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The WAX630E is Netgear's first tri-band Wi-Fi 6E business-class access point. And it can be a viable alternative to the company's quad-band Orbi RBKE960 series, especially in terms of cost.
Dubbed as a "Wi-Fi 6 Release 2" device by Netgear—a naming reminiscent of the WAVE 2 in Wi-Fi 5—the WAX630E's full name is Insight App Managed Wi-Fi 6E tri-band AXE7800.
The mournful name aside, the Netgear WAX630E is, in a nutshell, similar to the traditional tri-band WAX630, with one of the 5GHz bands swapped out for a 6GHz band. But that makes all the difference.
Unlike the WAX214, a standalone locally managed access point, the WAX630E is designed to be cloud-managed via Netgear's Insight service.
Since earlier 2021, Insight has no longer had the basic free tier. Instead, it costs $10 or $22 per year per device for the Premium or Pro tier.
But the WAX630E does have a local web interface to work as a standalone access point. This review looks at the hardware mostly as such.
If you're looking to blanket a large property, wired with network cables, with reliable Wi-Fi in all three bands --- 2.4GHz, 5GHz, and the new 6GHz --, at the suggested retail price of some $390 apiece, the WAX630E is worth the consideration.
Dong's note: I first published this post on February 22, 2022, as a new piece and upgraded it to a full review on March 25, after thorough hands-on testing.
Netgear WAX630E: A gigantic design meet relatively modest 6GHz band
Taking the WAX630E out of the box, I was appalled by how huge it is. The new AP is about four times the mass of the WAX214, which is not exactly small.
While the size doesn't bother me—I have larger hands—it can be a challenge to find a good mounting place for it. And wall/ceiling mounting is the only thing the AP is ready for, out of the box. Indeed, it doesn't include a power adapter or a PoE injector.
This type of plain packaging is relatively standard in business APs. I've run into the same issue all previous business access points I've, the latest being the Zyxel WAX630S, and by now, I'm used to that practice.
The idea is that you use these APs with an existing PoE switch. If you don't have one, you will need to pay extra for the powering accessory.
The Netgear WAX630E supports 802.3bt PoE (PoE++) but will also work with the older 802.3at (PoE+) standard. In this case, its 5GHz band will operate at 50%. Considering it has a 2.5Gbps PoE port, you'll need an injector that can handle that speed.
I tested it with one.
The lop-sided Wi-Fi bands
The new AP is the first from Netgear and one of the first, if not the first, on the market, with the new Tri-band configuration. Featuring Wi-Fi 6E, it incorporates three existing bands, including 2.4GHz, 5GHz, and 6GHz.
But compared to previous 6GHz-ready broadcasters, including Netgear's Orbi RBKE960 and RAXE500, it does have a bit of a downward twist, especially considering its massive size.
The WAX630E was the first 6E broadcaster that used the 2x2 configuration for the 6GHz band to cap at 2400Mbps. To make the matter more strange, its 5GHz band features 4x4 Wi-Fi 6 to deliver twice the speed, up to 4800Mbps via 160MHz bandwidth.
The thing is, the new 6GHz is a clean band for Wi-Fi and is, therefore, where you can count on the consistent use of the 160MHz channel width. On the 5GHz, the 160MHz is always hit or miss due to DFS and cramped airspace.
Extra on Wi-Fi bandwidth: 5GHz vs. 6GHz
The 5GHz or 6GHz Wi-Fi band can handle 160MHz bandwidth to deliver their top performances, currently at 4800Mbps for both.
The 5GHz has just two 160MHz channels, and both must use Dynamic Frequency Selection (DFS) portions of the spectrum. Since RADAR has the first dibs on DFS channels, a broadcaster's 5GHz Wi-Fi band might periodically exhibit disconnections.
On the other hand, the 6GHz band has seven 160MHz channels of its own—none use DFS. As a result, while 160MHz on the 5GHz band is a luxury, it's a norm on the 6GHz.
So with the WAX630E, it seems Netgear has invested in the wrong bands, and chances are the WAX630E will deliver the same real-world bandwidth on its 5GHz and 6GHz bands.
But these lop-sided Wi-Fi bands might be a new trend in Wi-Fi 6E broadcasters. The recently announced eero Pro 6E also uses this configuration.
With that, let's check out the WAX63E's detailed photos and its specs versus others in Netgear's WAX6xx family of PoE access points.
