Synology announced a handful of upcoming products and services today at its Synology 2023 And Beyond annual event.
Among those, the most exciting are a new version of its well-known NAS operating system, the DiskStation Manager (DSM) version 7.2, and a new Wi-Fi 6 router, the Synology WRX560.
DSM 7.2: Full-volume encryption, WORM folders, and more
The company says the DSM 7.2 will ship in early 2023 and introduce full-volume encryption. Currently, encryption is only available at the shared folder level, which DSM 7.2 will improve the storage performance by 48%.
On top of that, DSM 7.2 will introduce the all-new “write once, read many” (WORM) folders.
This type of folder is an excellent tool for users who need to keep data tamper-proof during a set period, applicable to real estate or legal applications. It can also safeguard data safe against ransomware and other cyber threats.
Other than that, DSM 7.2 will also ring in further improvements, including better file sharing, remote wipe capabilities, cross-protocol file locking, and more.
Synology WRX560: A Dual-band Wi-Fi 6 router with a 2.5GbE Multi-Gig port
The WRX560 breaks from the RTxxx naming convention and is the second Wi-Fi 6 router from the company, after the RT6600ax that came out in May this year.
The new router has more subduced hardware specs. It’s a Dual-band broadcaster with middling Wi-Fi specs, comparable to other AX3000 routers, such as the Asus RT-AX58U or TP-Link Archer AX50.
| Model | Synology WRX560 | Synology RT6600ax |
| Wi-Fi Bandwidth | Dual-band AX3000 | Tri-band AX6600 |
| 1st Band (2.4GHz) |
2×2 AX: Up to 600Mbps (20/40MHz) |
2×2 AX: Up to 600Mbps (20/40MHz) |
| 2nd Band (5GHz) |
2×2 AX: Up to 2400Mbps (20/40/80/160MHz) |
2×2 AX: Up to 1200 Mbps Lower channels (20/40/80MHz) |
| 3rd Band (5GHz) |
None | 4X4 AX: Up to 4804 Mbps Upper channels (20/40/80/160MHz) |
| 5.9Ghz Support | Unlikely | Yes |
| Gigabit Port | 3x LAN 1x WAN |
3x LAN, 1x WAN |
| Multi-Gig Port | 1x 2.5Gbps WAN/LAN | 1x 2.5Gbps WAN/LAN |
| Dual-WAN | Yes | Yes |
| USB | 1x USB 3.2 Gen 1 (5Gbps) |
1x USB 3.2 Gen 1 (5Gbps) |
| File System (when hosting an external drive) |
EXT4, EXT3, FAT, NTFS, HFS+ | EXT4, EXT3, FAT, NTFS, HFS+ |
| Access Point Mode | Yes | Yes |
| Firmware | SRM 1.3 | SRM 1.3 |
| Dimensions | 9.2 x 7.63 x 2.6 in (233 x 194 x 66 mm) |
16.9 x 12.6 x 7.9 in (175 x 320 x 200 mm) |
| Weight | TBD | 2.65 lbs (1.2kg) |
| US Price | $219 | $299.99 |
Nonetheless, the WRX560 runs Synology’s latest SRM 1.3, which is one of the best operating systems for routers. It also has a 2.5Gbps Multi-Gig port that can work either as a LAN or a WAN to improve the hardware’s bandwidth.
Synology says the WRX560 supports Synology Mesh and “can easily be added as a mesh node to any RT6600ax router”. But you can also use it as a standalone router.
While the RT6600ax is the first router that supports the UNII-4 portion of the 5GHz spectrum, it’s unlikely that you’ll find the use of it in the WRX560. Since it’s a Dual-band broadcaster, using the 5.9GHz section risks alienating existing 5GHz clients that don’t support UNII-4, and currently, no client supports this portion of the band.
Still, if you find the WRX560 exciting, you can get it as soon as November 10, 2022. Synology says the new router will carry the suggested retail price of $219.99 in the US.
Besides DSM 7.2 and the new WRX560 router, Synology also announced a new line of “AI-powered cameras” called Synology 500 Series for its Surveillance Station.
The company says these IP cameras “will offer superior performance, security, and integration, with all camera settings managed directly from Surveillance Station.”
The Synology 500 Series cameras feature 5MP sensors for wide-angle 16:9, 3K (2880×1620) recording at 30 FPS. They feature PoE and are IP67 weatherproof.
Looking to take your DIY home or business surveillance to the next level? These new IP cams are slated to be available in early 2023. It’s unclear how much they will cost.
