Zyxel Nebula FWA510 Router Review

The Zyxel Nebula FWA510 is the company’s latest 5G router, launched in 2023 to replace the popular NR5101 model. It offers several upgrades over previous models.

The full Zyxel Nebula FWA510 router review can be found on mightygadget.com

Key Features

  • Supports Zyxel’s NebulaFlex system for managing the router via the cloud or standalone
  • 5G NR connectivity with up to 5Gbps download speeds
  • Automatic failover between ethernet and 5G for reliability
  • WiFi 6 support with speeds up to 3,600Mbps on dual bands
  • High-gain antennas and four TS9 external antenna ports
  • Dual 2.5GbE LAN ports to take advantage of 5G speeds exceeding 1Gbps
  • Router and bridge modes supported

Comparison to Previous Models

The FWA510 is very similar to Zyxel’s NR5103E router used by many UK 5G providers. The key differences are:

  • Available to purchase SIM-free
  • Works with Nebula cloud management
  • Upgraded WiFi to WiFi 6 standard (2.4Gbps total)
  • Dual 2.5GbE ports instead of 1GbE
  • 4x TS9 external antenna ports for greater flexibility
  • USB 3.0 port instead of USB 2.0

So in summary, it brings better WiFi, faster LAN ports, and antenna connectivity over previous models.

Review Summary

The reviewer found the FWA510 provided excellent 5G performance in their tests, with speeds far exceeding 1Gbps. The dual 2.5GbE ports allow devices to tap into the full multi-gigabit bandwidth available.The WiFi 6 connectivity also worked very well, providing strong wireless performance to multiple devices simultaneously.However, some firmware bugs were noted, including occasional disconnections and issues when switching between router and bridge modes. But the reviewer believes these can be resolved with updates.

Conclusion

The Zyxel Nebula FWA510 brings upgrades in several key areas over prior models, including much faster WiFi 6 connectivity, dual 2.5GbE LAN ports, and external antenna support.It delivered outstanding 5G and wireless performance in the reviewer’s testing. Some firmware issues were present, but are likely solvable. So it’s a compelling new option in the 5G router space.

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