GL-iNet Flint 3 Wi-Fi 7 Router: The Ultimate Home Network Upgrade

GL-iNet Flint 3 Wi-Fi 7 Router Review

Summary
The GL-iNet Flint 3 is one of the most capable and feature-rich consumer routers I have tested, combining Wi-Fi 7 performance, full 2.5GbE connectivity, exceptional VPN support, integrated Tailscale, and AdGuard Home into a package that outperforms most competitors in the sub-£200 range. While the lack of true mesh support limits its appeal for larger homes, its advanced capabilities, OpenWrt flexibility, and outstanding network tools make it an excellent choice for enthusiasts, home workers, and anyone who wants premium router features without premium pricing.

Pros

• Excellent performance with Wi-Fi 7 and full 2.5GbE ports.
• Outstanding VPN support including WireGuard, OpenVPN-DCO, policy routing and Tailscale.
• AdGuard Home integration provides superior security and ad blocking.
• OpenWrt base with extensive customisation options.

  Cons

• No native mesh support.
• Not fully vanilla OpenWrt for purists.

  My only experience of GL-iNet in the past has been via the ExpressVPN rebranded Aircove routers, which use their own custom firmware, such as the Aircove Go travel router and the Aircove Wi-Fi 6 router.
  I recently moved to Aquiss on City Fibre with a 2500Mbps line and experienced issues with upload speeds on my Unifi Cloud Gateway Max. The GL-iNet Flint 3 is one of the recommended routers, so I figured I should try that before committing to a call-out from City Fibre.
  Sadly, it didn’t fix the problem, but I did come away extremely impressed with the GL-iNet Flint 3.

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  Specification / Features

  Wi-Fi Specifications

• Tri-band Wi-Fi 7 supports simultaneous operation at 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, and 6 GHz for a combined theoretical speed of up to 9300 Mbps.
• Maximum rates: 688 Mbps at 2.4 GHz, 2882 Mbps at 5 GHz, 5765 Mbps at 6 GHz.
• MLO (Multi-Link Operation) allows fast cross-band connections and optimises latency for multi-device usage.
• PSC (Preferred Scanning Channel) for swift 6 GHz channel selection.

  Hardware Features

• Five 2.5 Gbps Ethernet ports provide multi-gigabit wired connectivity for workstations, servers, and local storage devices.
• USB 3.0 Type-A port rated at 5V/2A for directly attached peripherals such as fast storage or mobile tethering.
• Built-in 1 GB DDR4 RAM and 8 GB eMMC storage for system stability and advanced features.
• Four foldable external antennas with FEM amplification for improved coverage and signal penetration.
• Dual-colour LED for identification; physical reset button supports network and full factory reset.
• DC power input: 12V/4A via a 5.5 x 2.1 mm connector.

  Software and Management

• Runs OpenWrt 23.05 OS with kernel version 5.4.213. This allows access to over 5000 customisation plugins and advanced CLI configuration.
• Dual network management platforms: GoodCloud for remote administration across multiple sites, and AstroWarp for device monitoring and future hardware control.
• Enterprise-level customisation tools for white-labelling, reseller management, diagnostics, and batch operations.
• Supports VLAN, Multi-WAN, WAN/LAN switching, load balancing, and failover protocols.

  Wireless and Security

• Wi-Fi guest network isolation, SSID customisation/hiding, transmission power management, and BSSID randomisation.
• AdGuard Home integration for network-wide ad blocking and content filtering.
• Robust parental controls, including scheduling, device management, and site filtering via both local and Bark cloud profiles.
• Full support for OpenVPN (client/server including OpenVPN-DCO), WireGuard (client/server), Tor, ZeroTier, and Tailscale VPNs with up to 680 Mbps throughput.
• Central policy routing, dynamic DNS, port forwarding and DMZ.
• Drop-in gateway and full IPv6 support.

  Dimensions

• Size: 240 x 157 x 74 mm.
• Weight: 848 g.

