I am an IS Security Analyst and have installed and configured multiple routers at my home. This router has exceeded all my expectations. I was hesitant of replacing my much larger high-end gaming router with this surprising small unit. Setup was super easy with the mobile app. It has a slick and simple appearance that does not look as awkward as some other routers on the market. As with most other mesh routers, you are limited to only one available ethernet port on the back of the router. This is easily overcome by connecting to network hub that range in price from about $10 to $50 for residential use. Almost all of your routers come with a default admin password which is big security vulnerability. Gryphon prompts for setting up the admin router password upon setup. By default, it is set to auto band steering which sets one SSID for all three wireless channels and load balances all devices across them all. You also have the option to configure a separate SSID on each channel as well. The feature I am impressed with the most is the protection it has for IoT devices. Basically, IoT stands for Internet of Things and includes devices that are concerned 'dumb', such as cameras, doorbells, appliances, etc., that connect to the internet but should not communicating with anything outside of your network. These devices normally have no security and firmware updates are normally not pushed out in a timely manner. Gryphon has a separate channel just for IoT devices so they can be separated from your primary network. You are given the options to hide the SSID for this, or any channels, and you can select Network Isolation and / or Client Isolation. This keeps your device from communicating with anything outside of your network and anything outside from communicating with it. This alleviates it from being hacked or putting the rest of your network at risk if it becomes compromised. The latest security protocol of WPA2/WPA3 is supported. There is a QoS option and up to three devices can be prioritized. Malware protection is built in and free for 90 days. After the trial it cost $8.99 a month or $89.99 annually. This is a small price to pay for all of the advanced security features it provides. You have the option from locking any new devices from connecting to your network even with the correct password. This is another essential layer of protection from hackers. On top of your admin password, you can enable Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) as well to require a code from your registered mobile device to be entered upon login. You have the option to enable full parental controls over screen time, bedtime and age-appropriate profiles. With their optional HomeBound software installed you can also protect any of your kid’s devices when they are away from home. It uses a VPN to route any Wi-Fi connection outside of your network back through your router to use your configured parental security features. Normally, with all of these advanced security features I would be worried about the performance. I am an avid gamer and have it connected to multiple Xbox and PCs both wired and wireless. There were some minor settings that needed 'tweaked' to get the NAT to an Open status in order for multiple player to work properly. After contacting customer service, I was able to get it configured correctly with no issues. I have been gaming for hours over the past several days with absolutely no issues. Speed Test are actually faster than much more expensive, flashy gaming router. I highly recommend this router to everyone and if you google the company, you can see that they really care for their customers and the founder invented it to protect his own children. You will not find this personal connection with the other major network routers companies. The company even hosts a weekly learning webcast where owners can get additional information about getting the most out of their device. This is unheard of these days and good luck with even contacting customer support with another router company. The prices is great and you only need one tower unless you have a really large, multiple story house. I am using one tower in an average size, one floor brick house, and I have no dead spots anywhere, including the basement and garage.

Let me start out by saying I have used a total of 15-20 different routers over the course of the last 2 years, some of these include business routers managing 100+ users, so I have a great amount of experience and a good idea of what works and for whom a particular router is for and the Gryphon is the absolutely perfect for a home user with kids/teenagers or adults who may not be very tech savvy. The installation for the Gryphon is childishly easy all you need to do is create an account and follow the app instructions which is basically just plug and play and you’re up and running. As I stated this is the perfect router for the home user because it is simple and intuitive to use. The app has a minimalistic layout to it and is very fast and responsive. Once up and running you can assign users that you know will be on your Wi-Fi and assign the age group and the type of management you want on that device. The amount of management you can do per devices is amazing, you’re able to set time schedules/block sites and even manage chats/messaging. The Gryphon also allows you to set up an ad blocker through the router and store the browsing history. I have included a few screen shots for a more detailed view. The device identification function works pretty well so you have an idea of who is connecting (be a phone from a certain company or a streaming device) which is very beneficial is helping you set rules for the devices connected to your network. Gryphon provides a premium protection which has a 90 day trial and I would say its worth trying out with the amount of sensitive data is on our devices and how phishing schemes are becoming more prevalent and if you have kids or adults who aren’t as tech savvy it is a must now a days. Overall the router was able to handle all of my devices and me streaming 5 4k streams without any hiccups and I was able to get a good Wi-Fi signal in about 3/4 of my house (please keep in mind that Wi-Fi signal will depend on where you reside and the types of materials used in the construction of your home) My only issue was that I wish it had at least 2 or 3 more Ethernet ports for me to plug in a few more devices directly otherwise it is the best router for home user with kids hands down.

