How to read a router spec sheet
Spec sheets mix three kinds of terms: the Wi-Fi generation, the headline speed, and the features that make sharing airtime more efficient. The Wi-Fi Alliance names generations Wi-Fi 4, 5, 6 and 7. Flint 2 and Beryl AX are both Wi-Fi 6 routers, listed in GL.iNet's datasheets as 802.11ax. [1][2][3]
The headline speed is a physical-layer maximum. Apple's device specifications define the maximum PHY data rate as the highest rate at which a client can transmit data over Wi-Fi. Real throughput is lower, and it is shared by every device on the band. For a home office, treat headline Mbps as a ceiling, not a promise. [12]
Glossary A to M
Each entry gives a plain definition, a home-office verdict, and where the Flint 2 or Beryl AX spec sheets use the term.
| Term | Plain meaning | Matters for a home office? | On Flint 2 / Beryl AX specs |
|---|---|---|---|
| 802.11ax / Wi-Fi 6 | The Wi-Fi 6 generation; the Wi-Fi Alliance says Wi-Fi 6 also introduced Wi-Fi in the 6 GHz band [1] | Yes, as a baseline for new gear | Both list 802.11ax [2][3] |
| AX3000 / AX6000 | Speed class: the sum of each band's maximum rate | Low; compare per-band rates instead | Beryl AX is AX3000 [3]; Flint 2 is AX6000 in its regulatory text [5] |
| Band steering | Router detects 5 GHz-capable clients and steers them to 5 GHz [6] | Medium; helps with one shared network name | Not named in either datasheet |
| Beamforming | Router and client focus signal at each other to improve throughput [7] | Medium at range | Beryl AX datasheet lists it [3] |
| BSS Coloring | A Wi-Fi 6 feature GL.iNet lists for minimal network congestion [3] | Medium in apartments | Beryl AX datasheet lists it [3] |
| Channel | One lane within a band; Apple recommends Auto [4] | Yes when neighbours are close | Both: channel modification [2][3] |
| Channel width (20/40/80/160 MHz) | How wide a lane is; wider is faster but less reusable [1][8] | Yes; Apple: 20 MHz on 2.4 GHz [4] | Bandwidth setting in GL.iNet Wireless [9] |
| DFS | 5 GHz channels shared with radar, which need radar checks before use [10] | Yes for call stability | GL.iNet Auto avoids DFS; 160 MHz always uses it [9] |
| MLO (Multi-Link Operation) | Wi-Fi 7 feature that load-balances traffic across bands [1] | Only with Wi-Fi 7 clients | Neither; both are Wi-Fi 6 [2][3] |
| MU-MIMO | Router sends separate streams to several clients at once [7] | Low to medium; client must support it [7] | Not named in either datasheet |
Glossary O to W
The second half covers the efficiency features Wi-Fi 6 added and the settings you are most likely to change.
| Term | Plain meaning | Matters for a home office? | On Flint 2 / Beryl AX specs |
|---|---|---|---|
| OFDMA | Splits a channel so several devices share it at once, raising efficiency and lowering latency [1] | Yes with many devices | Beryl AX datasheet lists it [3] |
| PHY data rate | Highest rate a device can transmit over Wi-Fi [12] | Low; real speed is lower | Flint 2: 1,148 Mbps (2.4 GHz), 4,804 Mbps (5 GHz) [2]; Beryl AX: 574 and 2,402 Mbps [3] |
| QAM (1024-QAM) | Packs more bits into each symbol; needs a strong signal [1][11] | Low; only close to the router | Not named in either datasheet |
| Randomized BSSID | Router changes its wireless MAC at each boot to resist location tracking [9] | Low at home; useful when travelling | GL.iNet firmware setting, on by default since v4.6 [9] |
| Spatial streams (2x2, 4x4) | Independent data streams a radio sends at once; Apple writes 2/MIMO for two [12] | Medium; check your laptop's own count | Flint 2 listed as 4x4 on both bands [2] |
| SSID | The network name; Apple recommends one unique name across all bands [4] | Yes | Both: Wi-Fi name settings [9] |
| Target Wake Time (TWT) | Schedules when devices wake, improving efficiency and battery life [1] | Low for laptops; helps battery IoT | Not named in either datasheet |
| TX power | Transmit power of the radio [9] | Medium; lower it to shrink coverage | Both: modifying transmission power [2][3] |
| WPA3 / WPA2/WPA3 Transitional | Current Wi-Fi security; Transitional lets older devices use WPA2 [4] | Yes, always | Both: modifying encryption mode [2][3] |
The five terms that actually change a home office
Security mode comes first. Apple recommends WPA3 Personal, or WPA2/WPA3 Transitional for older devices. It lists WPA/WPA2 mixed modes, WEP and TKIP as settings to avoid. This is one setting where getting it wrong has real costs. [4]
