Express VPN Aircove router review: an okay router with neat VPN tools - AppleInsider

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The Express VPN Aircove router adds VPN connectivity to the full location web with a straightforward interface, but it lacks successful immoderate areas.

Home networking tin beryllium complicated, particularly for those acrophobic with information privacy. The Express VPN Aircove hopes to simplify things with a azygous router and web interface, but it lacks immoderate punch.

The Express VPN work connected its ain has been rather excellent, arsenic we've utilized it for years without interest oregon issue. The imaginable of adding a router to our web to supply much controls and VPN tools was surely compelling.

The router's terms and diagnostic acceptable align good with expectations but won't fulfill everyone's needs. That and relying connected a web app to negociate the router's VPN tools isn't amazing.

Express VPN Aircove plan and features

The Aircove does thing to acceptable itself isolated arsenic a router. It takes connected the modular achromatic box-with-antenna plan that galore manufacturers offer.

Four LAN ports and a dedicated net port

This azygous router strategy has nary extenders, nodes, oregon mesh networking options. Express VPN says this router works with existing mesh networks if users link it to a node, though results whitethorn alteration successful bridging routers together.

We tested the Express VPN Aircove arsenic a standalone router with its ain WiFi code and arsenic a span to our Linksys mesh network. When acting arsenic a bridge, the router tin lone spot the Linksys node arsenic a azygous device, truthful it tin determination the full web to a VPN but not idiosyncratic devices.

For testing, we connected a fistful of devices straight to the Aircove and tooled with the VPN configuration system, but arsenic with investigating immoderate router, it would person been an arduous task to determination our astute home. It performed wrong expectations for a router of this terms and spec scope with aggregate connected devices.

When we moved distant from the router to a antithetic room, the awesome spot deteriorated quickly. Despite what the specs say, conditions successful a user's location ne'er lucifer the perfect conditions outlined successful the spec list. However, the show was acceptable for this router.

There is 1 USB-A larboard for network-connected storage

Specs-wise, this router lines up with different sub-$200 standalone routers. It has dual-band WiFi 6 with up to 1,600 feet of coverage. It has Gigabit Ethernet with an internet-in larboard and 4 LAN ports for casual wired setup.

Express VPN claims the Aircove gets up to 600 Mbps implicit 2.4GHz connections and up to 1,200 Mbps connected 5Gz. When connected to the router erstwhile adjacent to it, we saw our 400 Mbps transportation peaked, but with the VPN turned on, we get 100 Mbps connected mean with immoderate instrumentality we tested.

There is thing singular astir the router's plan oregon modular diagnostic set. Those who usage mesh networking oregon unrecorded successful larger homes whitethorn find this azygous router lacking for regular use.

What sets this router isolated and makes it a worthwhile acquisition is its tie-in with Express VPN software. Users tin acceptable up 5 abstracted VPNs wrong the router's dedicated website and determination connected devices betwixt them.

Using the Express VPN Aircove and website

When mounting up the Aircove for the archetypal time, you request to crook disconnected Apple's "Limit IP Address Tracking" diagnostic successful the WiFi settings connected the iPhone. This prevents the router from connecting to the internet, successful our experience.

After that, users request to log into the router via the Express VPN router website. The setup takes lone a fewer seconds, but it does necessitate an progressive Express VPN relationship with an activation codification to continue.

Needing a website for VPN controls is little than optimal

Once everything is acceptable up, it each works beauteous well. We would similar a autochthonal app to power the VPN configurations alternatively than a website, but going done the website isn't complicated.

Users tin resistance devices from 1 VPN configuration to another, and they power instantly. There's adjacent an enactment to person a "no VPN" to forestall devices from connecting to the internet.

As we mentioned, our net velocity was chopped from 400 Mbps to 100 Mbps whenever we utilized the VPN. Speeds faired amended with a wired connection, but not much.

left: Aircove with VPN, middle: Aircove without VPN, right: Aircove span to Linksys with VPN

Express VPN advertises this arsenic a merchandise aimed astatine families who privation to support products connected to a VPN 24 hours a day. While we don't person that usage case, this router does win successful performing arsenic promised, with beardown connections and nary issues with dropouts during testing.

Should you bargain the Express VPN Aircove

It is hard to urge the Aircove router. This merchandise targets a tiny niche, truthful those who privation a instrumentality similar this volition already cognize if they privation it oregon not.

We could spot a usage lawsuit for installing this router successful a household member's location who isn't excessively tech-savvy for added privateness and security. It is simply a comparatively inexpensive router, but the VPN work does necessitate an progressive subscription.

The Aircove is simply a single-router system

Anyone successful larger homes who relies connected mesh networking whitethorn request to look elsewhere. The router works champion arsenic a standalone network, but users could ever connect it to a azygous node and unafraid each instrumentality connected that node with a VPN.

Again, this merchandise is niche capable that if you're asking whether you should bargain it oregon not, it apt isn't for you. However, this isn't a atrocious enactment for anyone purchasing a single-node router.

Express VPN Aircove Pros

Express VPN Aircove Cons

Rating: 3 retired of 5

If we were penning this reappraisal for idiosyncratic who lived successful a single-bedroom level oregon flat that wants implicit power implicit VPNs, this merchandise would easy people 5 retired of 5. Anyone looking for a single-node router that is ambivalent astir VPNs and privateness would find this a 4.5 retired of 5.

However, for most, this router is what it is. Aircove does what it says connected the container and does it good for its niche.

Where to bargain the Express VPN Aircove

The VPN features of the Aircove router lone enactment successful the United States with a paid Express VPN subscription. Otherwise, it volition enactment arsenic a modular router.

Get it for $189.90, and arsenic of this review's publication, prevention 11% astatine checkout with the on-page coupon.

Express VPN is $12.95/month erstwhile paid connected a month-to-month basis. Six-month plans outgo $9.99 per period and 12-month plans outgo $8.32 per mont. Plus, first-time yearly subscribers get an further 3 months free. Sign up connected the Express VPN website.