Gryphon Review: Ultimate WiFi & Family Protection

Technical Analysis: How does Gryphon secure your home?

To understand why this router is different, you have to forget what you know about your standard internet box. A Comcast or Spectrum gateway serves primarily to bring you the internet. Security and parental controls are often afterthoughts added in a rush.

Gryphon was designed by engineers (ex-inventors of the MiFi) with the opposite philosophy: security first, connection second.

1. The Hardware: A Beast Under the Hood

The current flagship model is the Gryphon AX (WiFi 6). Unlike the old Gryphon Tower (the tall white one that looked like a modern sculpture), the AX is more discreet but more powerful.

• WiFi 6 (802.11ax): This is the current standard that allows managing dozens of devices without slowdowns. If you have a smart home (bulbs, speakers, consoles, smartphones), WiFi 6 is essential to avoid digital traffic jams.
• Tri-Band: This is a crucial technical detail. Most routers are "dual-band" (2.4GHz and 5GHz). The Gryphon AX uses three data "highways." One band is often reserved for communication between Gryphon routers (if you have several in a Mesh setup). This ensures your WiFi speed doesn't drop by half when you are in a distant bedroom.
• Theoretical Speed: We are talking about 4.3 Gbps combined. In real life, on a US 1 Gbps Fiber connection, you will easily reach the maximum of your line over WiFi if you are close to the unit.

2. The Brain: The Gryphon Connect App

There is no complicated web interface accessible via 192.168.1.1. Everything happens on the mobile app (iOS/Android). This is both a strength and a weakness (we'll come back to that).

The application intercepts all traffic passing through the router. It analyzes data packets in real-time thanks to a partnership with ESET (a cybersecurity giant).

• Intrusion Detection: If your smart fridge starts sending suspicious data to Russia, Gryphon blocks it and sends you an alert.
• Vulnerability Scan: The router scans your network to see if you have left ports open or default passwords active.

3. Installation in the US (The Tricky Part)

This is where telecom expertise is important. In the US, we often have "Gateways" (Modem + Router combos) provided by ISPs.
To install the Gryphon at home (Xfinity, AT&T, Verizon, Spectrum), you have two choices:

1. The "Simple" Mode (Double NAT): You plug the Gryphon into your ISP gateway, and you connect all your WiFi devices to the Gryphon. Downside: you have two routers one behind the other, which can hinder some online games (strict NAT issues).
2. The "Expert" Mode (DMZ or Bridge):
   • Cable Providers (Xfinity/Spectrum): You can usually switch the gateway to "Bridge Mode." The ISP box then acts only as a modem, and the Gryphon manages everything (Public IP). This is ideal.
   • Fiber Providers (AT&T/Verizon): True Bridge mode is sometimes unavailable. The trick is to put the Gryphon's IP in the "DMZ" or "IP Passthrough" settings of your gateway. This redirects all traffic to the Gryphon without prior filtering.

---

The Highlights: Why do parents love it?

I have tested dozens of solutions (Google Family Link, Apple Screen Time, PC software). Gryphon buries them all for a simple reason: it acts at the network level, not the device level.

1. "Granular" Parental Control

With Family Link, a smart kid can often bypass limits. With Gryphon, if the internet is cut, it's cut. Period.

• Profile Management: You create a profile "Leo, 12 years old." You associate his iPhone, his tablet, his PS5, and his PC with it. The rules apply to the whole set. If he has 2 hours of screen time, it's 2 hours cumulative across all his devices.
• The "Suspend Internet" Button: This is the nuclear option. Dinner time? One button on your app, and all the kids' WiFi cuts off instantly. Fearsomely effective.
• Real-Time Approval: Leo wants to go to a blocked site for homework? He sends a request via his browser. You receive a notification on your phone ("Leo requests access to Wikipedia"). You approve or deny in one click.

2. Forced "Safe Search"

Even if the child uses "Incognito" or "Private Browsing" mode, Gryphon forces the activation of SafeSearch on Google, Bing, and YouTube. Pornographic or violent results are filtered at the source. It is impossible for the child to disable without the parent password.

3. Network Segregation (IoT)

This is a brilliant security feature often ignored. Gryphon automatically creates separate networks.

