If you have a fiber optic connection, you also need a suitable router. However, I have not been too happy with my Telekom Speedport for some time now. So I was all the more pleased that FRITZ! (formerly AVM) provided me with the FRITZ!Box 5690 as a test device. In the detailed test report, I’ll tell you what the fiber optic router has to offer.
Technical data
| Model | FRITZ!Box 5690 |
| Device features |
Dimensions (W x H x D): 254 x 63 x 191 mm |
| Connections | – 1 x fiber optic connection (LC/APC) for direct connection to AON or GPON networks – 1 x 2.5 Gigabit WAN connection (standard IEEE 802.3bz, NBase-T) – 1 x 2.5 Gigabit LAN – 2 x Gigabit LAN – Wi-Fi 7 – DECT base for cordless phones and smart home – 1 x connection (TAE/RJ11) for analog telephone, answering machine or fax – 1 x USB 3.0 for storage and printer |
| Fiber optics / Internet | – Fiber optic router – For connection to AON (Active Optical Network) and GPON (Gigabit Passive Optical Network) – Supports the wavelengths TX 1310 nm and RX 1490 nm – Connection also possible to fiber optic modem (ONT) – VPN (WireGuard / IPSec) – Firewall / NAT with port sharing – Wake on LAN – Parental control (time budget, parental control filter, device lock) |
| WLAN | – Up to 6,448 MBit/s via Wi-Fi 7 – 5 GHz: up to 5,760 MBit/s – 2.4 GHz: up to 688 MBit/s – 4 x 4 MIMO at 5 GHz, 2 x 2 MIMO at 2.4 GHz – WLAN Mesh – Compatible with the WLAN standards IEEE 802.11a/g/n/ac/ax/be – WLAN encryption with WPA3/WPA2 – Simple connection at the touch of a button (WPS) – WLAN guest access / hotspot with preview page – WLAN Eco for optimum performance with minimum power consumption – Switch Wi-Fi on and off via button, FRITZ!Fon, FRITZ!App or time-controlled |
| Smart Home / Media | – Smart Home functions for electricity and heat – Supports smart home devices according to the DECT ULE standard – Automation with schedules, scenarios and routines with if-then links in the smart home – Operation of your FRITZ! smart home via the FRITZ!Box user interface, FRITZ!Fon, FRITZ!DECT button and FRITZ!App Smart Home – FRITZ!NAS – a shared storage for all data in the home network – Media server for music, pictures and movies in the home network (DLNA/UPnP AV) – Ideal for IPTV, video and music streaming |
| Telephony | – Telephone system with DECT base for up to 6 cordless phones – Additional functions with FRITZ!Fon (e.g. calendar or weather forecast) – Connection for an analog telephone, answering machine or fax – Registration of IP telephones (LAN/WLAN) according to SIP standard – Encrypted voice transmission ex works – Supports HD telephony for a natural sound image – DECT Eco: Radio switch-off when the DECT telephones are in standby mode – 5 integrated answering machines with optional e-mail transmission of voice messages – Local and online phone books (Google, Apple, CardDAV, etc.) – Fax function with optional e-mail transmission of the fax message – Call forwarding, internal calls, three-party conferences, call transfer, number blocking and ring blocking |
| FRITZ!OS | – Intuitive browser and app-based user interface – Free FRITZ!Apps for the smartphone: MyFRITZ!App, FRITZ!App Smart Home, FRITZ!App Fon, FRITZ!App WLAN, FRITZ!App TV – Context-sensitive online help – Push service emails for events in the home network – Security functions with diagnostic tool, auto-update, firewall and filter functions – Free updates with new functions and optimizations |
| Price | € 279.99 * |
Scope of delivery
- FRITZ!Box 5690
- Power supply unit
- Fiber optic cable
- LAN cable
- Operating instructions
- Quick Start Guide
FRITZ!Box 5690 test: Design and workmanship
The FRITZ!Box 5690 is immediately recognizable by its manufacturer. This is not only due to the iconic color mix of red and white. This model also comes in the familiar design. FRITZ! relies on a flat, rounded housing that can be easily concealed, but thanks to its modern, almost floating appearance, it can also be easily placed on the sideboard in the living room and displayed.
Theoretically, you can of course also mount the router on the wall. There are corresponding mounts on the underside. However, wall installation is associated with risks. As this is a fiber optic router, fiber optic cables are of course also used. In this case, it is best to protect them with cable tunnels on the wall.