Netgear WAX630E: Detail photos
Netgear WAX630E vs. WAX630 vs. other Insight WAPs: Hardware specifications
| WAX630E | WAX630 | WAX620 | WAX610 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Name | Insight App Managed Wi-Fi 6E tri-band AXE7800 Tri-band Wireless Access Point | Insight App Managed Wi-Fi 6 AX6000 Tri-band Wireless Access Point | Insight App Managed Wi-Fi 6 AX3600 Dual-band Wireless Access Point | Insight App Managed Wi-Fi 6 AX1800 Dual-band Wireless Access Point |
| Wi-Fi Standards | Tri-band AXE7800 | Tri-band AX6000 | Dual-band AX3600 | Dual-band AX1800 |
| 1st Band 2.4GHz (channel width) | 2x2 AX Up to 600Mbps (20/40MHz) | 4×4 AX Up to 1200Mbps (20/40MHz) | 2x2 AX Up to 600Mbps (20/40MHz) | |
| 2nd Band 5GHz (channel width) | 4x4 AX Up to 4800Mbps (20/40/80/160MHz) | 5GHz-1 (Lower channels) 2x2 AX Up to 2400Mbps (20/40/80+80MHz) | 4x4 AX Up to 2400Mbps (20/40/80MHz) | 2x2 AX Up to 1200Mbps (20/40/80MHz) |
| 3rd Band (channel width) | 6GHz 2x2 AXE Up to 2400Mbps (20/40/80/160MHz) | 5GHz-2 (Upper channels) 2x2 AX Up to 2400Mbps (20/40/80MHz) | None | |
| Backward Compatibility | 802.11ac/n/g/a/b | |||
| Power over Ethernet (PoE) | 802.3bt or 802.3at (50% 5GHz performance) | 802.3bt or 802.3at (50% 5GHz-1 performance) | 802.11at or 802.3af (60% performance) | |
| Power Consumption | 27.64W | 30.1W | 25.5W | 15.3W |
| Network Port | 1x 2.5Gbps Multi-Gig PoE, 1x Gigabit | 1x 2.5Gbps Multi-Gig PoE | ||
| Security | WPA, WPA2, WPA3 | |||
| Local Managed | Yes | |||
| Cloud-Managed | Netgear Insight Premium or Pro | |||
| Mobile App | NETGEAR Insight App | |||
| Mode | Access Point, Bridge, Repeater Mode | |||
| Dimensions (W x D x H) | 10.49 x 10.56 x 2.18 in (266.6 x 268.3 x 55.5 mm) | 8.09 x 8.09 x 1.35 in (205.7 x 205.7 x 34.3 mm) | 6.33 x 6.33 x 1.30 in (160.9 x 160.9 x 33.25 mm) | |
| Weight | 2.31 lb (1050 g) | 2.10 lb (956 g) | 1.72 lb (783 g) | 0.90 lb (412 g) |
| LED | Power and Cloud, LAN speed, 2.4GHz status, 5.0GHz status, 6.0GHz status | Power and Cloud, LAN speed, 2.4GHz status, 5.0GHz-1 status, 5.0GHz-2 status | Power and Cloud, LAN speed, 2.4GHz status, 5.0GHz status | |
| US Retail Cost (at launch) | $349.99 $369.99 (with power adapter) | $329.99 $339.99 (with power adapter) | $229.99 | $179.99 |
| Warranty | 5-year | |||
WAX630E vs. WAX630 vs. WAX620 vs. WAX610
Netgear WAX630E: A familiar Insight-managed WAP
Despite the Wi-Fi 6E novelty, the WAX630E remains similar to the rest of the WAPs within Netgear's Wi-Fi 6 Insight Managed family.
That said, if you have worked with a Netgear AP before, you'll find it right at home with the WAX630E. And similarly, after this AP, you'll be able to handle any of the other APs mentioned above.
The no-more-free Insight service
As an Insight-managed device, the WAX630E is designed to work with Netgear's Insight.
Specifically, you can use the Insight mobile app for setup and ongoing management. You can also use the cloud-based Insight web portal.
Insight is an excellent tool that used to be available with a free Basic level. Apart from allowing users to manage their access points remotely, it offers many configurations, settings, and the ability to turn multiple APs into a seamless mesh system.
Unfortunately, Netgear removed the Basic level in early 2021—the WAX630E comes with one free year of Premium subscription. Since then, Insight has become somewhat of a nuisance that negs you to subscribe.
That said, if you intend to use Insight, you'll have to pay $10 (Premium) or $22 (Pro) per device per year, and all is going to be fine and dandy—the experience is consistent across all Insight-managed devices, including the Orbi Pro. But if you don't want to subscribe, I'd recommend not starting the free trial.
Insight does require a login account and causes the AP to be linked permanently to a Netgear server. While that's not an issue when you manage a business network, it can be a privacy risk for a home. So, I decided to skip Insight completely for this review.