• Main Network: For your PCs, phones, tablets.
• IoT Network (Internet of Things): For your bulbs, cameras, robot vacuums.
  Why? If your $100 robot vacuum (with zero security) gets hacked, the hacker stays stuck in the IoT network and cannot access your PC where your banking documents are located. It's professional compartmentalization made accessible.

4. Mesh Coverage

If you buy a pack of 2 Gryphon AX units, they communicate wirelessly to cover a large house (up to 5,000 sq ft theoretically). I tested it in a multi-story house with concrete walls: the signal passes much better than with a classic WiFi extender because the system intelligently manages the handover from one router to another when you move around.

---

Limits and Drawbacks (What they don't tell you)

Let's be honest, not everything is rosy. Here are the real barriers to purchase you need to know before pulling out your credit card.

1. The Price is a Significant Investment

Let's be clear: putting $279 (for a single module) or $479 (for two) into WiFi is expensive.

• A Netgear Orbi solution is often slightly cheaper.
• Amazon Eero systems are half the price (but they suck up your personal data; that's the Amazon model).
  Gryphon is a "Premium" product for those who value security and privacy above price. If you have a tight budget, this will be a dealbreaker.

2. The Quasi-Mandatory "Premium Protection" Subscription

This is the sticking point. Gryphon offers a trial period (often 6 to 12 months) of their Premium service. Once finished, if you don't pay (around $89/year), you lose:

• Advanced anti-malware protection (ESET).
• The HomeBound function (which installs an app on the child's phone to filter their 4G/5G when they are not at home).
• Extended browsing history.
  Without the subscription, the router remains functional and basic parental controls (schedules, pause) still work, but you lose the complete "Fortress."

3. Only One LAN Port (On the AX model)

This is an annoying design error for experts. The Gryphon AX unit has only one free Ethernet port to plug in a wired device (the second port is used to connect to your internet modem).
If you have a desktop PC, a network printer, AND a Philips Hue bridge to plug in via cable, you will mandatorily have to buy a small Ethernet switch (about $15) in addition. It's stingy for a router at this price.

4. No Web Interface

If you are a geek who likes to configure their network on a large PC screen via a browser, forget it. Everything is done on the mobile app. If you lose your phone or if the app bugs out (which is rare but possible), you no longer have access to settings.

---

Alternatives: How do competitors compare?

To be objective, let's compare Gryphon to what exists on the market.

1. Amazon Eero 6+ / Pro 6E

• The +: Much cheaper, excellent Mesh WiFi coverage, ultra-simple installation.
• The -: Parental control is basic (often paid via Eero Secure), and above all, you are putting an Amazon microphone in the heart of your home. In terms of privacy, Gryphon is miles ahead.
• Verdict: Eero for budget and simplicity, Gryphon for security and control.

2. Netgear Orbi (RBK Series)

• The +: Often superior raw speeds for pure downloading.
• The -: Parental control (Circle) has become paid and quite complex to manage. The application is often slower than Gryphon's.
• Verdict: Orbi for pure performance (single gamers), Gryphon for families.

3. Your ISP Gateway (Xfinity xFi, AT&T BGW320)

• The +: It's "free" (included in the offer).
• The -: Parental control is a joke (often just time slots). No active protection against malware on the network.
• Verdict: Sufficient for a couple without children, insufficient for concerned parents.

---

Buying Guide: Prices and Tips

The Gryphon AX isn't cheap, but it replaces a high-performance router, a network antivirus, and parental control software all at once.

Indicative Prices (2025):

• Gryphon AX (1 Pack): ~$279 (Covers approx. 3,000 sq ft)
• Gryphon AX (2 Pack): ~$479 (Covers approx. 5,000 sq ft)
• Gryphon Guardian (The small model): ~$119 (Less powerful, ideal for small apartments or as an add-on).

💰 Savings Tip:
Don't look for a permanent "miracle promo code," they are rare. However:

1. Watch the packs: Buying a pack of 2 is often 20% cheaper than two separate units.
2. Refurbished offers: Gryphon sometimes offers "Certified Refurbished" units on their official site with a nice discount. It's the same hardware, guaranteed, but cheaper.
3. Black Friday: Historically, Gryphon offers huge discounts in November.

---