  OpenWrt / MediaTek
  One criticism I see about this router is that it does not use vanilla OpenWRT and has switched to a Qualcomm chipset from MediaTek.
  The 5GHz Wi-Fi is technically slower. This is something I have seen happen a lot with Wi-Fi 7 products. Brands have ditched the 4×4 MIMO in favour of 2×2 MIMO plus a 6GHz radio. For home users, there is not a great deal of benefit to 4×4 MIMO as client devices are only 2×2 at best.
  The 4×4 MIMO can help improve range and reliability (but I’d question by how much?), higher capacity if you have a lot of devices (not that likely in a home environment), and it helps with Wi-Fi mesh backhaul (which GL-iNet does not support).
  I have seen many GL-iNet fans argue that the Flint 2 is a superior product with better OpenWRT support and lower VPN speeds.
  Sadly, I have not used the Flint 2, so I can only base my opinion on this.

  Unboxing / Design
  Inside the box, you will find the router itself, a sizable power brick, and a flat Ethernet cable.
  The Flint 3 continues the design language of its predecessor, the Flint 2, but with some refinements. The casing is heavily ventilated, which is necessary because high-performance networking equipment generates significant heat.
  The antennas are permanently attached but can be folded down flat or angled to suit your placement. While removable antennas would have been nice for users who want to attach high-gain third-party options, the stock antennas are high-quality and sturdy.
  On the rear, you find the array of five Ethernet ports. It is unusual to find a complete 2.5GbE lineup on a router at this price point. Typically, manufacturers offer one 2.5GbE WAN port and four 1GbE LAN ports. GL-iNet has equipped all five ports with 2.5Gbps capability, which is fantastic for future-proofing. This allows for faster file transfers across your local network if you have a NAS with a 2.5GbE interface or a modern PC motherboard, reaching speeds of around 280 MB/s, more than double the speed of standard Gigabit Ethernet.

  The front panel of the router features a single dual-colour LED indicator that glows blue when the system is functioning correctly and changes color during boot or error states. It can be easily disabled in the software if you prefer complete darkness.

  The power adapter is noteworthy, rated at 48W (12V/4A), which is substantial for a home router. This high power output is necessary to support the 2.5GbE ports, high-performance Wi-Fi radios, and any attached USB devices.

  In terms of design, the router has a distinct aesthetic. Unlike the sleek, white cylinders seen in mesh systems like Eero or Deco, the Flint 3 resembles traditional networking equipment. It sports a matte black finish with angular vents and four tall, folding antennas, making it more suitable for a home office or server cupboard rather than a living room bookshelf.

  Setting up the Flint 3 is simple, with options to use the GL-iNet smartphone app or the web browser admin panel. The latter provides more detailed control. Connecting to the router’s default Wi-Fi network and accessing the default IP address (192.168.8.1) allows you to set up the device, including language, admin password, and Wi-Fi credentials. The router automatically detects your WAN connection type, making the setup process quick and straightforward.

  The user interface of the router is user-friendly, with a clean and modern design that is easy to navigate. The dashboard offers a quick overview of network status, connected devices, and real-time traffic usage. Additionally, the router is built on OpenWrt, allowing access to the advanced LuCI interface for total control over network settings and the ability to install additional software packages.

  Overall, the GL-iNet Flint 3 is a powerful and feature-rich router that offers excellent performance and flexibility for advanced users. I personally host it on a mini PC running Proxmox, which I switched to during my testing. It is a perfect solution for most people as it saves you from having to run AdGuard Home on a separate device. Raspberry Pi is no longer that affordable, so if you were to host it on one of those, you are looking at around £60 for the RPi5. I’d argue that the ad blocking, browsing security web service, safe search, and parental control features that are available via AdGuard Home provide superior security and general quality of life improvements than the security suites you find on big brand names like Netgear and TP-Link.

  VPN: The VPN features are one of the main selling points of GL-iNet. While most routers support things like WireGuard, OpenVPN, and L2TP, they typically require you to set everything up manually, often involving complex text files or certificate generation. This is not difficult, but with GL-iNet, you have many pre-defined options that you can authenticate easily, making the process much more user-friendly. You can simply drag and drop a configuration file, or in some cases, log in directly to your VPN provider’s API. Speeds: According to the specifications, the Flint 3 can handle up to 680 Mbps via WireGuard and OpenVPN (using the DCO accelerator). In my testing with a local WireGuard server, I achieved speeds very close to this limit. This is exceptionally fast for a router. It means you can leave the VPN on permanently without significantly slowing down your fibre connection. Policy Routing: Additionally, GL-iNet supports some advanced routing features you don’t typically see on big brand names. It is a bit more complicated to set up, but you can configure policy-based routing. This allows you to route only specific devices (like a streaming stick) or specific domains (like netflix.com) through the VPN, while your work laptop goes through the normal internet connection. This is a great solution for anyone wanting to bypass age verification checks in the UK or access geo-blocked content without affecting the latency of their gaming PC.

