Zyxel Nebula FWA510 5G Router Review

[Mighty Gadget]

The Zyxel Nebula FWA510 is the company's latest 5G router, replacing the popular NR5101 model. Key features include:

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

Supports Zyxel NebulaFlex

Can work standalone or connected to Nebula cloud management system for remote monitoring and control.

5G NR Connectivity

Offers 5G NR (New Radio) compatibility with theoretical peak speeds up to 5Gbps. Provides failover between 5G and ethernet WAN.

WiFi 6 Support

Delivers WiFi 6 (802.11ax) with combined speeds up to 3600Mbps over dual bands. Can connect up to 64 devices simultaneously.

Ports

Includes one 2.5Gbps WAN/LAN port and one 2.5Gbps LAN port to make the most of fast 5G speeds exceeding 1Gbps. Also has a USB 3.0 port.

Antennas

Comes with four high-gain MIMO antennas and four TS9 external antenna connectors for expanded coverage.

Comparison to Older Models

Very similar to the NR5103E used by many UK 5G providers. Key upgrades over NR5101 are WiFi 6, 2.5GbE ports, TS9 connectors and USB 3.0.

Review Summary

Performs very well with outstanding 5G speeds in testing. Dual 2.5GbE future-proofs for multi-gigabit 5G. WiFi speed and range also excellent. A good upgrade over previous models.In more detail:The Zyxel Nebula FWA510 is the company's latest 5G router, launched in late 2022 to replace the popular NR5101. It offers similar core functionality but with several key enhancements.Like its predecessor, the Nebula FWA510 supports 5G NR (New Radio) for compatibility with the latest 5G networks. It can theoretically reach peak download speeds up to 5Gbps, although real-world speeds will depend on your local 5G coverage.The router provides failover capability between the 5G connection and ethernet WAN port, useful for a resilient dual WAN setup.

Key Features and Upgrades

While functionally similar to past Zyxel 5G routers, the Nebula FWA510 stands out through its upgraded specs:

• WiFi 6 Support: Where the NR5101 was WiFi 5, the new model supports the latest WiFi 6 (802.11ax) standard. This enables wireless speeds up to 3600Mbps across the 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands, a big jump over WiFi 5.
• 2.5GbE Ports: The router has one 2.5Gbps WAN/LAN combo port and a dedicated 2.5Gbps LAN port. This allows wired speeds above 1Gbps, making the most of 5G connections as they continue to get faster.
• Improved Antennas: Four high-gain MIMO antennas are built-in, plus four TS9 connectors for adding external antennas. This expands coverage and throughput compared to the dual SMA antennas of the NR5101.
• USB 3.0 Port: Faster USB 3.0 replaces USB 2.0 for connecting storage or peripherals.

In terms of positioning, the Nebula FWA510 is extremely similar to Zyxel's NR5103E model, popularly bundled with many UK 5G broadband plans. The key difference is the FWA510 is available to purchase separately without a carrier contract.

Review Summary

In testing for this review, the Zyxel Nebula FWA510 performed very well:

• The 5G connectivity delivered outstanding real-world speeds far exceeding 1Gbps.
• The upgraded WiFi 6 spec also provided excellent wireless throughput to multiple devices simultaneously.
• Wired speeds matched the fast 5G performance thanks to multi-gigabit 2.5GbE LAN ports.

The dual 2.5GbE in particular helps future-proof the router for even faster 5G speeds in years to come.While not perfect, there are limited downsides for an otherwise excellent router. Overall the Nebula FWA510 is a compelling upgrade over prior Zyxel models, and gives one of the best 5G experiences currently available.