Netgear Nighthawk M6 Mobile Hotspot: Specifications
Wi-Fi Specifications: AX3600
Mobile Data Specifications: LTE and 5G
Ports: 2 external antenna ports, 1Gbps LAN, nano-SIM
Wi-Fi chip: Qualcomm SnapDragon X62
Maximum Performance: 512.7 Mbps
ranges: 30 feet
measuring: 4.1 x 4.1 x 0.8 inches
Estimated annual cost of electricity: $1.50
It may be larger and heavier than its counterparts, but Netgear’s Nighthawk M6 Mobile Hotspot isn’t just a snap to set up and use but can get you online anywhere there’s a 4G or 5G phone signal. It works just as well on the road as it does at home to ensure a 24/7 internet connection, and it’s also a rare hotspot that can be equipped with external antennas to grab a weak signal. The M6 hotspot combines mobile data network access with Wi-Fi 6 transmissions for top speeds but relies on sub-6 of the 5G spectrum, which limits its top speed.
All in all, this mobile hotspot can deliver data, wherever you are, but its $800 price tag can be a bit overwhelming. This Netgear Nighthawk M6 Mobile Hotspot review will help you decide if this is it The best mobile hotspot to your needs or if you’d be better off using a different device.
Netgear Nighthawk M6 Mobile Hotspot: Pricing and Availability
The Nighthawk M6 Mobile Hotspot Router, also known as the MR6150, is available in unlocked form for $800 on the Netgear website as well as from AT&T for $310. Capable of covering nearly 2,000 square feet, it should be enough for most homes and more than enough for a connected camping trip or a day at the beach.
Netgear Nighthawk M6 Mobile Hotspot review: Design
The MR6150 Nighthawk M6 Mobile Hotspot is the same size (4.1 x 4.1 x 0.8 inches) and weight (8.8 ounces with its battery), and is a dead ringer for Netgear’s previous-generation M5 mobile hotspot (aka the MR5200). In fact, the easiest way to tell the two apart is that the newer M6 has gray edges while the older M5 is completely black.
It looks big next to the 4.9 x 3.1 x 0.7 inch T-Mobile 5G Hotspot, which weighs 7.6 ounces. Even with the weight disparity, the 5G Hotspot packs a larger 6,460 milliampere hour (mAh) battery versus the M6’s 5,040 mAh battery.
The M6’s center of attention is its 2.4-inch display which is not only touch-sensitive but everything you need to set up and use the hotspot. However, there is also a way to use a connected browser to adjust and configure its settings. Not only does the M6’s screen allow you to configure the guest network and see what’s connected, but it only lets me use 5GHz transmissions to save power. It can also work as a dual band hotspot.
Comes ready to go online with AC adapter, power cord, and battery. Under the hood, the M6 acts as a data modem that fetches streams from the mobile data network and sends the data out in the form of dual-band Wi-Fi 6 transmissions. Powered by Qualcomm’s SnapDragon X62 chip, it can take advantage of the 12 most popular 5G bands and 18 LTE bands in the Sub-6 spectrum between 600MHz to 3.7GHz.
This limits it to nearly 4G speeds and the device is unable to take advantage of the high-performance mid-wave and bandwidth frequencies that would have pushed its speeds even higher. By contrast, the Inseego MiFi M2100 5GUW can use Verizon’s ultra-wide towers operating between 28 and 39GHz for top speeds; The MiFi M2100 5G UW costs $400.
Currently, it has been tested and approved for AT&T and T-Mobile networks. It continues to undergo tests on the Verizon network.
On the Wi-Fi end, the M6 is a miniature Wi-Fi 6 router that uses 2X2 streams for both the 5GHz and 2.4GHz bands and can handle up to 32 devices simultaneously, topping out at a theoretical 3.6Gbps. The hotspot lacks the 6GHz band that Wi-Fi 6E adds, but it should be more than enough for most uses at home, at work, and on the road.
There is a special high-performance mode that started when I removed the M6’s battery pack and plugged it in. Netgear estimates that on AC power, the router can push 40% farther on battery power. More on that later.
Inside, the device has four internal antennas to extract data out of nowhere and retransmit it as a Wi-Fi signal. If that wasn’t enough, it has a pair of TS-9 RF ports for connecting external antennas that might be useful around the house or in an RV. Netgear sells an omnidirectional antenna for $55.
Like the M5, the M6 has a minimum number of ports. In addition to the Gigabit Ethernet port, the hotspot has a USB-C power connector that isn’t intended for data transfer. However, it was useful to use the M6’s battery to charge my phone in an emergency.
The M6 can perform several roles. In addition to being used as a traditional hotspot to get online anywhere with LTE or 5G, the M6 can be used as the main source of broadband in the home or as an emergency bypass device when the wired network goes down. Unlike modem routers that use AC power, like Netgear’s Orbi NBK752, the M6 has enough battery power for at least eight hours of off-network data to get through moderate power outages.
