Fritz! is launching new devices – but is opting out of the Wi-Fi 8 label
At IFA, Fritz! is celebrating 40 years with a new router design and new models for fiber optics, mobile communications, and mesh – though the manufacturer is still holding back on Wi-Fi 8.
Happy Birthday Fritz! For its 40th anniversary, the German network specialists are introducing a brand-new design for the Fritzbox. In addition, the Berlin-based company is launching several new router models for various connection types. They are also showing their roadmap for Wi-Fi 8, but unlike other manufacturers, they remain cautious.
New router flagship in a new design
First, Fritz! is introducing the new Fritzbox 7-90. They simply call the DSL and fiber-compatible box "The Box". For the housing, Fritz has moved all connections to the lower half of the back and removed all buttons except for one. The variety of LEDs has also been reduced. Only one LED is now installed. As before, the router cools without a fan and has an average power consumption of twelve watts.
As a multi-broadband router, "The Box" serves both fiber via GPON (up to 2.5 Gbit/s) and AON (up to 1 Gbit/s) as well as classic DSL. For Wi-Fi, the manufacturer relies on tri-band Wi-Fi 7 with MLO (i.e., simultaneous Wi-Fi connections over multiple frequency bands). The theoretical peak speed is 12.2 Gbit/s, distributed across 5760 Gbit/s in the 6 GHz and 5 GHz bands each, as well as 688 Mbit/s in the 2.4 GHz band. On the underside, you will find two 2.5 Gbit/s WAN/LAN ports as well as a dedicated 2.5 Gbit/s LAN port and two 1 Gbit/s LAN sockets. You will have to do without a 10 Gbit/s connection here.
There is also DECT for Fritzfons and the Zigbee standard for smart homes. The USB port is also impossible to kill – although Fritz! does not provide any information on its speed here.
New devices for mesh, fiber, and mobile solutions
In addition to this year's flagship, Fritz! is also launching the new Fritzbox 5630 XGS. This runs directly on XGS-PON connections (a fiber variant with up to 10 Gbit/s in upload and download) or can be connected to an external fiber modem. It then transmits to other devices via Wi-Fi 7. In addition to the 10 Gbit/s port, there are three other LAN ports and a USB 3.0 interface.
For mobile use cases, Fritz has introduced the Fritzbox 6835 5G. The internet is provided via 5G at up to 2 Gbit/s and supports both physical and e-SIM. Power is supplied via USB-C, so it can also be operated with a power bank if power outlets are in short supply.
If your signal becomes too weak, there is the new Fritz!Repeater 6700 Pro. This supports quad-band 2.4 GHz, two 5 GHz bands (a separate 5 GHz band just for the backhaul connection), and 6 GHz, thus building its mesh network.
Fritz!OS 8.50 and Wi-Fi 8
As already mentioned, Fritz! is launching the latest version of its operating system, Fritz!OS, version 8.50. In addition to DNS filtering, the OS also supports automatic traffic prioritization as well as Fritz!Failsafe, a failover protection if, for example, the fiber cable no longer works (based on 5G/LTE mobile communications). Certain routers can also be used as a Matter bridge, allowing different smart home devices to be used together, even if they come from different brands.
Fritz is still holding back on Wi-Fi 8. The first device with Wi-Fi 8 is expected to arrive in the first half of 2027. Details regarding this are not yet known. CEO Jan Oetjen also emphasized that Fritz! remains committed to Europe in terms of development and production.
We will provide availability and prices as soon as possible.
I've been tinkering with digital networks ever since I found out how to activate both telephone channels on the ISDN card for greater bandwidth. As for the analogue variety, I've been doing that since I learned to talk. Though Winterthur is my adoptive home city, my heart still bleeds red and blue.
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