Mid-Range
A WiFi 6 router built around real OpenWrt control, with 900 Mbps WireGuard VPN speeds and dual 2.5G ports that outclass most routers at this price. Setup rewards patience, but the performance and flexibility are hard to match.
GL.iNet GL-MT6000 (Flint 2)
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Specifications
Chue Len
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Pros & Cons
Pros
- Independently benchmarked WireGuard VPN speeds up to 900 Mbps, meaningfully faster than what most mainstream consumer routers deliver at any price
- Dual 2.5G ports are a genuine standout at this price tier, confirmed across multiple reviews as rare for a sub-$160 router
- Real OpenWrt underneath GL.iNet's polished firmware layer, giving advanced users full LuCI access for VLANs, custom scripts, and plugins without a from-scratch flash
- Consistently strong Reddit and owner sentiment, with many users specifically preferring it over dedicated gaming router branding from bigger names
Cons
- No 6GHz band, this is WiFi 6, not WiFi 6E or WiFi 7, a real limitation if you want the least congested spectrum available
- Fanless design runs warm under sustained heavy load, worth planning ventilation if it'll sit in an enclosed space
- Setup and advanced configuration assumes some networking comfort, reviewers note it's not truly plug-and-play if you want to go beyond default settings
- GL.iNet has already released the Flint 3 (WiFi 7) at a similar price, though multiple reviewers and owners note the Flint 3 has a weaker CPU with lower WireGuard throughput, so newer isn't automatically better here
How We Tested It
We haven't run our own testing on this router. Notes above draw on independent WireGuard throughput benchmarks and consistent owner feedback across Reddit and retailer reviews. If your team tests this router, worth adding: real VPN speed measured on your own connection, and a side-by-side comparison against the Flint 3 to confirm the CPU and throughput gap firsthand.
Who It's For
Gamers, remote workers, and privacy-focused households who want genuinely fast VPN performance and multi-gig wired ports without paying for enterprise gear or gaming router marketing premiums. Especially strong for fiber or multi-gig internet plans where the dual 2.5G ports remove your router as the bottleneck, and for anyone who wants real control over their network through OpenWrt rather than a locked-down consumer interface. Skip it if you want 6GHz WiFi 6E or WiFi 7 speeds, or if you want a router you can unbox and never touch again, since getting full value here means spending some time in the settings.
Our Verdict
The Flint 2 has built a genuinely strong, consistent reputation across independent reviewers and everyday owners, and the reasons keep repeating: real 2.5G wired throughput, WireGuard VPN speeds that beat most competitors regardless of price, and full OpenWrt access wrapped in an interface that doesn't require starting from scratch. It's not trying to be a flashy gaming-branded router, and several reviewers specifically note it outperforms routers marketed that way. The honest trade-off is setup effort, this rewards users willing to spend a little time in the settings, and it lacks 6GHz WiFi. Worth noting too that GL.iNet's own newer Flint 3 isn't a strict upgrade, several sources confirm its CPU is weaker for VPN throughput, so this remains the smarter buy for VPN-heavy use even against GL.iNet's own newer model.