ARRIS unveils Wi-Fi 6 Tri-Band AX6600 Mesh SURFboard mAX System

Well, folks, with 2020, the Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) revolution is truly here. At this point, no one should be buying an 802.11ac router, After all, you can score a nice Wi-Fi 6 router for under $100. Of course, for many larger homes, a single router simply isn't enough. Instead, mesh systems are all the rage these days. If you aren't familiar, mesh is when two or more access points are used together for a single network. Basically, it should give you better Wi-Fi range without needing to mess around with extenders other other clunky add-ons.

Today, ARRIS unveils its latest mesh system, and it uses the aforementioned Wi-Fi 6. The AX6600 Mesh SURFboard mAX System is tri-band and features up to 5500 square feet of Wi-Fi coverage. It features a Quad-core ARM-A7 Cortex processor and has optional Amazon Alexa support. Each access point features two Gigabit Ethernet ports -- one wan and one wan/lan. This means the unit that connects to the modem will only be able to connect to one other hardwired device, but the second unit can connect to two.

"The SURFboard mAX AX6600's advanced software makes it simple and convenient to manage the system’s powerful technology. Using Alexa, consumers can manage their SURFboard mAX system's guest Wi-Fi, pause and unpause Wi-Fi access, and schedule specific Wi-Fi access times. With Alexa's Wi-Fi Access feature, consumers can simply say: 'Alexa, pause the Wi-Fi for 30 minutes' or 'Alexa, turn off the Wi-Fi for Sarah' from compatible Alexa-enabled devices for easy voice control," says ARRIS.

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Evan Groat, senior vice president, Home Networks Retail Products Group explains, "SURFboard mAX represents the whole-home coverage and gigabit speeds that consumers expect from our flagship Wi-Fi portfolio in a new performance tier designed to meet the needs of an even greater range of consumers. Now, people upgrading their home network have a new, powerful and stylish option to support their ultra-high-definition 4K content, high-performance gaming, and connected lifestyle for years to come."

ARRIS will be selling the Wi-Fi 6 Tri-Band AX6600 Mesh SURFboard mAX System in the second quarter of 2020. In other words, you pretty much have a minimum of three months to wait before it hits stores. With the release date so far off, official pricing is not yet being revealed. With that said, the AX7800 currently sells for $425 on Amazon here, while the AX11000 is $650 on Amazon here. The AX6600 should cost less than both of those.