Without question, this is the best router that gives fine tuning parental controls. This is significantly important with all the stuff happening on social media and the internet in general. Let’s face it: social media is the toilet of the internet, and you don’t want your kids playing in it. The Gryphon AX Mesh WiFi Security Router takes all the guesswork out of configuring profiles for the younger audiences at home, and even goes further to protect everyone from malware and intrusions. Setting up the Gryphon took no more than a few minutes to set up. Assuming you’re all plugged in and ready to go, setup using the Gryphon App was a breeze. App setup requires the scan of the QR code affixed to the unit itself and, to be honest, I can’t remember the rest of the initial setup process. It was that easy. And after you’re able to establish internet access, you can change SSIDs on your primary network and guest network. Each network will perform auto band steering which will force 5GHz capable devices to connect in that fashion. You can certainly turn this off, if desired. Something new that I haven’t seen before is an additional IoT Network SSID that you can configure for all your IoT devices; they would sit on this additional SSID. I don’t know if it really buys you anything new, but it definitely helps organize your devices connected to your network. For every new device that connects to your network, the Gryphon App will notify you of the new connection, and you will have the opportunity to assign this device to a “User”. A user is a specific user or group that you will be able to define. You can provide this “User” a name, decide what age group is appropriate for the user, and turn on things like Safe Search (prevent adult content from search results) and Ad Blocker. You will also be able to store browsing history so there is no hiding from what this user has been viewing. These settings can be changed at any time after they have been created. After you’ve set up a few users on your Gryphon app, then you can fine tune each user role further. There are two main types of “Time” management: Screen Schedule and Internet Schedule. Screen Schedule allows you to configure a maximum screen time allowance for a user role/group. Internet Schedule allows you to control what times of the day the internet is effectively “OFF”. Think homework time, bedtime and just a general suspend time. Pretty neat, and it’s super simple to set up. Another customizable area is something called “Access Control” where you’ll be able to manage specific URLs(always blocked, managed based on your Internet Schedule, etc). Similarly, you can manage specific Categories in the same fashion. Then there are the statistics. For each user role, you’ll be able to see what websites were visited by the user; if a website was blocked, you’ll see a blocked icon next to the URL. You’ll also be able to see Insights, a tab that shows you how much time was spent doing activities (Streaming Video, Web Browsing, etc). Each statistic is broken down by day. Finally, you’ll be able to see weekly data usage based on device. So, none of these parental tools really matter if the Gryphon AX doesn’t perform…so how does it perform??? Well, happy to report that it is one of the best mesh router types I have ever used. Now a big caveat to this is that I am not using it in a mesh network fashion; in fact, I only have one unit in a 2400 square foot, two story home. Being upstairs in the complete opposite corner away from the Gryphon, I am still able to achieve 60-70% of what my current mesh network is able to achieve. That’s pretty good for me, and if I did get another unit, this would have no problems getting me that data much faster. There is a “pay to play” aspect for the Gryphon: malware and security monitoring. For $7.99/month or $89.99/year, you’ll be able to filter out malware, detect vulnerabilities and infected devices. But where I think it matters most is to extend parental controls when on mobile data or WiFi that is not your own. Remember, once that device leaves your home, it is either on a mobile network or on another WiFi network, and neither of these networks hold your parental controls. Using Homebound, you’ll be able to continue these parental controls. You get a 90 day trial and after the period is over, you can decide to continue this premium service or cancel. Overall, I am very happy with the Gryphon AX Tri-Band Mesh WiFi Router. Being a parent and a techie, it is very refreshing to have a company not only place emphasis on performance, but also a huge emphasis on the safety and security of our children. Highly recommended.

The Gryphon AX Tri Band Mesh Wi-Fi router is a small router that can easily be placed on a bookshelf depending on where your cable modem is located. This is my first time using a Gryphon router. The setup was relatively easy. Connect the router to power and to a modem, download the Gryphon application, and register your account. The Application then provides a status update and that you are connected to the internet. Within the app you have access to the router settings and other features. An area where this device really shines is with the parental controls. You can view the screen time, schedule internet access, filter webs and apps plus more. All that is accessible in the app and is very simple to use. I have done online gaming with no issues, The connection is great. Fast web browsing and quick downloads. Something I found cumbersome was when a device is connected to a router it is a bit difficult to identify it since the app only shows you the MAC address and sometimes the manufacturer’s name. So it may be challenging to identify which device belongs to whom. For example, if you and your spouse both have iPads and your two kids each have iPads the app will show Apple products with a MAC address but not the specific iPad model or name. My workaround was to connect each device one at a time. Of course that can easily be resolved with an update. I used the same SSID and password from my old router so that every device would connect automatically. That saves me a lot of time than starting from scratch with a new SSID and password. The Gryphon AX Tri Band Mesh Wi-FI router is rated 3000 square feet. I am a bit disappointed because I have an 1800 sq feet home that is 2 floors and the signal is great on the first floor but once I go to the second floor the Wi-Fi cut out. This is quite disappointing because you will need a second mesh router and that will put you around the $500 mark for two routers. Something worth noting is the available ethernet inputs, is only 1. There are two ethernet slots but one is for the modem. The back of the router has plenty of space, and they could have easily put 4. Overall this is a good router with really strong signal connection and great parenting control tools. It is very well constructed and easy to setup. On the downside if you have a 2 floor home, you may need to buy a second mesh router or a set of two to cover that floor. In the box you get the router, ethernet cable, power brick and some manuals.