The good news is, you can use the WAX630E completely via its local web interface. In this case, you can not (easily) manage multiple units, nor can you set them up as a true mesh system. But if you only need a single unit, the local management is all you'd need.
The standard setup process, excellent local web management
With the local manager, managing the WAX630E is the same as the WAX214.
The setup process is simple.
First, mount the AP where you want to deliver the best coverage. Then connect it to the existing network via a PoE switch or Injector. You're done with the hardware.
To configure the AP's firmware, you need to open its web user interface via its local IP address. Since it's a network device and not a router, you first have to figure out this address using your current router. It's a fairly easy process, as I described in this post on IP addresses.
Now, from a network computer, navigate a web browser (Chrome, Firefox, Edge, etc.) to the IP address, and the rest is self-explanatory. You'll be asked to set up the login password and Wi-Fi information.
And that's it. Your Wi-Fi network is now ready. Generally, there's nothing else to do if you only care about Wi-Fi coverage. You manage your network's advanced settings via the router.
Lots of Wi-Fi and network settings
But the WAX630E has a lot more options.
You can create up to eight SSID (network names). You can make each available in any Wi-Fi band (2.4GHz, 5GHz, 6GHz) or all three. You can also customize their Wi-Fi settings in great detail, set up captive portals, Facebook integration, device isolation (Guest networks), etc.
On top of that, there are also QoS options for devices connected to the APs and even virtual private networks. You can also use the WDS (wireless distribution system) feature to set up a pseudo mesh system when using multiple units. (It works but is not a very good alternative to Insight).
But for most homes, a couple of SSIDs is probably all you'd need from the AP. By the way, each band of the AP can handle from 100 to 200 concurrent clients, way more than any home would ever need.
Netgear WAX630E: Not super-fast but still excellent performance
I tested the Netgear WAX630E for almost two weeks and generally had a great time with it. The AP was super reliable—we had no disconnection—and had excellent range.
It's hard to determine the correct coverage, and the devices have a different range for each band, but overall, when mounted at an optimal space (ceiling or high on a wall), you can expect it to cover some 2500 ft2 (233 m2) of residential space. Of course, your mileage will vary.
As for sustained throughput speeds, the AP was slightly disappointing. It reminded me of the Zyxel WAX630S—both have a 2.5Gbps PoE++ port. Overall, the AP's Wi-Fi didn't get over Gigabit in real-world usage, as you can see on the charge above.
In my anecdotal testing, though, at times, the AP did deliver Gig+ upload speed via my new 10Gbps fiberoptic Internet line. But its download speed generally stayed sub-Gigabit.
Netgear WAX630E's Rating
Pros
Wi-Fi 6E support, reliable performance with excellent coverage
2.5 Gbps PoE network port, extra Gigabit port
Excellent web local interface, tons of Wi-Fi settings, and lots of AP-related features
Cons
Bulky design, no power adapter or PoE injector included
Sustained throughput speeds could be better
No support for multiple units via local management, no free level of Insight-Managed cloud-based mesh setup
Conclusion
The Netgear Insight App Managed Wi-Fi 6E tri-band AXE7800 WAX630E access point is an excellent choice for a place that wants to add all the current flavor of Wi-Fi to an existing router.
Specifically, if you have an ISP-provided gateway stuck in a basement run a cable to this AP mounted in the middle of the property, and you'll get yourself an excellent Wi-Fi network.
You can pick any other local-manageable access point to get the same effect, but for now, the Netgear WAX630E is the only one that gives you Wi-Fi 6E.
For a small office with few 6E devices will WAX630 4x4x4 have better coverage then WAX630E 2x4x2?
The coverage is likely the same — more here. The difference is only in the bandwidth, which depends also on the backhaul link (the PoE line.)
Hi Dong.
“…you can use the WAX630E completely via its local web interface. In this case, you can not (easily) manage multiple units, nor can you set them up as a TRUE mesh system.”
What would a “FALSE” mesh system be like?
I’m looking for a WiFi 6E AP that I can use in a pair to cover a wider area with a single wireless network without requiring vendor cloud management or privacy concerns.
Is there any way to achieve this with local-only management?
You need to pay a monthly fee if you want to use more than one unit as a mesh with Netgear Insight Managed.
Generally, there’s no local managed mesh option if you want to use access points — local management is possible only when you use a single unit or when you’re willing to handle multiple units individually, without a mesh.
What you are looking for is #2 on this list of best DIY mesh.
Thanks so much. #2 and #3 are exactly what I was looking for.
I’m OK adding the hardware controller to the TP-Link solution.
