Devolo Magic 2 Wi-Fi 6 Mesh: Two-Minute Review
Devolo’s range of Magic adaptors combines PowerLine technology – which can send a wired network connection to other rooms over your existing mains wiring – with a wi-fi range extender, which can be really useful for buildings where thick walls or other obstacles may cause problems with your wi-fi signal.
The Magic 2 WiFi 6 Mesh that we review here is Devolo’s new top-of-the-range option and, as the name suggests, it adds Wi-Fi 6 mesh networking to its PowerLine features, in order to provide an all-in-one combination of wired and wireless networking features that should be able to reach even the trickiest corners of your home or office.
Devolo Magic 2 Wi-Fi 6 Mesh: Price and Availability
- Two-piece Starter Kit for $390/£300
- Three-piece kit is $590/£450
Spec Sheet
Here is the Devolo Magic 2 Wi-Fi 6 Mesh configuration sent to TechRadar for review:
PowerLine: 2400Mbps
Wi-Fi: dual-band Wi-Fi 6 @ 1800Mbps
Ports (each adaptor): 2x Gigabit Ethernet, 1x mains pass-through
Dimensions (each adaptor): 190x118x92mm
There are two options available, with a Starter Kit that includes two identical adaptors, costing £299.99, which is suitable for buildings with one or two stories (approx. $390/AU$520). For larger buildings with up to three stories, there’s the Whole Home kit that we review here, which includes three adaptors for £449.99 (approx. $590/AU$785).
That’s fairly expensive, but could still be a worthwhile investment if you need that combination of PowerLine and wi-fi to provide reliable networking for your home.
- Price and availability: 3/5
Devolo Magic 2 Wi-Fi 6 Mesh: Design and Features
- Easy to set-up
- PowerLine, Ethernet, and mesh wi-fi
- Chunky design
The three adaptors in the Whole Home kit are fairly chunky – more than twice the size of a normal 3-pin plug. That’s because they also incorporate a mains pass-through socket that allows you to plug other electrical devices into the adaptor. That’s handy as it means that you can set up your new network without losing the use of that electrical socket. There are also two Ethernet ports on each adaptor, to provide a wired network option for a laptop or other devices that prefer a lag-free wired connection. It’s a shame, though, that the Ethernet ports are located right on the top of each adaptor, as that leaves you with Ethernet cables poking up and out of the adaptor, and looking rather untidy.
The Magic 2 WiFi 6 Mesh supports dual-band Wi-Fi 6 with a top speed of 1800Mbps. That’s not particularly fast, but it should still be more than adequate for most home broadband services. It’s also important to remember that the emphasis here is on reliability rather than sheer speed, so 1800Mbps is certainly better than no wi-fi at all. The wired PowerLine connection also supports speeds of up to 2400Mbps, so you can also use the Ethernet ports for a fast wired connection when required.
Getting Started is a piece of cake, as you simply need to plug the three adaptors into nearby power sockets and then use Devolo’s Home Network app to scan a QR code on the box. The app takes just a couple of minutes to automatically link the three adaptors together, then asks if you want to create a new name and password for the Devolo mesh network, or to simply use the same log-in details as your existing network.
By default, the Devolo app creates a single network that merges the 2.4GHz and 5.0GHz bands, but it does allow you to create separate networks on each band if required. But, while getting started is very easy, the app does have a few rough edges. Its parental controls allow you to create a schedule for your children’s Internet access, but the app assumes that you understand technical details such as MAC addresses, which isn’t very helpful at all. Other features, such as Airtime Fairness – which allows you to prioritize individual devices for maximum performance – are hidden deep within the app and aren’t very easy to find.
Devolo Magic 2 Wi-Fi 6 Mesh: Performance
- Good, reliable wi-fi performance
- 2x Ethernet for wired connections
- Top wi-fi speed is 1800Mbps
Benchmarks
Here’s how the Devolo Magic 2 Wi-Fi 6 Mesh performed in our suite of benchmark tests:
Ookla Speed Test – 2.4GHz (download/upload)
Within 5ft, no obstructions: N/A
Within 30ft, three partition walls: 110Mbps/11Mbps
20GB Steam Download – 2.4GHz
Within 5ft, no obstructions: N/A
Within 30ft, three partition walls: 12.5MB/s
Ookla Speed Test – 5.0GHz
Within 5ft, no obstructions: N/A
Within 30ft, three partition walls: 110Mbps/11Mbps
20GB Steam Download – 5.0GHz
Within 5ft, no obstructions: N/A
Within 30ft, three partition walls: 12.5MB/s
Despite those minor complaints, the Magic 2 WiFi 6 Mesh delivers the goods for network performance. We connected one adaptor to our main router in order to use the router’s Internet connection, with another adaptor in our back office – where poor wi-fi means that we normally have to rely on a wired PowerLine connection for our office computers. The third adaptor was located in a hallway, roughly mid-way between the two other adaptors in order to maximize wi-fi coverage.
With that set-up, the Magic 2 WiFi 6 Mesh had absolutely no trouble breezing along at 110Mbps when using the Ookla Speed Test app, and a rock-steady 12.5MB/s for Steam downloads. Those are the highest speeds supported by our office broadband service, so the Magic 2 WiFi 6 Mesh really does provide a fast and reliable – if rather expensive – solution for homes that suffer from poor wi-fi.
Buy it if…
Don’t buy it if…
Also consider…
Devolo Magic 2 Wi-Fi 6 Mesh: Scorecard
| Price and Availability | It’s a bit pricey, but you get what you pay for. Two different kits are available. | 3 / 5 |
| Design and Features | A bulky design hides a feature-rich router with an easy setup. | 4 / 5 |
| Performance | Not the fastest Wi-Fi on the market, but extremely reliable. | 4 / 5 |
First reviewed July 2022
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