The Gryphon AX Tri-Band Mesh Wi-Fi router is a compact and easy to set up router with features tailored towards parental control of your network. This router is for parents who want to set up their network quickly and easily and manage the users and devices on it and this router is appealing to those less tech savvy and want easy wireless network management. What do you get?: The box itself is small and contains a small quick start instruction card, the router, power cable, and a short ethernet cable. The unit itself is surprisingly small, not much bigger than a 12oz aluminum can width and heigh wise and maybe two cans deep. Setup was easy! The first thing you do is download the Gryphon app. I installed it on my Pixel 6 Pro android phone and had no issues. You are required to register an account you must use the app in order to set up the router. The app very clearly walks you through the setup process, complete with updating the firmware of the router (which was needed after setup). The entire setup including firmware update time was less than 15 minutes. The app does provide links contact support every step of the way and I was even emailed further setup instructions as soon as I had created my account. Using it: I reused my previous network name and passcode and all of my 30+ devices connected and worked right away. There have been no issues with the combined 2.4Ghz and 5Ghz connections, although it’s worth noting that you DO have the options to create separate network for this, in addition to a guest network. This router is Wi-Fi 6 / 802.11ax so it’s ready with the latest Wi-Fi protocols and backwards compatible with older Wi-Fi devices. My home is just shy of 2000 square feet, and I have no connection or dead spots even through several walls. What makes this router stand apart and the main selling point is the app connection and its parental controls. You can create profiles and assign devices to said profiles, with each having their own filtering options – including for guest devices on your network. You can schedule times when certain devices are active, view how active the devices have been, browsing habits, data usage, and more. There are default settings for various age groups: toddler, elementary, middle school, high school, adult, and unfiltered. It’s worth noting that you can also block VPN access, should you have someone clever enough to think of bypassing the router parental controls. At any point you can suspend internet for your whole network, a user, or a specific device. There is an option for a user to immediately request access to a blocked website, which would then ping you via the app. Downsides: The unit itself has ONE wired port, which means if you want to hardwire more devices, you’ll need to a buy an additional switch. Most consumer routers have around four ports for additional wired devices. The unit has a single light on the front. I haven’t had any outages, so it’s just been lit white the whole time. As best I can tell, this is not a light meant to be used to really indicate any network conditions. I would like to see more status indicator lights on the device itself. You can ONLY access the router settings via the app. Most routers allow you to access the settings from any web browser via the ip address. When you try to do that, it brings you the dialog where you can request access to a blocked site. Speaking of settings, you have access to most every basic setting for your network. However, there’s many router settings that you do not have access to. There are no real advanced settings where you can really get into some deep network professional customization. This is likely not a concern for the average user, but if you wanted to get granular you cannot. This is not a router for a power user or one wants access to every networking setting available. Lastly, the main screen of the app pushes for you to sign up for their monthly subscription service, Premium Protection. This plan costs $7.99/mo or $89.99 a year. This service protects your network “from hackers, malware, and security threats.” It also extends parental controls to devices outside of your home network. It also extends the hardware warranty past 1 year. I cannot speak towards the service, but I am not a fan that you cannot hide this notice about your unprotected network. It’s an ad that’s built right into the app that’s required for you to use. Final Thoughts: I’ve given this router 4/5 stars due to my list of what I consider cons. I think a future version of this router could easily eliminate a lot of what concerned me. As for someone who may be thinking of buying it, ask yourself the following: Are you a parent who wants easy parental control options to set up that are as simply as can be? Do you need a router that’s incredibly easy to set up an manage? Then I can wholeheartedly recommend this router. It’s easy, intuitive, and I think a leader in what it offers to those users. This is the router you want! If you do not fall into the above category of user, then I’d be hesitant to recommend this router. It is clearly geared towards the parental control features, although you certainly don’t need to use them. I feel that the negatives bring it down if you’re not taking advantage of its key components: parental controls and simplistic network control. For a similar price you can get a different router that has none of the concerns I brought up above and will suit you better.