Moreover, it does now have a WiFi 6E AP (albeit expensive):
https://www.tp-link.com/en/business-networking/omada-wifi-ceiling-mount/eap690e-hd/
I will gladly support your blog 🙂
Hello, could you add a little more detail on the mesh setup? I’m looking at adding 2 of these. If Insight is required to set up the mesh, is it also required to operate it, or could I cancel the sub and not lose that functionality?
You can’t use InSight Managed APs in a mess without paying, James. Period. And I mentioned that in the review.
If you don’t want to pay, go with TP-Link Omada, Asus’s AiMesh, or Synology Mesh.
In any case, it’d be best to pay attention to the already presented detail instead of looking for the detail you want, which might not exist.
Thanks, I did read the entire review but couldn’t tell for sure if the mesh would automatically end once the subscription ran out or if it would continue but be unmanageable. Either way it sounds like this model is not what I need, will check out your other recommendations.
It’s in the light bulb box right at the beginning, James.
I bought a WAX630E partially based on this article. The specs are great, but the unit I received has issues with the 2.4GHz radio being slow and laggy. Its top speed was ~20Mbps while sitting in the same room with it. After much useless back and forth with Netgear’s support, I got fed up and did a factory reset, which got it up to ~100Mbps but still far below the specs. I’ll spare you the long story and rants, but Netgear support is awful and wasted a lot of my time. Finally, after eight weeks and four randomly closed support cases, they refused to issue a refund but agreed to send a replacement. If you end up with a device that works well, you’re set. If you end up having to contact Netgear support, it might be so frustrating that you swear never to buy another Netgear product, just as I have.
That’s generally the case for all Wi-Fi 6 and Wi-Fi 6E broadcasters, Brian. If you want to enjoy the 2.4GHz, get a separate Wi-Fi 4 (802.11n) access point. I mean it.
Still, though, your number is most definitely incorrect. Likely because you use a client that doesn’t support Wi-Fi 6. Also, terrible tech support is the least bad thing about Netgear — more here.
I also bought the WAX630E based on Dong’s review. The unit is nice enough and I get solid performance on 2.4GHz and *decent* performance on 6GHz, but MAN OH MAN, is 5GHz ever problematic, for me.
My PSK has been the same for years: two forward slashes followed by 25 letters and numbers. The 5GHz band completely breaks and oftentimes the whole unit locks up, when I create a 5GHz SSID with that PSK. I reported the bug to Netgear.
I changed my PSK by removing the slashes and the unit no longer crashes. However, I still find that 5GHz and 6GHz drop relatively often – something that never happened on my Asus AX11000 (Merlin).
I’ve had it for less than a week and I am likely to either go for a one-to-one exchange or possibly “downgrade” to the WAX630.
I’m a “bleeding edge”-kinda guy and I love the idea of having 6GHz before anybody I know, but I also like having a network on which I can rely.
I’ll keep you posted.
Nice Article!!!
Hi, again, Dong.
I noticed that the PoE requirements for this AP is PoE++. The current switch I’m looking at contains only PoE+. As this AP is most likely my only PoE device that requires PoE++, is there a simple remedy to augment my switch to provide the necessary power? Is it as easy as adding a single PoE++ injector to my switch?
This one will work with PoE+ as mentioned in the review. And yes, you can get a PoE++ injector which will work with any switch. More on PoE in this post.
Hi, Dong. I will have a wired home and am looking at the WAX630E as my access point. It will be centrally located in my home, but we will have a above garage apartment that may be be a touch out of range. The garage apartment will also be wired. Your article mentions that it is possible to add another access point, which I might do if I discover the wireless to be less than ideal in the garage, but does it need to be an identical WAX630E, or will a less expensive PoE in the Netgear family work harmoniously with the WAX630E? Thank you.
You can use any access point, Brad, and it will work. Even if you use another Netgear AP, you’ll have to opt for the Insight Managed portal to have seamless handoff — it’s NOT worth it. In your case, any AP with the same Wi-Fi SSID and password will work, not as well as a real mesh but very close — more in this post. Good luck!
Can Access points from one company be used by another company’s router or is it a better to solidly stick with the same company products
As standard access points, they generally work the same no matter which router you use, Harry. However, hardware of the same vendor tends to have a particular mode or share the same firmware, making them work better together or easier to manage, though that’s not always the case. The Asus RP-AX56 is an example.
I tend to stay away from subscription model. Not allowing you to mesh 2 devices without taking their subscription is a bummer. Hard to let go of my Asus router. More than 2 years, I am content with 2x RT-AX88Us in “True” mesh mode. Cheaper too.
Agreed.
The installation guide for the WAX630E/P indicates there’s a standalone management option via web-browser to a device hosted website on the local network.
Yeap, Jeff. It seems basically similar to the Orbi Pro.