SURFboard Central vs Wi
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
SURFboard Central
Simplify the setup and management of your home network devices. This app provides step-by-step installation guides, Wi-Fi configuration, and network monitoring for various modems, routers, and mesh systems.
- Step-by-step device installation guides
- Wi-Fi network configuration and management
- Guest network setup
- Client device monitoring
- Parental controls and screen time management
- Network health monitoring
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Thank you for purchasing a SURFboard product! Simply download this application, select the device model, and follow the on-screen instructions to setup your device. This single (Central) mobile application will support all our current SURFboard devices. Cable Modems: - Models: S33, S34, SB6141, SB6121, SB6183, SB6190, SB8200, SBV3202, SBV2402, T25. - Step-by-step install guide includes help for device activation by your Cable Internet Service Provider. - Access to device information, help, and technical support. - Quick launch the device Web Application for device configuration and management. Cable Modems with Wi-Fi: - Models: G18, G20, G34, G36, G54, SBG10, SBG6950, SBG7400, SBG7580, SBG7600, SBG8300 - Step-by-step install guide includes help for device activation by your Cable Internet Service Provider. - Access to device information, help, and technical support. - Use the device Web Application OR the mobile app for device configuration and management. - Easy to use Wi-Fi management functions. mAX Wi-Fi Mesh Routers: - Models: W11, W121, W122, W21, W30, W31, W61, WC4S, WC4T - Step-by-step install guide includes help for optimal mesh node placement in your home for performance and coverage. - Easy to use Wi-Fi management and enhanced mAX features*. Wi-Fi Gaming and Extenders: - Models: W6B, W6U - Step-by-step install guide. - Access to device information, help, and technical support. - Quick launch the device Web Application for device configuration and management. --- Easy to use Wi-Fi management functions --- - Manage your Wi-Fi network when you are at home or away. - Setup a private and secure home Wi-Fi network. - Setup a separate Guest network for visitors. - View client devices connected to your network. - Add friendly names for each client device. - Check your mobile device real-time Wi-Fi speed. - Create profiles for your kids to manage their screen time, allowing schedule or manual Internet pause. --- Enhanced mAX features --- - Get notified when selected device leave or join your home network. - Enhance your parental controls with "screen" time rewards. - Network Health monitoring with recommendations for optimization. For additional help, please visit the SURFboard User Community at https://community.surfboard.com/ For device technical details and support, please visit SURFboard Support at https://www.surfboard.com/support/resources/ * Not all enhanced mAX features are available on W61, WC4S, and WC4T
Wi
Diagnose your Wi-Fi network and enhance your online security. This tool offers one-tap checks for signal strength, speed, and latency, and helps detect hidden cameras and devices on your network for privacy protection.
- Wi-Fi signal strength check
- Internet speed and latency test
- Discover surrounding cameras
- Find devices on network
- Ping test for connectivity
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The Wi-Fi Toolkit helps you diagnose your network for free. It aims to protect your privacy from being stolen when you use public Wi-Fi. • Check your Wi-Fi signal strength, network security, internet speed, and latency with one tap • Test your internet speed while playing a racing game • Discover surrounding cameras to protect your privacy • Find all devices in the same network • Test your ping to measure your connectivity to target services for a better network experience
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: Wi at 3.6 against SURFboard Central's 1.6. Wi also leads on review sentiment (23% vs 10%) and iOS requirement (11.0 vs 13.0). SURFboard Central's advantage is ratings volume (1.7K vs 96). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
Wi holds the better App Store score, 3.6 against 1.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: SURFboard Central has 1.7K ratings behind it against 96, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 10% of SURFboard Central's written reviews are positive against 23% of Wi's.
Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 2 months. Both last shipped on November 3, 2026.
| Parameter | SURFboard Central | Wi |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 1.6 (1.7K ratings) | 3.6 (96 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 10.4% of reviews | 23.1% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 1.7K — better | 96 |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Every 2 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 | 11.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 193 MB | 72 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | ARRIS Group, Inc. | TP-Link Systems Inc. |
Customer experience
SURFboard Central
Wi
Bugs and requests
SURFboard Central
Reported bugs
5 issues- App crashes frequently
- Fails to connect to network
- Incorrect device information displayed
- Parental controls don't work as expected
- Unable to change network name or password
Requested features
4 requests- Add more advanced configuration options
- Improve parental controls and internet scheduling
- Provide a web-based interface instead of just a mobile app
- Allow users to bypass the app and access router settings directly
Wi
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
SURFboard Central
No in-app purchases
Wi
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is SURFboard Central free?
Is Wi free?
Which has better reviews, SURFboard Central or Wi?
Do SURFboard Central or Wi have ads?
Which is updated more often, SURFboard Central or Wi?
Other comparisons
