The need for faster Wi-Fi speeds has moved technology and boundaries and now many different vendors offer Wi-Fi 7 access points, routers, and even mobile devices. EnGenius, as one of the premium manufacturers, has released their lineup of Wi-Fi 7 Access points and today we will examine them and see what the fuss about Wi-Fi 7 is all about.

The EnGenius Cloud Managed Wi-Fi 7 ECW516L AP, is a cost-effective model designed for small businesses. It support tri-concurrent 802.11be architecture, delivering speeds up to 700 Mbps on the 2.4GHz, 4,300 Mbps on the 5GHz, and 8,700 Mbps on the 6GHz band, providing high-performance connectivity. With seamless integration into the EnGenius Cloud platform, it offers easy management and robust security through WPA3, making it an ideal solution for businesses seeking enterprise-grade performance at an affordable price. Retail price is around $199 (official website).

Main features

• Wi-Fi 7 Technology: Tri-concurrent 802.11be architecture with backward compatibility for legacy Wi-Fi devices.
• High-Performance Speeds: Delivers 8,700 Mbps (6GHz), 4,300 Mbps (5GHz), and 700 Mbps (2.4GHz) throughput.
• Advanced Security: Integrated WPA3 and WPA2-AES authentication protection.
• Professional-Grade Antenna: 5 dBi integrated system with 2x2 (2.4GHz) and 3x3 (5GHz/6GHz) configuration.
• Versatile Connectivity: 2.5GE PoE+ port for power and high-speed networking.
• Cloud Management: Free local and remote management via EnGenius Cloud.
• Flexible Deployment: Multiple operating modes with AP, STA, and Mesh support.

Starting with the ECW516L the retail package is simple, as with all EnGenius Access Points. The product is the cheapest one and is based upon MediaTek MT7986A Quad-core A53 2GHz CPU.

Everything is well packaged and secured.

Apart from the main product, the mounting mechanism is also included in a box at the bottom:

Looking at the product, the design is the same as with other EnGenius AP, there is an LED strip at the top, and at the front, you will find the EnGenius logo. The device has small dimensions, Length: 8.10" (205.7 mm), Width: 8.10" (205.7 mm), Height: 1.31" (33.2 mm).

At the back, you will find product label information and the connection ports.

The connection ports are rather typical, a reset hole, a 2.5G PoE LAN port, and a DC12V jack (in case you need it).

Our device has hardware revision v1.0.0.