So, here’s the thing. The Gryphon AX had the best averages out of all the mesh routers we tested before this review. Maybe we tested it during a good, low-interference day. Maybe we had the client devices positioned just right. Maybe it was because we could find the best channel. Who knows. Who cares? Just count us impressed by what a single Gryphon AX can do in terms of speed and range.

But we can’t, in good faith, compare the single Gryphon AX router with the other tested systems we have in-house since they’re all three-unit kits. Yes, we recorded a better score with the Eero Pro 6 kit at 30 feet, but we assume the increased performance stemmed from testing at the second router, which utilizes the best connection for increased router-to-router speeds.

So, when we look at the numbers, the Gryphon AX doesn’t have the long-range speeds we see on standalone Wi-Fi 6 routers. But given it’s designed to work with identical units, there are good speeds to be had here. You can’t go wrong with the Gryphon AX.

We almost always map out the web and mobile interfaces to pinpoint callout features that may be important to you. As a parent, this author zooms in on ways to set bedtimes, school hours, and content blocks. The Gryphon AX allows you to do just that, plus block ads, restrict YouTube content, and enable Safe Search. Good stuff for sure.

Another cool callout is the IoT network component. It creates a virtual network for IoT devices, so they’re not mingling with your computers, smartphones, and tablets. You can isolate this network too, preventing hackers from infiltrating your primary network through a compromised smart thermostat, for example.

What we wish the Gryphon AX did better

• Free security
• VPN tools

From what we’ve experienced with mesh networking kits, they’re platforms to sell services: usually premium parental controls and security. And while the Gryphon AX has enough free parental controls to keep your kids in check, we wished mesh systems like this one included free security, as seen with many standalone routers.

As for VPN tools, they’re more common in standalone routers than in years past. Mesh systems usually don’t offer VPN tools outside a subscription, and that needs to change. You can enable VPN passthrough on a per-profile basis with the Gryphon AX, but that’s it. There’s no built-in server or client.

The Gryphon AX is a small mesh router, so we can’t expect it to have the same number of buttons and ports seen on traditional standalone routers. The design reflects what we generally see across mesh systems released over the last few years. However, a Multi-Gig internet port would’ve been excellent for those with Gigabit (1,000 Mbps) or faster internet connections.

You can use the Gigabit Ethernet LAN port as a wired backhaul between your main Gryphon AX router and other Gryphon AX units you have on the network. This design translates to near-Gigabit wired speeds at each point. Otherwise, the routers use the third 5 GHz band for a wireless backhaul between them.

We talk more about the two 5 GHz radios in our FAQ.

The setup process isn’t any different than the other mesh networking kits we’ve tested. You need a cloud account to use them all—Gryphon Connect in this case—and you’re usually bombarded with a free trial to premium features towards the end. They generally cater to novice users too, offering step-by-step instructions on connecting the system to your modem or gateway.

The only difference we noticed with the Gryphon AX was that you can enable two-factor authentication for an extra layer of security on your Gryphon Connect account. You can toggle this later in Settings > User Account if you skip this step.

The Gryphon Connect does an excellent job categorizing everything you need to make network management a painless experience—even if you’re a novice user. The Home screen provides quick, easy access to the profiles you create, Wi-Fi login credentials, a speed test, and more. The Settings tab contains all the “hard-core” stuff like the Wi-Fi settings, WAN configuration, and (premium) security features.

What’s interesting here are the links to Gryphon’s how-to videos. There are 17 ranging from getting started with your new Gryphon AX kit to setting up a static IP address. Want to know how to set homework times for your kids? There’s a tutorial for that too. Kudos to Gryphon for a great entry-level experience!