GL.iNet Flint 2 GL-MT6000 review

The Flint 2 (GL-MT6000) from GL.iNet is a single dual-band Wi-Fi 6 router. It is not a mesh system: the research lists one router and zero mesh nodes. It is aimed at people who want control over their network and who care about VPN speed more than a simple setup app.

The radios are rated at 1148Mbps on 2.4GHz and 4804Mbps on 5GHz. There is no 6GHz band, so this is a Wi-Fi 6 design rather than 6E or Wi-Fi 7.

The research gives no rated coverage area. Owner reports on range are mixed. Some describe patchy coverage in multi-storey homes, while one forum owner praises it. With one unit and no mesh nodes, the layout of your home matters. A multi-floor property may need a different approach to placement, or a different product altogether.

This is where the hardware stands out. The spec sheet lists one 2.5G WAN port and one flexible 2.5G WAN/LAN port, plus four 1G LAN ports. That gives you a 2.5G connection to the internet side and a second 2.5G port you can use for a wired device or a second WAN. Because the four other LAN ports are 1G, only one LAN device can use 2.5G at a time when the flexible port is set to LAN.

For a homelab, that second 2.5G port could suit a NAS or a server. The research does not say how GL.iNet expects people to use it beyond listing it as WAN/LAN.

VPN is the main selling point. The router ships with OpenVPN, rated at up to 880Mbps, and WireGuard, rated at up to 900Mbps. GL.iNet says it supports 30+ VPN services. It can also act as a VPN server, which matters if you want to reach your home network from elsewhere. Owners back this up: they call WireGuard and VPN performance excellent, and say speeds are high for the price.

The firmware is based on OpenWrt v21.02. That gives experienced users a familiar base. It also comes with a cost. Owners describe a steep learning curve, with configuration that is demanding and may overwhelm beginners. If you have never set up a router beyond the default wizard, expect to spend time learning.

The research does not cover WPA3 support, VLANs, guest networks or the firmware update record. Check those against the manufacturer's documentation before you buy if they matter to you. It also does not mention any paid feature tiers.

The manufacturer rates power consumption at under 20W, and notes that this is a ceiling figure. One owner reports around 13 to 16 watts. Owners also describe it as quiet. The trade-off is heat. There is no passive cooling, and owners report the router runs warm under high WireGuard load. If you plan to push the VPN hard, give it space with some airflow rather than shutting it in a cupboard.

With WireGuard rated at up to 900Mbps and two 2.5G ports, the Flint 2 suits someone running a VPN-heavy or homelab network who is comfortable with OpenWrt-style configuration. The owner reports on learning curve and mixed coverage mean it is a weaker fit for first-time router buyers. It is also a weaker fit for larger homes that need several nodes. For a small or medium space where you control the placement and want to tinker, the specifications and owner themes point the same way.