Minion routers.