Netgear Nighthawk M6 Mobile Hotspot review: Performance
The M6 can go with you anywhere its compact size and can easily be pocketed to provide instant internet anywhere there is a signal. Real-world connection speeds depend on how close you are to a transmission tower, what standard (5G or LTE) is used and local congestion of the carrier’s network.
To start, I ran several tests in New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut to measure the M6’s capabilities using my Samsung Galaxy Book Pro notebook and Ookla’s SpeedTest.net. Speed test application. Using T-Mobile’s 5G network, I got connections ranging from 107Kbps downloads to 512.7Mbps. In my office in suburban New York City, I got an average download rate of 133.7 Mbps, which is well below the 200 Mbps offered by my wired broadband, but plenty to keep me going. By contrast, using my Samsung Galaxy S9 as a hotspot produced 127.5Mbps of bandwidth. However, in two other locations in New Jersey and Connecticut, the results improved to 241.9 Mbps and 178.0 Mbps.
Across all three locations, I was able to listen to music and watch online videos with no problem. On the other hand, latency averaged 25ms, more than double what a wired connection might provide. Most of them won’t notice, but a gamer might.
On battery power, the hotspot and laptop stayed connected for 30 feet, enough to service a room, RV, or picnic table. When I removed the battery and plugged it into an AC outlet, its range improved to 40 feet, a 33% increase in range.
The device’s 5,040mAh battery pack powers the M6 for 8 hours and 15 minutes on and off with the Power Manger set to Balanced. In two weeks of daily use, the device never got hotter than to touch. A power miser, the M6 uses 2.2 watts to charge and operate the device. If it charges half the time and runs on the battery the rest, the device should add up to your annual energy bill of just $1.50 if you pay the national rate of 15 cents per kilowatt-hour.
Netgear Nighthawk M6 Mobile Hotspot review: Setup
The M6 hotspot is easy to set up and took about 5 minutes, including updating the device’s firmware. I started by installing the battery and my nano-SIM card from T-Mobile.
Next, I took a picture of the QR code on a plastic screen overlay. I provided clear and simple instructions which started by clicking on “let’s go” on the unit screen.
Next, I added a network name and password, followed by entering the admin code to make changes to the M6.
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Finally, I set the hotspot to sleep after 10 minutes of inactivity and saved the changes.
Netgear Nighthawk M6 Mobile Hotspot review: Configuration
There are two ways to configure the M6: using the built-in touch screen and its web management portal through a connected browser. The former is fast, easy and always available while the latter offers more options.
The M6’s display has dedicated home and back buttons while the display shows the network name and password (not always a good idea if you’re out and about). I suggest turning on a screen lock that requires a password.
Above the signal strength gauge, the M6 has a battery level gauge on top with tiles for data usage, internet, network map, WiFi, and power management below. Settings can call up Airplane Mode, change the security level, and mobile data settings. There’s also a place to set screen brightness and time out when it goes blank.
Since it is a mobile phone at heart, M6 can receive SMS messages. Unfortunately, there is no way to reply, although it can be deleted. The most interesting part is the More category which has a plethora of configuration options that include turning the Ethernet port on or off and resetting the device.
In contrast, Web Admin Portal needs a computer connected and can be opened by typing 192.168.1.1 or “mywebui.net” in the browser’s address bar. After entering the administrator password, the device dashboard displayed the M6’s connections, network map, and Wi-Fi details.
The settings internet connection is for M6 customization. In addition to acquiring mobile data, it has settings for WiFi Offloading to use the M6 as your primary Internet source and Ethernet Offloading to use the device for backup when your Internet connection fails.
Its Power Management section offers a choice of Best Performance, Best Battery Performance, or Best Performance and Range. Details of the current situation are given below. Dig a little deeper and the advanced section contains several security options, including Port Forwarding, port filtering, and DMZ setup.
Unlike other Netgear devices, the M6 comes without the company’s Armor add-on built around Bitdefender Total Security to help protect your router and connected devices from malware and hackers. On the other hand, you don’t have to choose between letting the subscription expire or paying $100 a year to keep it active.
The M6 comes with a one-year warranty and 90 days of support, which should be enough to get the device working properly. Upping your coverage to two years with accident protection and overnight replacement adds $50 to the tab.
Netgear has many helpful online support resources for the M6, including a getting started video and articles on getting the most out of the device.
Netgear Nighthawk M6 Mobile Hotspot review: The verdict
With the ability to get the data signal from your 4G or 5G mobile network and send powerful Wi-Fi 6 transmissions, the Netgear M6 Mobile Hotspot has several ways to help you stay online no matter where you are. Perfect for everything from a day at the beach to avoiding hotel Wi-Fi, the M6 is versatile enough to serve as an emergency internet connection at home when your broadband fails.
As bulky, heavy, and expensive as it is, the $800 M6 has something most hotspots lack: a pair of antenna ports to extend its range. While it can provide the data needed for a 24/7 online lifestyle, its use of sub-6 frequencies limits the M6 to nearly 4G LTE speeds. Another hotspot like the Inseego MiFi M2100 5GUW can raise the bar while costing half as much but the Netgear M6 Mobile Hotspot comes from a reliable networking brand.
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