Channel width and channel come next. Apple's advice is 20 MHz on 2.4 GHz to avoid interference near other networks and Bluetooth, and Auto or all widths on 5 and 6 GHz. On GL.iNet firmware, setting 160 MHz on 5 GHz forces a DFS channel, which brings radar checks. [4][9]
The network name matters too. One name across bands, with band steering where the router offers it, keeps laptops off a congested 2.4 GHz band. Meraki warns that steering ignores signal strength, so a laptop at the far end of the house may be better off on 2.4 GHz. [4][6]
OFDMA and MU-MIMO matter most with many devices active at once. Meraki notes that MU-MIMO only works when the client supports it, so it does nothing for older devices. [1][7]
Terms that sound important but rarely decide anything
AX-class numbers and 1024-QAM rarely decide anything. The class is a sum of band maximums that no single laptop reaches. Meraki notes that the next step up, Wi-Fi 7's 4K-QAM, needs about 42 dB of signal-to-noise, which in open spaces means being within a few feet of the access point. Meraki gives about 31 dB for Wi-Fi 6's 1024-QAM, so the same trade-off applies at a lower threshold. [11]
Spatial streams on the router (Flint 2's 4x4) matter more when several 2x2 clients are active at once than for any single laptop. Treat the router's count as capacity shared across clients rather than per-device speed. [2][12]
Where to look these up on GL.iNet routers
On GL.iNet firmware, the Wireless page sets SSID, security mode, password, randomized BSSID, TX power, bandwidth and channel for each band. GL.iNet's datasheets for both routers list wireless configuration options for switching the access point on and off, changing the encryption mode and password, changing channel and modifying transmission power. Neither datasheet lists a switch for OFDMA, beamforming or BSS Coloring. [9][2][3]
For the travel-specific terms, such as repeater mode, captive portals and network modes, see our separate travel router guides. This glossary covers home-network spec-sheet terms only.
Questions before you decide
What does AX3000 or AX6000 on the box mean?
It is a class label for the combined maximum Wi-Fi rate across bands. GL.iNet describes Beryl AX as an AX3000 router with 574 Mbps on 2.4 GHz and 2,402 Mbps on 5 GHz, a combined maximum of 3,000 Mbps. Flint 2's regulatory text calls it an AX6000 router, rated 1,148 plus 4,804 Mbps. No single device gets the combined figure.
Should I turn on band steering?
It helps when both bands share one name and some devices cling to 2.4 GHz. Cisco Meraki describes band steering as detecting 5 GHz-capable clients and steering them to 5 GHz. It warns that it does this regardless of signal strength, which can push a far-away device onto the weaker band. Apple recommends one network name across all bands.
Which channel width should I use?
Apple recommends 20 MHz for 2.4 GHz, and Auto or all widths for 5 and 6 GHz. Wider channels raise throughput, but Apple and Meraki both note that wider channels leave fewer channels to reuse. On GL.iNet routers, choosing 160 MHz on 5 GHz also means always using a DFS channel.
Sources & verification
Product details and prices can change. Check the linked provider before buying.
- Wi-Fi Alliance: Wi-Fi (MAC/PHY) Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- GL.iNet Flint 2 (GL-MT6000) datasheet Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- GL.iNet Beryl AX (GL-MT3000) datasheet Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- Apple Support: Recommended settings for Wi-Fi routers and access points Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- GL.iNet Router Docs 4: Flint 2 (GL-MT6000) user guide Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- Cisco Meraki: Band Steering Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- Cisco Meraki: SU-MIMO, MU-MIMO and Beamforming Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- Apple Platform Deployment: Optimize your Wi-Fi networks Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- GL.iNet Router Docs 4: Wireless (firmware v4.8 and earlier) Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- 47 CFR 15.407: General technical requirements (U-NII), via Cornell LII Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- Cisco Meraki: Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be) Technical Guide Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- Apple Platform Deployment: Wi-Fi and Ethernet specifications for Apple devices Accessed 30 Oct 2026
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