The FRITZ!Box 7690 is AVM's new flagship for DSL connections. With Wi-Fi 7, built-in Zigbee, a DECT base and 2.5 GbE ports, it sets itself up as the central hub of the connected home. But does the performance live up to the promises? We put it through its paces.
Technical specifications
| Wi-Fi standard | Wi-Fi 7 (IEEE 802.11be) |
|---|---|
| 5 GHz speed | Up to 5,760 Mbit/s |
| 2.4 GHz speed | Up to 1,376 Mbit/s |
| DSL | VDSL2 Supervectoring 35b (300 Mbit/s), ADSL/ADSL2+ |
| LAN ports | 2x 2.5 GbE + 2x Gigabit Ethernet |
| WAN port | 1x 2.5 GbE |
| USB | 2x USB 3.0 |
| Smart Home | Zigbee 3.0 + DECT ULE |
| DECT | Base for 6 cordless phones |
| Telephony | VoIP phone system (5 SIP numbers), answering machine, fax |
| VPN | WireGuard + IPSec |
| Security | WPA3 |
| Mesh | FRITZ!Mesh |
| Approximate price | Around 320-350 euros |
Design and physical connections
AVM has kept the classic red-and-silver form factor. The 7690 can be placed flat or wall-mounted. On the rear panel there are two 2.5 GbE ports (one WAN, one LAN), two Gigabit LAN ports, two USB 3.0 ports, an analogue phone socket and the DSL connection. The front LEDs show the status of the DSL connection, Wi-Fi, DECT, internet and smart home.
The two 2.5 GbE ports are a significant addition compared with its predecessor, the 7590 AX. They let you take advantage of fibre connections (with an external ONT) and hook up a high-speed NAS.
Wi-Fi 7 performance
The FRITZ!Box 7690 supports Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be) on the 5 GHz band with 160 MHz channels. In KitGuru's iPerf 3 benchmarks, it reached around 1,500 Mbit/s at 1 metre, 1,200 Mbit/s at 5 metres and 700-800 Mbit/s at 10 metres. KitGuru gave it a score of 9/10.
Where the 7690 really shines is with Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax): in the tests it delivered the highest performance of all the DSL routers tested, beating the TP-Link Archer AXE75, Netgear Nighthawk and ASUS. Even with Wi-Fi 5 and Wi-Fi 4, performance is at the top of the category.
Note: the 7690 does not support the 6 GHz band, a limitation tied to its DSL nature. In everyday use the difference is marginal for most home users.
FRITZ!OS: the management interface
FRITZ!OS is one of AVM's absolute strengths. The web interface (fritz.box) offers a level of control that most consumer routers cannot come close to:
- Dashboard: connection status, devices, real-time bandwidth usage
- Internet: DSL monitoring with SNR, attenuation, CRC errors and historical graphs
- Network: per-device management with QoS, bandwidth limits, access profiles
- Wi-Fi: per-band configuration, guest network, scheduling, Mesh
- Telephony: full phone system with call forwarding, answering machine, fax-to-email
- Smart Home: Zigbee and DECT ULE management with scenes and automations
- VPN: WireGuard and IPSec with a guided wizard
- Diagnostics: advanced tools for DSL and network troubleshooting
AVM stands out for its long-term software support: regular updates with new features for years after launch.
Smart Home: Zigbee and DECT ULE
The big novelty of the 7690 is the integration of Zigbee 3.0. The router directly controls light bulbs (Philips Hue, IKEA TRADFRI), temperature and motion sensors, smart plugs, thermostats and motorised blinds. Everything can be managed from FRITZ!OS and the FRITZ!App Smart Home, with scenes and timed schedules.
Telephony and DECT
A complete phone system: up to 5 VoIP (SIP) numbers, 2 analogue ports, an answering machine with email notification, a centralised phone book for 6 DECT phones, call diversion by number or time of day, and a virtual fax. For small offices, these features replace a dedicated phone system.
Comparison with the competition
The 7690 competes with the TP-Link Archer BE550, Netgear RS700S and ASUS RT-BE96U. None of them, however, offers an integrated DSL modem, VoIP phone system, DECT, Zigbee and DECT ULE all together. The price (320-350 euros) is competitive considering that it replaces 3-4 devices.
Final rating
| Design and build | 5/5 |
|---|---|
| Wi-Fi performance | 5/5 |
| Features and software | 5/5 |
| Ease of setup | 4/5 |
| Value for money | 4/5 |
| OVERALL SCORE | 4,8/5 |
Our verdict: The most complete DSL router on the market. Top-class Wi-Fi 6, Zigbee, DECT and unbeaten FRITZ!OS. If you have DSL/VDSL, there is no better alternative.
Conclusion
The FRITZ!Box 7690 is not just a router: it is a command centre for the connected home. Wi-Fi 7, Zigbee, DECT, a VoIP phone system, 2.5 GbE ports and an operating system that gets updates for years. If you are looking for the best DSL router available, your search ends here.
Read also: our FRITZ! reviews
- FRITZ!Repeater 6000: Tri-Band Wi-Fi 6 with 2.5 GbE
- FRITZ!Repeater 3000 AX: Affordable Tri-Band
- FRITZ!Repeater 1200 AX: Compact and Affordable
- FRITZ!Box 6850 LTE: Complete 4G Internet
- FRITZ!Box 6850 5G: Qualcomm X55 5G Router
- FRITZ!Box 7590 AX: The Wi-Fi 6 DSL Bestseller
FRITZ!Box 7690
Translated from the Italian original. Read in Italian
