D-Link AI-Powered Aquila Pro M60 AX6000 Wi-Fi 6 Mesh Systems Review

Given our reliance on the internet (particularly wireless Wi-Fi), a strong connection is a must. Although modems and routers work well in providing wireless, they have a limited range, with performance drops due to various factors that can cause the dreaded “dead zones”. These factors may be caused by the building layout itself or interference from other electrical devices. If you’re experiencing a weaker Wi-Fi signal, D-Link has a solution with their new Wi-Fi 6 technology.

Cue the D-Link Aquila Pro M60 AX6000 Wi-Fi 6 Mesh Systems, designed to improve your wireless home (or small office) networking experience. The D-Link AI-Powered Aquila Pro M60 AX6000 Wi-Fi 6 Mesh Systems are specifically built to extend the Wi-Fi signal by boosting spherical coverage in your home through the use of a special five-antenna array system.

In terms of theoretical speeds, the M60 supports speeds of up to 6Gbps, including a 160Mhz bandwidth, a 2.5G Internet WAN port, and four Gigabit LAN ports, making it ideal for gaming consoles (we’re looking at you, PS5) and other devices such as smart TVs or computers.

Depending on your home, D-Link offers three solutions: a single M60 ($329.95 AUD) that provides coverage of up to 280 square metres, a 2-pack M60 kit ($579.95 AUD) that covers up to 510 square metres, and a 3-pack M60 kit that powers up to 740 square metres for $799.95 AUD.

Unboxing Gallery

The design of the Aquila Pro M60 AX6000 Wi-Fi 6 Mesh Systems is easily the most aesthetically pleasing tech I’ve seen in years. According to D-Link, the inspiration for its design comes from the Aquila constellation, which is Latin for eagle.

Image courtesy of Starwalk

“Looking at the design, you can see the free-flowing lines that are definitely reminiscent of wings. Although they can be placed anywhere in the home or small office on a flat surface, they can also be wall-mounted. More importantly, their appearance blends well with everything and doesn’t look like a standard tech “box”.

From an eco-friendly perspective, the chassis is made from post-consumer recycled (PCR) material, and its packaging uses 99% natural plant-based Mineral Oil Free (MOF) ink. The gift box design reduces printing ink usage by over 55%. Conversely, the M60 uses the Wi-Fi 6 Target Wake Time (TWT) feature to reduce power consumption, including an ultra-low power standby mode at night to ensure energy efficiency. Green indeed.

So where does the AI come into the equation? To support the best possible Wi-Fi in your home, the M60 uses an AI Wi-Fi, Mesh, and Traffic Optimizer. This AI technology ensures the best channel for your devices, reduces interference, improves coverage, and has self-healing capabilities to address issues with the wireless connection (e.g., random latency issues). Additionally, with the AI Traffic Optimizer, it has AI-based QoS technology to make certain streaming services uninterrupted. Speaking of AI, it also has Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant voice control!

The Setup

There are several ways to set up the D-Link AI-Powered Aquila Pro M60 AX6000 Wi-Fi 6 Mesh Systems device to your network, and I chose the recommended method via the D-Link app. This essentially guides you through a wizard that allows you to link the M60 to your smartphone and then to your network. You have to do this for each Aquila device you have, so with the 3-kit, it was three times, obviously. The goal was to extend the Wi-Fi in our home, as opposed to setting it up as a router.

With that in mind, there is a disclaimer from D-Link recommending the use of the AQUILA PRO Ai Series Router for best performance, as opposed to the competition. I have NBN FTTP (fiber to the premise) and I’m using the ASUS ROG Rapture GT-BE98. ASUS also recommends not using a competitor’s device, but yes, both systems successfully communicated with each other. My complaint with the setup is that the instructions seemed a little vague via the app, as did the online manual. However, once I figured it out, my home network had a new mesh system in place.

Also, the app is quite straightforward, making navigation a breeze. However, just be warned that it does give you another app on your phone.

There is also a health mode that allows for scheduled Wi-Fi transmission hours to reduce possible effects of electromagnetic radiation. With that said, the jury is still out on this matter. (See sources: ARPANSA and PMC).

