Wi-Fi 7 is no longer a luxury. Xiaomi introduces a mesh set that costs a fraction of the competition (review)

Before I started testing the Xiaomi BE3600 Pro, I was honestly skeptical. The new Wi-Fi 7 standard had been (with exceptions, by the way, even from Xiaomi) until now the domain of premium routers costing over 5 thousand, and suddenly, a Chinese manufacturer comes with a mesh set promising whole-home coverage for the price of one. After a month of use, I must say that my skepticism was completely unnecessary – this unassuming little box transformed my home connection beyond recognition.

Unboxing: finally a router that doesn’t look like an alien spaceship

The first thing that pleasantly surprised me about the BE3600 Pro was its design. While competitors often opt for an aggressive look full of sharp edges and glowing “gaming” elements, Xiaomi sticks to a minimalist line. The rounded black body with a semi-matte finish looks discreet and blends into any interior. In my living room, no one even noticed it until I pointed it out – and I consider that a plus.

The set includes three physically identical routers (one main and two satellites), three power adapters, and one Ethernet cable. On the back of each router, you’ll find four network ports – one supporting 2.5 Gbps speed and three standard gigabit ones. This equipment is above standard in its price category, and I particularly appreciated the presence of the faster port, which is useful when connecting to modern fiber optic networks, even though I don’t currently have the opportunity to fully utilize it at home.

Upon closer inspection, I noticed several thoughtful details. For example, narrow ventilation slots preventing dust accumulation, rubber feet for stability, or NFC for quick connection. I was a bit surprised that both routers look identical, even though they have different hardware inside – the main unit contains an internal battery to support the central gateway and has larger storage (512 MB vs. 128 MB). Fortunately, they are clearly labeled in the app, so there’s no confusion; the main router is on top in the package, so plug it in first. Then nothing should go wrong. The other two routers can be plugged in in any order.

Installation: it’s never been this simple

If you dread setting up network devices, the BE3600 Pro will pleasantly surprise you. The entire process took less than 10 minutes, and I didn’t even need a manual. All I had to do was plug the main router into the modem, connect to the newly created Wi-Fi network, and follow the instructions in the Mi Home app.

Adding the second router was even simpler – I turned it on, placed it about 10 meters from the main one, and within seconds, it automatically connected, as did the third one afterward. The app informed me that the mesh network was functional, and that was it. No complicated setup, no switching between networks. After five previous routers I’ve had at home, this was the smoothest installation ever.

I was pleased that both routers support NFC for quick connection – just place an NFC-enabled phone near the top of the router, and it will automatically connect to the network. This feature works reliably with all Xiaomi phones; compatibility varies with other brands. I tested it with a Redmi Note 14 Pro and a Samsung Galaxy S25, and with the Samsung, additional authorization was required in the phone’s settings.

Hardware that surprises

Under the hood of the BE3600 Pro, we find a quad-core Qualcomm QCN6402 processor, 512 MB of RAM in the main router (128 MB in satellite units), and full Wi-Fi 7 support. In the 5 GHz band, the router offers a theoretical speed of up to 2882 Mbps, while on 2.4 GHz, it reaches up to 688 Mbps. The total throughput of 3600 Mbps is thus mathematically correct, but as is often the case, real-world values are lower.

Worth mentioning is the implementation of key Wi-Fi 7 technologies, especially MLO (Multi-Link Operation). This feature allows devices to use multiple frequency bands simultaneously, which significantly increases connection stability. In practice, this means that even if interference occurs in one band, the connection remains stable thanks to the second band. I appreciated this, for example, when connecting an Aqara gateway, which refuses to communicate with 5GHz bands. And with both active, there was no problem with the connection.

The router also supports Multi-RU, improved OFDMA for more efficient bandwidth utilization, Beamforming for directing the signal directly to devices, BSS Coloring against interference in densely populated areas, and of course, WPA3 security. In terms of connectivity, the BE3600 Pro is very well equipped; perhaps I would have welcomed at least one USB port for connecting network storage.

Performance in practice: a pleasant surprise

It was time to test how the BE3600 Pro performs in real-world use. In my home (2-bedroom apartment with kitchen corner, about 80 m²), I previously had a Google Nest Wi-Fi installed from 2016 (also a three-piece set), so I had a direct comparison. The difference was immediately noticeable, especially in the more distant parts of the house.

I have an O2 MAX Platinum plan with a maximum speed of 250 Mbps download and 25 Mbps upload. In practice, the download speed is more like 160-180 Mbps, even when measured on a PC directly connected by cable to the modem in the attic. With Google Nest, I had a speed of 160-180 Mbps in the living room, only 100-120 Mbps in the bedroom (through two walls), and only 50-70 Mbps in the study.

