GL.iNet Beryl AX (MT3000) review
The GL.iNet Beryl AX is a travel router with Wi-Fi 6, built-in WireGuard VPN and AdGuard Home. Tested on the road and at home.
GL.iNet Beryl AX (MT3000) review
The GL.iNet Beryl AX is a compact travel router with Wi-Fi 6, full OpenWrt support and WireGuard VPN built in. Small enough for a travel bag, powerful enough for daily home use. Tested in both scenarios.
Specifications
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Processor | MediaTek MT7981B (ARM Cortex-A53, 1.3 GHz, dual-core) |
| RAM | 256 MB |
| Storage | 128 MB NAND |
| WiFi | Wi-Fi 6 (AX3000), dual-band (2.4 GHz + 5 GHz) |
| Ethernet | 1× Gigabit WAN, 1× Gigabit LAN |
| Operating system | OpenWrt (customisable) |
| USB | 1× USB 3.0 |
| Power | USB-C (5V/3A) |
| Dimensions | 88 × 68 × 22 mm |
| Price | €109.95 |
WireGuard performance
GL.iNet claims WireGuard throughput up to 300 Mbps. Measured with a Mullvad WireGuard connection and iperf3.
Our results:
- WireGuard download: 260–290 Mbps
- WireGuard upload: 240–275 Mbps
- Without VPN: full Gigabit WAN speed utilised
Excellent results for a travel router. Hotel networks and holiday rentals rarely offer more than 100–200 Mbps — the Beryl AX is not the bottleneck in most cases. If you need WireGuard on a 500+ Mbps home connection, look at the Flint 2.
USB-C power: the travel difference
Any modern laptop or phone charger can power the Beryl AX. No separate adapter needed — one USB-C port from your GaN charger is enough. In practice: one plug in the wall socket, Beryl AX on the charger, phone and laptop too.
OpenWrt and web interface
The Beryl AX runs the same GL.iNet firmware as the Flint 2. What you can configure:
- WireGuard and OpenVPN client directly via the web interface
- DNS-over-TLS and DNS-over-HTTPS for the entire network
- AdGuard Home as built-in DNS ad blocker
- Guest network isolated from the main network
- Repeater mode: connect to hotel Wi-Fi, share secure connection with all your devices
The web interface is more accessible than standard OpenWrt. Those who want to can dig into the full OpenWrt CLI.
Use cases
Travelling: Connect the Beryl AX to hotel Wi-Fi (or an Ethernet port), set up WireGuard with your VPN provider, and all your devices — laptop, phone, tablet — automatically go through VPN. Configure once, not per device.
Captive portals: Hotels and airports use a login page for Wi-Fi access. The Beryl AX has a built-in captive portal mode: temporarily enable it, log in through the router, re-enable VPN. No hassle logging in on every device separately.
As home router: The Beryl AX works fine as a small home router for apartments or smaller households. One WAN port is the only limitation compared to the Flint 2.
Caveats
One LAN port: For a wired home network with multiple devices, you need a switch. As a travel router, one LAN port is rarely a problem.
256 MB RAM: Less than the Flint 2 (1 GB). Sufficient for standard use including AdGuard Home and WireGuard. Those wanting to run multiple heavy services simultaneously should choose the Flint 2.
No 2.5G WAN: The Flint 2 has a 2.5 Gbps WAN port. On the Beryl AX you’re limited to Gigabit — not an issue for 99% of internet access.
Comparison with other GL.iNet models
| Model | Price | WireGuard | Use case |
|---|---|---|---|
| GL-SFT1200 Opal | €50 | ~100 Mbps | Travel router, simple |
| GL-MT3000 Beryl AX | €109.95 | ~280 Mbps | Travel router, powerful |
| GL-MT6000 Flint 2 | €139 | ~850 Mbps | Home router, recommended |
| GL-BE9300 Flint 3 | €219 | ~1.2 Gbps | Home router, Wi-Fi 7 |
Conclusion
The Beryl AX is the best choice if you want a compact router to take everywhere that also works well at home. Wi-Fi 6, WireGuard at a real 280 Mbps, USB-C power and a usable web interface — everything is included.
Those looking for a fixed home router and wanting higher WireGuard speeds should choose the Flint 2.
See also:
- Setting up a GL.iNet travel router — step-by-step VPN, DNS-over-TLS and AdGuard Home configuration
- GL.iNet Flint 2 review — the home router from the same family
- Which network setup fits your threat profile? — how much router do you actually need?
- Threat profile: IT professional / sysadmin — why your home network is organisational security