GL.iNet Flint 3 (GL-BE9300) Review
The GL.iNet Flint 3 (GL-BE9300) is GL.iNet’s latest flagship consumer router, boasting Wi-Fi 7 support, multi-gigabit Ethernet, and advanced OpenWRT customization under the hood. In this review, we dive into real-world performance across wired and wireless connections—including standard gigabit, Wi-Fi 6E, and 6 GHz 160 MHz links—as well as the router’s behavior under load using iperf3, latency benchmarks, and retransmission tracking.
Whether you’re a power user, self-hoster, or just someone looking for a flexible and future-ready router, the Flint 3 aims to stand out. Let’s see how it actually performs on a mixed-deployment network.
🧭 Introduction
The Flint 3 represents the next leap in consumer-grade OpenWRT routers, boasting Wi-Fi 7, 2.5GbE ports, USB 3.0, and advanced customization capabilities. We put it through a battery of real-world tests across wired and wireless devices to uncover how well it performs under typical home and prosumer conditions.
🖥️ Device Environment
- Hostname: GL-BE9300
- Model: GL.iNet GL-BE9300
- Architecture: ARMv8 Processor rev 4
- OpenWrt Version: OpenWrt 23.05-SNAPSHOT r0-3601c2a49
- Kernel Version: 5.4.213
⚙️ Hardware & Environment
- Router: Flint 3 (GL-BE9300) – running stock firmware with iperf3 installed
- Clients tested: Debian NAS, Docker host, MacBook Pro M3 (Wi-Fi 6E/6GHz), Netgear AP passthrough
- Topology: Layer 2 switch fabric with all clients on 10.0.0.0/16
- Distance: MacBook was ~20ft from the Flint 3 with one wall between during Wi-Fi testing
🌐 Network Topology Overview
- ISP: 1 Gbps bi-directional fiber connection
- Core Router: Flint 3
- Switching: Netgear 16-Port + Nether 8-Port POE Managed Switches
- Wireless: Netgear POE Access Point
- VPN: Mullvad VPN via WireGuard with MAC-based policy routing
- Tailscale: Full mesh overlay across 4 remote subnets
📊 iperf3 Testing Summary
| Test Scenario | Bitrate (Mbps) | Retransmits | Interface |
|---|---|---|---|
| NAS → Flint 3 (run 1) | 829.00 | — | Ethernet |
| Docker1 → Flint 3 | 921.00 | 71 | Ethernet |
| NAS → Flint 3 (run 2) | 1620.00 | — | Ethernet |
| Flint 3 → NAS | 2070.00 | 6898 | Ethernet |
| NAS → Flint 3 (Reverse Mode) | 1820.00 | 9342 | Ethernet |
| Mac → Flint 3 (Wi-Fi MLO) | 307.0 | — | Wi-Fi 6E MLO |
| Mac → Flint 3 (5GHz) | 167.0 | — | Wi-Fi 5GHz |
| Mac → Flint 3 (6GHz 160 MHz) | 291.0 | — | Wi-Fi 6GHz 160MHz |
| Mac → Flint 3 (Netgear AP) | 812.0 | — | Wi-Fi via Netgear AP |
| Mac → Flint 3 (Wi-Fi 6, 80MHz) | 286.0 | — | Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax 80MHz) |
| Mac → Flint 3 (Wi-Fi 4, 2.4GHz) | 39.6 | — | Wi-Fi 4 (802.11n 20MHz) |
| Mac → Flint 3 (Wi-Fi 7 6GHz 160MHz) | 315.0 | — | Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be 160MHz) |
| Mac → Flint 3 (Wi-Fi 7 MLO) | 310.0 | — | Wi-Fi 7 MLO |
| Mac → Flint 3 (Netgear AP DFS) | 801.0 | — | Wi-Fi 6 DFS (5GHz 160MHz) |
| MacBook (Wired 1GbE) to Flint 3 | 939.0 | — | Ethernet |
⚠️ Issues & Observations
🔁 1. High Retransmissions in Reverse Testing
- 6K–9K retransmits observed in reverse/NAS tests
- Likely TCP buffer or firmware tuning bottlenecks
📶 2. Inconsistent Wi-Fi Performance
- Sub-310 Mbps on 6GHz/MLO with MacBook Pro
- Netgear AP outperformed Flint 3 in some wireless scenarios
🧱 4. DHCP Hostname Conflict
- Repeated
dnsmasqhostname conflicts (EPSON printer)
🧬 5. Wi-Fi MLO Parsing Errors
- Kernel logs show malformed MLO probe requests
✅ Problems and Solutions
| Problem | Solution |
|---|---|
| Inconsistent wireless speeds | Updated firmware, used DFS bands, leveraged Netgear relay |
| High TCP retransmits | Adjusted buffers, replaced cables, partially improved |
| iperf3 not preinstalled | Installed via opkg, automated testing from NAS |
| Signal drop beyond 20ft | Compared range vs Netgear AP, Flint 3 still behind at distance |
📦 Specifications (from GL.iNet)
- CPU: Qualcomm quad‑core @ 1.5 GHz
- RAM/Storage: 1 GB DDR4 / 8 GB eMMC
- Ethernet: 1×2.5Gbps WAN, 1×2.5Gbps WAN/LAN, 3×2.5Gbps LAN
- USB: 1× USB 3.0
- Wi-Fi Bands:
- 2.4 GHz: up to 688 Mbps
- 5 GHz: up to 2,882 Mbps
- 6 GHz: up to 5,765 Mbps
- Wi-Fi: 802.11a/b/g/n/ac/ax/be
- Power: 12V DC @ 4A; USB-C PD supported
- Power Draw: < 25W idle, < 37.2W under USB load
- Size: 240 × 157 × 74 mm, 848g
🧠 Conclusion
The GL.iNet Flint 3 shows serious potential as a Wi-Fi 7 router with real OpenWRT flexibility and fast wired speeds. While firmware and Wi-Fi tuning need refinement (especially for MLO ), it performs solidly in wired environments and offers full customization for power users.
Tested by WickedYoda
Hourly iperf3 test logs and configuration files available upon request.
➡️ Full benchmark log: https://wickedyoda.com/?p=3042