My review/experience with the MikroTik hAP ax³

Summary

After a 60-day hiatus, the video creator returns with a review of the Microtech HAP AX3 router, an upgrade from their old Zyxel model. They highlight the sleek design, modern look, and improved security features like unique login credentials. The AX3 supports Wi-Fi 6 for faster speeds, has a 2.5 gigabit Ethernet port, and a USB 3.0 port for hosting containers. The creator shares their setup experience, including a minor configuration issue resolved quickly. They test the router's performance, noting an initial wireless speed issue resolved by firmware update. They successfully run containers like Pi-hole and Uptime Kuma, praising the router's functionality and performance, with plans for more wireless-related content.

Takeaways

• 😀 The speaker has been absent from video creation for over 60 days but remained active in the community.
• 🏠 They upgraded their home network from a Zyxel router provided by the ISP to a Microtech HAP AX3.
• 📦 The HAP AX3 comes with a modern design, a stand for different orientations, and a wall mounting kit.
• 🔐 The router now ships with unique login credentials instead of the default 'admin' and 'blank'.
• 🚀 The HAP AX3 supports Wi-Fi 6, offering a significant performance boost for compatible devices.
• 🔌 It features a 2.5 Gigabit Ethernet port, a USB 3.0 port, and external antennas for improved Wi-Fi coverage.
• 💾 The USB 3.0 port is used to connect an external drive to house containers.
• 📶 The speaker experienced a strange issue where adding an external drive caused the 2.4 GHz band to stop working.
• 🛠️ After updating the firmware, the issue with the 2.4 GHz band was resolved.
• 🌐 The router can host containers, and the speaker installed Pi-hole and Uptime Kuma for network monitoring and ad-blocking.
• 📈 The speaker is excited about creating more content, especially related to wireless networking.

Q & A

How long has it been since the speaker last uploaded a video?

It has been over 60 days since the speaker last uploaded a video.

What did the speaker upgrade from their ISP-provided Zyxel router?

The speaker upgraded to a Microtech HAP AX3 router.

What is the main reason the speaker is not creating videos?

The speaker has been busy with real-life (IRL) activities and has not had time to create videos.

What is the design of the Microtech HAP AX3 router like?

The Microtech HAP AX3 router is described as sleek, thin, and modern-looking.

How does the speaker feel about the new router's appearance?

The speaker is very hyped about the new router's appearance, thinking it looks pretty good.

What is the significance of the login credentials provided with the Microtech HAP AX3?

The login credentials provided with the Microtech HAP AX3 are a security-conscious change, showing the Wi-Fi username and password as well as admin credentials, instead of the default 'admin blank'.

What is the difference between the HAP AX3 and the HAP AX2 in terms of Ethernet port?

The HAP AX3 has a 2.5 gigabit Ethernet port, whereas the HAP AX2 does not.

What is the USB port capability on the HAP AX3?

The HAP AX3 has a USB 3.0 port, which can be used for various purposes like housing containers or connecting an LTE modem.

What was the issue the speaker encountered when setting up the router with triple PoE?

The speaker encountered an issue where their home devices could not access the internet through the new triple PoE interface. The problem was resolved by adding the triple PoE interface to the WAN interface list or by creating a new masquerade rule.

How did the speaker test the throughput on the new router?

The speaker initially used iperf for LAN testing and later switched to the bandwidth test tool provided by MikroTik for wireless testing to get accurate results.

What was the unexpected issue when the speaker tried to use the USB port for containers?

When the speaker added an external drive to the router, it caused the 2.4 gigahertz band to become unavailable. This was resolved by updating the firmware from version 7.6 to 7.8.

What containers did the speaker install on the router?

The speaker installed Pi-hole for ad blocking and Uptime Kuma for network monitoring.

What is the speaker's overall rating of the Microtech HAP AX3 router?

The speaker approves of the router and thinks it's an awesome device, with any issues encountered being their own fault.