Main features
This new router with 5G connectivity is very similar to the FRITZ! Box 6850 LTE, in fact, it is exactly the same router with all the technical characteristics, but this new model has an integrated 5G modem, but it is also compatible with 4G LTE networks and 3G networks, therefore, we will have maximum versatility.
Mobile broadband features
This new FRITZ! Box 6850 5G router has a SIM card slot (mini SIM size) which will be the Internet WAN, we do not have a dedicated Ethernet port for this, nor can we use a LAN port to use it as an Internet WAN, therefore, the only way to connect to the Internet is through of the built-in 5G / 4G / 3G modem.
East 5G modem supports 4 × 4 MIMO and supports so much 5G SA (Standalone) as also 5G NSA (Non Standalone), so it is compatible with all operators that use either of both technologies, ideal for connecting without having any problem. It also has Dynamic Spectrum Sharing (DSS) technology, in addition, it is compatible with all frequency bands that will be used in Spain for 5G technology. The built-in 5G modem will provide us with a speed of up to 1.3Gbps of download and a speed of 600Mbps of upload, it is compatible with bands 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 41 and 78, so we will have maximum compatibility with operators.
The modem also supports 4G LTE technology, in this case we have a modem LTE Advanced Pro cat 16, so we can achieve a theoretical speed of 1Gbps download and 211Mbps upload, in addition, it is compatible with the FDD bands 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28 and 32 as well as the TDD bands 38, 40, 41, 42 and 43. In this case we will also have the best possible compatibility. Lastly, the modem supports technology HSPA + and UMTS up to 42Mbps speed.
To connect to the telephone tower with the best possible coverage, we have a total of 2 internal antennas and 2 external antennas through an SMA connection where we will install the removable external antennas. This will allow us to get the best coverage, and therefore the best possible speed.
WiFi Features
This router has simultaneous dual band with AC1300 Wi-Fi. In the 2.4GHz band we can achieve a speed of up to 400Mbps speed, thanks to its two internal antennas in MIMO 2T2R configuration. In the 5GHz band we can achieve a speed of up to 867Mbps, thanks to its two internal antennas in MU-MIMO 2T2R and the 80MHz channel width.
This router has the typical physical WPS (Wi-Fi Protected Setup) button that will allow us to connect wireless devices easily, just by pressing a button, without the need for any access key. The firmware allows us to choose a specific PIN for the WiFi client to enter, however, our recommendation is not to use the WPS to avoid security problems.
The most remarkable thing at the WiFi level of this router is that it supports FRITZ! Mesh, so we can configure other routers, Wi-Fi repeaters and Powerline PLC from the manufacturer easily and quickly to have a complete meshed WiFi network. AVM’s WiFi Mesh system is one of the most advanced that exists, and we are going to have both WiFi roaming and band-steering, with the aim of having the best possible user experience. The FRITZ! OS firmware also has WPA3-Personal, so we can have the best possible security.
Wired features, USB and more
This router has a total of four Gigabit Ethernet ports for the LANThese ports will allow us to transfer data through the local network at 1Gbps, and will also allow us to make the most of the 5G modem that this router incorporates for the Internet WAN. A very important aspect is that this router currently does not allow to configure the LAN1 port as Internet WAN, there are other AVM models that do allow this functionality, so we would have the perfect combination: main Ethernet WAN port, and the 5G connection as secondary. Of course, this model does not have a dedicated WAN port, we only have 5G connectivity.
This FRITZ! Box 6850 5G router does have one high-performance USB 3.0 port, the FRITZ! OS firmware has everything you need to make the most of this port, as it incorporates Samba servers, FTP, print server and DLNA media server to play multimedia content on a local network. Thanks to all these features, we are going to have great versatility when using this USB port.
How could it be otherwise, the FRITZ! Box 6850 5G has integrated IP telephony, we have both a TAE and an RJ-11 port to connect analog telephones. We also have a DECT base to connect up to 6 cordless telephones simultaneously, and to be able to make calls via VoIP. The firmware has very advanced configuration options, so we can configure it with any provider. Thanks to this DECT base, we will have the possibility of connecting home automation devices such as FRITZ! DECT smart plugs.
FRITZ! OS Firmware
One of the most important aspects of any AVM router is its FRITZ! OS firmware. This operating system is one of the most complete, fast and advanced that we can currently find in a home router. This firmware has a huge amount of basic and advanced configuration options, we have extensive configurations for the WiFi and wired wireless network, as well as for the Internet WAN part, showing us the detailed status of the 5G network to which it has been connected the router. We also have services that are essential today, such as a VPN server with IPsec, support for WPA3, guest WiFi, WiFi scheduler, a very advanced and configurable QoS, as well as email alerts of everything that happens in the local network domestic.
For the more expert users, we have an advanced view with all the functions at our disposal, so we will not miss anything. Finally, AVM has different apps for Android and iOS smartphones with which we can access our WiFi router locally and remotely, in this way, we can make certain basic settings from the application. However, the FRITZ! OS operating system adapts perfectly to our mobile phone, so if we access it via the web, we can make any configuration without problems with the visualization.
Unboxing and first impressions
In RedesZone we already have with us the new FRITZ! Box 6850 5G, a very interesting device because it is the highest-end device that we can buy, therefore, the price is also very high. This model will allow us to provide Internet connectivity to our home, even if we are in a town and we only have Internet through mobile broadband. If you want to buy the best 5G router for your home, this model is what you are looking for. We must bear in mind that by having two external antennas for the mobile broadband network, we will surely achieve better coverage inside our home, therefore, we will have higher speed than with our smartphones or tablets that also have 5G connectivity.
Some basic recommendations to have the best 5G network speed is to bring it as close as possible to the windows of our home, or in areas where we have the best possible coverage. With our own smartphone, if we have the same operator as the router’s SIM card, we can see in which areas of our house we have better coverage, with the aim of placing it right there. Thanks to the fact that we have FRITZ! Mesh, we could extend the WiFi coverage throughout the house if we had the router placed in one of the corners.
Below, you can see the video that we have recorded explaining its characteristics in detail, and where you can see this new router up close.
Soon we will offer you a complete analysis where you can see the real performance in the WiFi network, wired, speed of the USB 3.0 port and also the speed we achieve via 5G connectivity.
