Transforming the FRITZ!Box 5690 Pro: The Ultimate Matter Bridge Experience with FRITZ! Lab Beta

AVM has recently rolled out a new FRITZ! Lab beta for the FRITZ!Box 5690 Pro that introduces Matter support before the official launch of FRITZ!OS 8.50. This development marks the first time a FRITZ!Box model has integrated Matter bridge functionality directly into the router itself, eliminating the need for a separate FRITZ!Smart Gateway.

In my review of the FRITZ!Box 5690 Pro in August 2025, one of the notable drawbacks I highlighted was the absence of native Matter support. AVM had previously announced that Matter support was on the way, and it’s exciting to see this feature finally being introduced, even in beta form.

The FRITZ! Lab serves as AVM’s beta platform where new features are tested on actual hardware before being incorporated into a full FRITZ!OS release. Those interested in early access can download the beta version directly from fritz.com and install it on a compatible router.

For the FRITZ!Box 5690 Pro, this specific Lab build brings three key additions: Matter bridge support, enabling FRITZ! Smart Home devices to be accessed by other Matter controllers; configurable DNS filters, previously only available in the FRITZ! Lab build for the 7690 model; and automatic prioritization, carried over from the 7690 Lab build.

While DNS filtering and prioritization features are not new to the FRITZ! platform as a whole, this release marks the first time they are being made accessible for the 5690 Pro specifically.

The Matter Bridge functionality allows the FRITZ!Box 5690 Pro to join the FRITZ!Smart Gateway in facilitating the integration of FRITZ! Smart Home devices into a Matter network. Devices registered with the router, such as the FRITZ!Smart Thermo 302 radiator valve, and compatible third-party smart home devices already paired with the box, can now be visible to Matter controllers from other ecosystems.

In practical terms, this means that devices connected to a FRITZ!Box can now be controlled through platforms like Apple Home, Google Home, or Amazon Alexa, in addition to the existing FRITZ!App Smart Home and any existing automations set up on the router. The router remains the primary hub, with Matter serving as an additional communication channel to other platforms.

Matter is an open smart home standard developed by the Connectivity Standards Alliance, designed to enable devices from different manufacturers to work with a single controller regardless of brand. It comprises a controller, typically integrated into a smart speaker like an Amazon Echo; the smart home devices themselves; and a bridge for devices that utilize a wireless standard not directly compatible with Matter, such as Zigbee or DECT ULE.

This is where the FRITZ!Box 5690 Pro comes into play. Since FRITZ! Smart Home devices communicate over DECT ULE, HAN-FUN, or Zigbee instead of Matter’s native protocols, the router acts as a bridge to facilitate communication between the two. While AVM had previously offered this bridging function through the standalone FRITZ!Smart Gateway, the FRITZ! Lab update extends this capability to the 5690 Pro itself, eliminating the need for a separate gateway for households with smart home devices already connected to the router.

One of the advantages of Matter is its local operation over the home network, bypassing the need for manufacturer servers to be online to control devices. While an internet connection is still required for voice control through platforms like Alexa, Siri, or Google Assistant, the local network operation ensures greater reliability and security.

AVM has released separate guides for connecting the FRITZ!Box 5690 Pro to a Matter network through major platforms like the Amazon Alexa app, Apple Home app, and Google Home app. The process involves adding the FRITZ!Box as a Matter bridge within the respective platform’s app, enabling control of registered FRITZ! Smart Home devices through the platform.

The full instructions for each platform, along with an overview of how Matter and the FRITZ! ecosystem complement each other, can be found on the Matter with FRITZ! page on fritz.com.

The FRITZ! Lab beta for the FRITZ!Box 5690 Pro is currently available for free download on fritz.com. As with any beta firmware, it is advisable to back up your router configuration before installation, given that Lab builds are pre-release software and have not undergone the same level of testing as a full FRITZ!OS release.

The FRITZ!Box 5690 Pro is not officially sold in the UK, with pricing typically around 300 euros on Amazon.de and between £340 and £370 on UK retailers and Amazon UK. The introduction of Matter support through the FRITZ! Lab does not impact pricing but addresses a noted gap in the original review, where the lack of Matter support on the 5690 Pro was a key limitation compared to competitors offering it.

The full Matter bridge functionality is expected to be more widely available once it transitions from FRITZ! Lab to a stable FRITZ!OS 8.50 release.