The connections themselves are located on the back as usual. Here you get a total of 4x LAN ports (2x 2.5 GBit and 2x 1 GBit). There is also 1x fiber optic connection, 1x telephone connection and the input for the power cable.
On the left side there is 1x USB 3.0 port. The right side of the device, on the other hand, houses another telephone connection. On the top, we find green LEDs that indicate the status of the router. In terms of build quality, you get a high-quality piece of technology.
FRITZ!Box 5690 test: Setup and commissioning
About two years ago, the time had come: I got my long-awaited fiber optic connection. Telekom took care of a suitable modem as part of the connection. I in turn connected my Telekom Speedport router to it. When the FRITZ!Box arrived, I quickly replaced this setup with the new technology from FRITZ!
And lo and behold: the change was really child’s play! After pulling the fiber optic cable out of the Telekom modem, I simply connected it to the FRITZ! box. The whole thing can then be operated either via the web interface or the appropriate app from FRITZ!
Even if the WebOS could do with a refresh in terms of look and feel, it scores with its usual good overview and provides information and setting options for the most important parameters. This also works very well via the app. However, as with pretty much every competing router, the same applies here: If you want to get the most out of the settings and attach great importance to fine-tuning, you should stick to the web interface.
FRITZ!Box 5690 test: Performance and speed
A look at the technical data of the FRITZ!Box 5690 is positive. In terms of WLAN technology, it offers a comprehensive spectrum with Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be), Wi-Fi 6 (ax) and Wi-Fi 5 (ac). According to FRITZ!, wireless speeds of 6,400 MBit/s are possible. The good values were largely confirmed in the practical test.
Only the initial problems with the Wi-Fi were annoying. At the beginning, several devices occasionally lost their connection. In my opinion, this was due to the fact that the frequency bands were changed. Apart from that, however, the Wi-Fi connections were stable.
The problem with the frequency band change was also resolved shortly after commissioning. After brief teething troubles, the router then worked with pleasing stability. While the stability is pleasingly reliable, I have to complain a little about the range.
The FRITZ!Box 5690 is equipped by the manufacturer with 4×4 antennas in the 5 GHz band and 2×2 antennas in the 2.4 GHz band. This makes it somewhat underpowered compared to other premium models from FRITZ! The FRITZ!Box 5690 Pro (€ 299.00 *) offers 4×4 MIMO coverage in every frequency band. In everyday situations, this only played an insignificant role.
However, when I moved to the fringes of WiFi coverage, I sometimes experienced dropped connections and slower speeds. People with larger apartments or a house should keep this in mind and work with repeaters if necessary. On the other hand, the Multi Link Operation (MLO) feature deserves a positive mention.
This ensures that compatible devices can establish a connection to the wireless network in both the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands. This not only ensures better data throughput. It also benefits the stability of the connection. And what about the speeds? As already mentioned, 6,400 MBit should be possible here.
For my 100 MBit/s fiber optic connection, this was of course completely sufficient. For those who need more, FRITZ! has the right solution with the Pro model. As the 5690 Pro also transmits at 6 GHz and therefore offers tri-band coverage or “full” WiFi 7, it can also achieve around 11,530 Mbps and therefore almost double the data transmission speed.
Conclusion
With the FRITZ!Box 5690, FRITZ! delivers a modern and powerful fiber optic router that impresses above all with its simple setup, its stable performance after a short start-up time and the current Wi-Fi 7 support. The typical FRITZ! design has a high-quality finish, blends unobtrusively into the living room and also offers excellent connectivity with 2.5 Gbit LAN, USB 3.0 and a direct fiber optic connection. In everyday use, the 5690 proves to be a reliable companion: after minor teething problems, the Wi-Fi is stable and fast. Thanks to MLO, compatible devices benefit from better data throughput and greater connection stability.
The only criticism is the range – here you notice the difference to the better-equipped FRITZ!Box 5690 Pro, especially in larger apartments or houses. All in all, the FRITZ!Box 5690 is a very good choice for anyone with a fiber optic connection who is looking for a future-proof, well-equipped router with Wi-Fi 7 – as long as the Wi-Fi range is not an absolute top priority or a mesh system is added. For power users with high demands on coverage and maximum speed, however, it is worth taking a look at the Pro model.
PRO
CONTRA The FRITZ!Box 5690 is a modern fiber optic modem with good features and stable Wi-Fi 7, whose biggest weakness is its average range.
FRITZ!Box 5690
Speed
Equipment
User friendliness
Price-performance ratio
91/100