With the Xiaomi BE3600 Pro, the speed in the living room remained the same (i.e., the maximum possible), but in the bedroom, I still achieved 140-150 Mbps, and in the study, a solid 100-110 Mbps with a ping of 18 ms. This is a significant improvement that I immediately felt. Especially in situations when I’m setting up a new phone and restoring a backup. And that sometimes happens to me several times a week, given the nature of my work.

The gaming test particularly interested me – I tried playing several matches in Counter-Strike 2 via Wi-Fi connection in the study. The experience was surprisingly good, almost comparable to a wired connection. Ping remained stable between 20-30 ms, with one brief spike to 150 ms that lasted only a few seconds. During regular gameplay, I did not notice any visible lag or disconnections.

Later, I tried another trick – I connected the third satellite router to the modem with an Ethernet cable, creating what is called a wired backhaul. This led to further improvement in coverage, even in the garden, where I still achieved speeds around 150 Mbps. With the previous system, I had no reliable connection in the garden at all.

Automatic roaming: no more switching between networks

One of the things that always interests me about mesh systems is the quality of automatic roaming – that is, switching between individual routers based on signal strength. The BE3600 Pro performs almost flawlessly in this regard. As I moved around the house, I used a specialized app to monitor signal strength and the moment of handover.

Near the main router, I measured a strong signal of around -34 dBm. As I moved towards the satellite router, the signal gradually decreased, and at around -70 dBm, a seamless handover occurred. The transition was so smooth that there was no interruption during a video call – the conversation continued without a single hitch.

Interestingly, the device switched back to the main router only at a similar value of -60 dBm, which prevents unnecessary back-and-forth switching in boundary areas. I observed this behavior with all tested devices – iPhone 16e, Xiaomi 15 Ultra, and MacBook Air with M4 chip. Thanks to this intelligent roaming, the entire house is covered as one large network without any “dead spots”.

Smart home: control even without internet

The Xiaomi BE3600 Pro aims to be more than just a router – it also functions as a central gateway for the smart home. Thanks to the integrated Mi Hub Gateway, you can control Xiaomi devices even in the event of an internet outage, a feature you’ll truly appreciate when your connection is down.

However, here I encounter the first drawback – access to the central gateway is currently only possible via a web browser on a computer, not through the mobile app. This is impractical, and I hope Xiaomi integrates this feature directly into the Mi Home app in the future.

To test it, I created a simple automation – when my phone connects to the home network, the living room lights turn on and the air conditioning starts. It works reliably, but creating more complex scenarios runs into a less intuitive interface.

App: clear, but not perfect

The Xiaomi BE3600 Pro is controlled via the Mi Home app, familiar to owners of any device from the Xiaomi ecosystem. The interface is clear and offers all the basic functions you expect from a router – monitoring connected devices, speed testing, traffic prioritization settings, or parental control.

I was pleased with the Xiaomi Family NetShield feature, which provides basic network protection against malicious websites and allows content filtering for children. In tests, it successfully blocked access to inappropriate content sites and phishing websites. It’s not a full-fledged replacement for specialized security solutions, but it works reliably as basic protection.

What I miss in the app is more detailed network usage statistics for individual devices and more advanced QoS (Quality of Service) options. Currently, you can only set basic prioritization, but I miss greater bandwidth control for individual devices.

Verdict: Wi-Fi 7 for the average user

After a month of use, I can confidently say that the Xiaomi BE3600 Pro is among the best mesh systems I have ever tested, especially considering its price-to-performance ratio. In the Czech market, it sells for a recommended price of 6,599 CZK; you can buy it, for example, on Alza.

Of course, it’s not a perfect product. The app could offer more advanced features, the central smart home gateway should be accessible directly from the mobile app, and a single USB port would really be useful. But these shortcomings pale in comparison to what the BE3600 Pro offers.

The biggest surprise for me was the system’s stability. Throughout the entire month of testing, I didn’t have to restart the router even once. The connection remained stable even under heavy load, when I was simultaneously streaming 4K video on the TV, playing games on the computer, and having a video call with a friend.

If you’re looking for a way to enjoy the benefits of the latest Wi-Fi 7 standard without having to invest tens of thousands of crowns, the Xiaomi BE3600 Pro is a clear choice. It offers excellent performance, easy setup, and sufficient functionality for most households. And a bonus is its integration with smart home features, which makes the router more than just a network device.

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We thank the Czech representation of Xiaomi for providing the Xiaomi BE3600 Pro.