Flint 2 (GL-MT6000) vs TP-Link Archer C6 AC1200 Wireless MU-MIMO Gigabit Router

Researched, not hands-on tested.How we review ›

both judged against Wi-Fi routers and mesh systems at a similar price

The Flint 2 (GL-MT6000) scores 6.7/10 overall, ahead of the TP-Link Archer C6 AC1200 Wireless MU-MIMO Gigabit Router at 5.9/10.

The Flint 2 (GL-MT6000) leads on wi-Fi standard and bands, wired ports and coverage.

They score the same on software and security and value.

Flint 2 (GL-MT6000)

6.7/10verdict: wait for deal

The Flint 2 is for homelabbers and sysadmins who want a configurable single router with fast VPN throughput. It suits people who are comfortable with OpenWrt-style settings and want 2.5G wired ports. Beginners and anyone covering a large or multi-storey home with one unit should read the owner feedback first.

Typically about £152.99 in the UK when we researched itCheck price at Amazon UK

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TP-Link Archer C6 AC1200 Wireless MU-MIMO Gigabit Router

5.9/10verdict: skip

The Archer C6 is for anyone replacing an ageing router with a single dual-band Wi-Fi 5 unit and four Gigabit LAN ports. It suits buyers who want a simple setup and a decent feature list, including guest networks, WPA3 and a VPN server. It is a poor fit if you need Wi-Fi 6, multi-gigabit ports or a rated coverage figure.

Typically about £43.78 in the UK when we researched itCheck price at Amazon UK

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Scores, criterion by criterion

Criterion	Weight	Flint 2 (GL-MT6000)	TP-Link Archer C6 AC1200 Wireless MU-MIMO Gigabit Router
Wi-Fi standard and bands	25%	6/10	5/10
Software and security	25%	7/10	7/10
Wired ports	20%	8/10	6/10
Coverage	15%	5/10	4/10
Value	15%	7/10	7/10
Overall		6.7/10	5.9/10

Specifications

Spec	Flint 2 (GL-MT6000)	TP-Link Archer C6 AC1200 Wireless MU-MIMO Gigabit Router
Wi-Fi standard	IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n/ac/ax (Wi-Fi 6)	Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac/n/a on 5 GHz; 802.11n/b/g on 2.4 GHz)
Bands and speed class	Dual-band: 1148Mbps (2.4GHz), 4804Mbps (5GHz)	Dual-band AC1200: 867 Mbps on 5 GHz, 300 Mbps on 2.4 GHz (the same page also gives 400 Mbps for 2.4 GHz, a conflict on the manufacturer page)
WAN port	1 x WAN (2.5G), 1 x WAN/LAN (2.5G)	1x Gigabit (10/100/1000 Mbps)
LAN ports	4 x LAN (1G), plus one flexible 2.5G WAN/LAN port	4x Gigabit (10/100/1000 Mbps)
Mesh nodes in the box	1 router, 0 mesh nodes	0 (one router in the box)
Security and VPN features	not listed	SPI firewall, access control, IP and MAC binding, guest networks (one 5 GHz and one 2.4 GHz), VPN server (OpenVPN, PPTP), VPN client (OpenVPN, PPTP, WireGuard), WPA/WPA2/WPA3, parental controls

Strengths and weaknesses

Flint 2 (GL-MT6000)

+ Two 2.5G ports, one WAN and one flexible WAN/LAN
+ WireGuard rated up to 900Mbps; can also act as a VPN server
+ Owners report quiet running and draw of around 13 to 16 watts
− Owners describe a steep learning curve for beginners
− Runs warm under high WireGuard load, with no passive cooling
− Single unit with no mesh nodes; patchy coverage in multi-storey homes

Skip it if:

Beginners who want a simple app-led setup
Owners of large or multi-storey homes needing several mesh nodes
Buyers who want Wi-Fi 6E or Wi-Fi 7 with a 6GHz band

Read the full Flint 2 (GL-MT6000) review ›

TP-Link Archer C6 AC1200 Wireless MU-MIMO Gigabit Router

+ WPA3, guest networks and VPN server included
+ Four Gigabit LAN ports plus Gigabit WAN
+ Owners report simple setup and good value
− No rated coverage figure published
− No USB port, according to owners
− Several hardware revisions share the same name

Skip it if:

Buyers who want Wi-Fi 6 or newer
Anyone needing 2.5GbE or faster wired ports
People who need a USB port for storage or printer sharing

Read the full TP-Link Archer C6 AC1200 Wireless MU-MIMO Gigabit Router review ›

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