  Tailscale: I travel a lot and now also work from an office, so I have started to need to access my home network remotely. I primarily use Tailscale to access my home network, including remote access to a Windows VM from my work PC, file backup, and accessing Home Assistant. The Unifi Cloud Gateway Max with Teleport and WiFiman app simplifies connections, but performance can be inconsistent.

  Tailscale is a Zero Trust Network Access service that combines WireGuard with features like SSO and access control lists. Installing it on a device allows access to a specific "Tailnet." The Flint 3 integrates Tailscale, allowing it to function as a "Subnet Router" for full access to the entire home network without installing Tailscale on every device.

  The Flint 3’s ability to override DNS settings on devices running Tailscale is a standout feature, providing ad blocking on mobile data connections. The router effortlessly handled a 2500 Mbps PPPoE connection, ensuring high-speed FTTP plans are not bottlenecked.

  In terms of Wi-Fi performance, the Flint 3 excelled, delivering high speeds on different bands at varying distances within a typical home. However, the lack of mesh Wi-Fi support may be a drawback for some users, though advanced users can potentially replicate this functionality.

  Power consumption is reasonable for a high-performance router, with efficient thermal management preventing overheating. The price of the Flint 3 is competitive, with alternatives available for those not needing Wi-Fi 7 capabilities.

  Overall, the GL.iNet Flint 3 stands out as a top consumer router, offering advanced features and solid performance. While lacking mesh support, its extensive VPN capabilities and overall functionality make it a compelling choice for those seeking a high-performance router. The rise in VPN usage due to the online safety act has led to a surge in demand for routers that support services like SurfShark or NordVPN, making the GL-iNet Flint 3 an ideal choice. The domain-based policy routing feature is particularly useful for bypassing age verification checks on websites such as Reddit.

  The Goodcloud service offered by GL-iNet makes this router attractive to small IT companies and Managed Service Providers (MSPs) as it allows for the management of multiple routers from the cloud. Compared to Draytek, which is commonly used by smaller clients, GL.iNet could be considered a superior option.

  As a Tailscale user myself, having this functionality built into the Flint 3 router provides a convenient way to access the home network remotely. This integrated feature surpasses the setup process of a standard WireGuard VPN connection.

  Additionally, the inclusion of AdGuard Home in the GL-iNet Flint 3 router is a standout feature that most home users can benefit from. The ease of use and enhanced security it offers make a significant difference in browsing experience, outperforming the security features provided by competitors like Netgear and TP-Link.

  In summary, the GL-iNet Flint 3 router receives a strong recommendation from me based on its advanced features and capabilities. However, for those seeking vanilla OpenWrt access, better VPN throughput, and no need for WiFi 7 capabilities, the Flint 2 may be a more suitable option.

  The GL-iNet Flint 3 is a standout consumer router that excels in performance, offering Wi-Fi 7 capabilities, full 2.5GbE connectivity, robust VPN support, integrated Tailscale, and AdGuard Home integration. While it may lack native mesh support, its advanced features, flexibility with OpenWrt, and powerful network tools make it an excellent choice for enthusiasts, remote workers, and individuals looking for premium router features at an affordable price point.

  Pros:

• Outstanding performance with Wi-Fi 7 and full 2.5GbE ports
• Exceptional VPN support including WireGuard, OpenVPN-DCO, and Tailscale
• Enhanced security and ad blocking with AdGuard Home integration
• Customization options available through OpenWrt base

  Cons:

• No native mesh support
• Not fully vanilla OpenWrt for purists

  In conclusion, the GL-iNet Flint 3 router is a top choice for those seeking advanced features and performance without the premium price tag. Its combination of cutting-edge technology and user-friendly design sets it apart from competitors in its price range.

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