The Ultimate Test – The PlayStation Portal Fix

I love the PlayStation Portal, but if you’re using a Wi-Fi connection on your PlayStation 5, your mileage may vary. Before the Aquila came into the picture, my wireless connection to the PlayStation Portal was spotty—sometimes it worked flawlessly, other times I suffered lag that made the device unplayable. No matter what Wi-Fi settings I tweaked on the router or the PS5, there was no solution. One solution is a wired Ethernet for your PS5; however, that was not an option for me… until now. Once my “Aquila 2” was set up next to my PlayStation 5 console, I promptly plugged in a network cable and then ran the PlayStation Portal.

To date (it’s been several weeks now), I’ve had no issues with connectivity on my PlayStation Portal. Games such as Star Wars Outlaws (yes, it’s an awesome game), Astro Bot (another awesome game), and Mortal Kombat (outstanding victory) have worked perfectly on this portable device. So yes, an Ethernet connection will more than likely fix your PlayStation Portal woes. More importantly, a mesh system like the D-Link AI-Powered Aquila Pro M60 AX6000 was the solution for me.

And real-world tests? With FTTP, we can theoretically reach speeds of 1000Mbps (upload) and 50Mbps (download). We also tested the connection on Wi-Fi 5 to maximize distance and speed. However, once the three devices from the D-Link AI-Powered Aquila Pro M60 AX6000 Wi-Fi 6 Mesh Systems kit were installed, we ran our favorite test, SpeedTest from Ookla!

The first test was at 22 metres away with three walls in the way: 184Mbps (download) and 45.6Mbps (upload). Without the mesh system, it was 108Mbps (download) and 40.3Mbps (upload). The next test, at 20 metres away with just one wall and lots of kitchen appliances, the Aquila scored a very respectable 413Mbps (download) and 46.4Mbps (upload). Prior to the M60, it was 308Mbps (download) and 46.7Mbps (upload). The last test was the Aquila Pro M60 AX6000 right next to the router, and there was no real difference.

But as you can see in our tests, the mesh system from D-Link works. More importantly, it cured my PlayStation Portable woes and also one of my girls’ Wi-Fi issues on her smartphone.

Final Thoughts?

Extenders are dead! Long live the Mesh! The ability to improve your Wi-Fi has come a long way since the early days of extenders, and the new D-Link AI-Powered Aquila Pro M60 AX6000 Wi-Fi 6 Mesh Systems successfully delivers a product that actually works without the marketing lingo. Although I had a few hiccups with the setup, I figured it out. Once it was connected to a non-D-Link router, everything fell into place, and our Wi-Fi improved considerably. Best of all, the PlayStation Portal works like a treat thanks to the D-Link AI-Powered Aquila Pro M60 AX6000 Wi-Fi 6 Mesh Systems.

Recommended!

M60 AX6000 Wi-Fi 6 Mesh Systems key features

• Eco-friendly Design: With a housing made from post-consumer recycled materials and delivered in sustainable packaging, the M60 was designed to reduce its environmental impact
• Refined Aesthetics: Boasting an eagle-inspired form and a unique feather-patterned ventilation design, the M60 seamlessly complements any home décor
• Rapid Connectivity: Revel in speeds up to 6Gbps with an extra antenna on the faster 5GHz band, assuring seamless video streaming, video conferencing, and smooth gaming
• Uninterrupted Wi-Fi Everywhere: Enjoy robust 360° spherical coverage courtesy of a sophisticated antenna design and advanced AI technology, ensuring fast and consistent Wi-Fi in every corner of your home
• Scale-as-you-need Mesh: Futureproof your network and easily expand your coverage by adding more AQUILA PRO AI devices to create a whole home Mesh network
• Ultra-Fast Gigabit Wired Connections: 1 × 2.5G WAN port plus 4 × Gigabit LAN ports allow you to make fast and reliable connections to wired devices like smart TVs, gaming PCs and more
• Help Protect Your Home Network: Help keep your family safer online with our premium home network security features like Advanced Parental Controls, ETSI EN 303 645 cybersecurity certification and WPA3 encryption
• Simplified Setup and Management: The intuitive AQUILA PRO AI app helps guide you through setup and monitors your network to help you keep it running at peak performance.