Morse Micro Launches Affordable Long-Range Wi-Fi HaLow Router with Up to 10-Mile Coverage
Tech company Morse Micro has unveiled the MM-HL1-EXT, a Wi-Fi HaLow router designed to provide long-range, low-power connectivity at an affordable price. Retailing for under $100, the device offers up to 10 miles of connectivity in rural areas and nearly 2 miles in urban environments.
The router, part of the HaLowLink 1 series, operates on the IEEE 802.11ah Wi-Fi HaLow standard and runs in the 900MHz band in the U.S. It also supports 2.4GHz Wi-Fi 4 (802.11n), allowing it to function as both a standalone access point and an extender to improve coverage in remote locations.
Powered by the MediaTek MT7621A dual-core CPU, the MM-HL1-EXT features 256MB of DRAM, 32MB of NAND flash storage, and Morse Micro’s MM6108 chipset, which enables a transmission power of up to 23 dBm. It includes two Gigabit Ethernet ports, Ethernet-over-USB support, and a USB-C port for power and data transmission. The router runs on OpenWrt 23.05, an open-source networking platform that supports firmware updates for future adaptability.
While its Wi-Fi HaLow speed is capped at 32Mbps with an 8MHz bandwidth, its Wi-Fi 4 capability can reach speeds of up to 300Mbps at 40MHz. This balance of range and speed makes it ideal for IoT applications, industrial environments, and remote setups where traditional cabling is impractical.
The MM-HL1-EXT has already secured certifications for North America, Canada, and Australia, with approvals for the EMEA region and Asia in progress. It is currently available on Mouser for approximately $99, with more units expected by April 14, 2025.
Morse Micro has spent nearly a decade refining Wi-Fi HaLow technology, demonstrating its potential with router hardware that initially achieved 2-mile coverage on coin batteries in early 2024. By September, this range extended to 10 miles, and at CES 2025, the company showcased routers capable of delivering speeds of 250Mbps over the same distance.
