Closer Look

As with the NETGEAR Orbi WiFi system we saw before, the Gryphon Tower is constructed with design and the use case in mind. Instead of hiding them in an attic or having them point downward from the roof, they are meant to be used in the living room, for example. With the advent of smart devices taking over our lives, be it a smart TV and mobile devices or even interior lighting, temperature control, and audio devices, the need for a router to be close to these devices is paramount, since the vast majority cheap out with inexpensive and relatively weaker radios. More often than not, this happens in the form of white-colored mesh WiFi systems with a clean aesthetic and a soft-touch finish akin to phone cases, for example. The Gryphon logo is seen on the front and matches the overall looks of the router well.

Many such implementations tend to be a small cube or rectangular cuboid, and some, such as NETGEAR, go with a flatter oval profile, as with the Orbi. Gryphon has a more typical form factor with their newer Guardian, which is a smaller device that is more easily hidden or placed inside compartments in a TV stand, for instance, but had to go with something different for their first product to grab eyes as a new company aiming to take sales away from the established giants in the field. As such, we see a curved exterior that is taller than most but also more like a tower. At 4"x 4"x 9", it employs a different form factor relative to the Orbi at 6.4" x 3.1" x 8.0", but both share internal antennas, again for aesthetics rather than function.


There is a cutout by the bottom on the back to access the I/O, which also helps hide the cables from sight if planned well. The bottom has a rubber base to prevent scratches and provide friction against the resting surface, and we see another Gryphon logo as well as the certification information here. There is also a QR code you will need during installation. I/O here includes 1-GigE connectivity with a WAN port accepting input from the modem and three LAN ports for wired connectivity to, say, a desktop, your gaming console, a media server, or even a TV. There is also a power input jack and a reset button, and the lack of space on this form factor means we do not see some of the other options that would have been nice here, such as a WPS button, network-attached USB port, or even physical power button.


Seen above is a look at the router with the two provided cables attached, and we can better see how cable management allows for the front and sides of the Gryphon Tower to better conceal the cables on the back. Also very well hidden until now was the LED lighting. On the bottom surrounding the rubber base on three sides is a frosted white plastic diffuser, which helps uniformly distribute white lighting on the three sides in question as seen above. This adds a nice underglow, in white only for those aboard the RGB train, which of course can be turned off if you so desire.


Suddenly, player two appears! As mentioned before, the Gryphon Tower is a self-sufficient router but can act as part of a mesh WiFi system with other units, as either a router or a mesh repeater depending on the order of installation. If you get a 2-pack, for example, it is no different than buying two single units separately (aside from any applicable pack discounts). As other units can always be added at a later date, you can go ahead and order one if you are not sure if you need two Also, I was originally considering disassembling one of these after testing, but Gryphon made it clear that it was not going to be an easy process with screws hidden underneath the rubber base, and it would not be reversible necessarily. That having been said, the specifications of the Gryphon Tower are so similar to the NETGEAR Orbi RBK50 we saw before that I would not be surprised if they have hardware in common.