That's only true if you don't shield it right. Look at the Asus TUF AX6000/AX4200, TP-Link's Archer BE550/Deco BE9300, or GL.iNets own GL-MT3000.
The TUF AX6000 is said to have less 2.4GHz issues than the GL-MT6000 too. So, it seems like the USB port placement is just a design choice.
The Flint 2 is really popular on the OpenWrt community because it’s powerful and well supported. The fact they’re using a Qualcomm SoC for the Flint 3 will honestly affect the sales drastically compared to the Flint 2. The Slate 7 will probably use Qualcomm too.
You realize that just because the port on the router is shielded, it doesn't mean the device interface is? Do you really think USB storage shields their devices well? Cheap network adapters?
@packetmonkey Of course, but I'm trying to dumb it down for people on this forum and not get too technical.
My point, however, is that other manufacturers are designing their devices to have the USB on the back of the router and people have been asking for GL.iNet to do the same thing since the original Flint was released.
If you go and compare the Asus TUF AX6000 board to the GL-MT6000 you'll understand why I said that the USB port being on the side seems to be a design choice at this point.
Lots of devices still have the option to downgrade to USB2 in the UI to get around interference issues.
The Asus TUF AX6000 uses the same SoC and WLAN chips as the GL-MT6000, yet they designed it with the USB port on the back of the router and there's no reports of any USB 3 interference. Yet there are some reports of USB 3 interference on the Flint 2, even with the USB port being on the side of the router.
An option to downgrade to USB 2 would be beneficial for the Flint 2, but other manufacturers have shown that it shouldn't be required.
You are calling the sky orange and I am calling it green. Perhaps @bruce could shed better color here.
Renato said "USB 3.x ports must be placed far away from the antennas", so I gave multiple examples of that not being true. And you've said "Lots of devices still have the option to downgrade to USB2 in the UI to get around interference issues" as if it's a common issue. But I've told you that the Asus TUF AX6000 is almost identical to the GL-MT6000 and the PCB designs are similar, yet it only seems to be the GL-MT6000 that's suffered from interference, despite it having the USB port on the side.
I have other routers with USB 3 ports on the back and none of them have suffered from USB 3 interference.
I read the post. We do not agree.
I owned x2 Flint 2 routers, Slate AX and Beryl AX, none of the Flint 2 had USB interference with wifi. Beryl AX and Slate AX have severe wifi interference from USB and they are located in the back.
Location of USB port has nothing to do with interference in the first place. Laptops have USB ports on the side and there is no interference with wifi.
You might not have, but I've linked to a post where Renato did and a GL.iNet employee replicated the issue. Yet there's been no complaints of the Asus TUF AX6000 having USB interference, even though it's using the same SoC, WLAN chips and has the USB port on the back of the router.
Then you'd be agreeing with me, since I said that the ports location isn't the issue. But how GL.iNet design some of their PCBs does seem to be an issue.
Laptops may not be a good comparison unless or until you know where the antenna path and wireless module are. You do sort of contradict yourself in your statement between paragraph 1 and 2.
This is what people call a "contradiction" in your posts. Just because an USB port in the back, does not mean it's good location.
The link you posted shows two people have interference with same exact SanDisk micro usb drive, which has no proper shielding of any kind and that it self will cause interference. Or... the USB thumb drive is poorly designed from the get go. With out testing the thumb drive on dozens of different brand and model routers, the findings are inconclusive and should be taken with a grain of salt.
In my opinion, based on my personal testing using 2 different Samsung Thumb drives, Samsung T7 Ssd and DYI external HDD, SandDisk thumb drive is the culprit.
Asus routers have USB ports on the back because of aesthetics and nothing more.
For me, the USB port on the side saved some space and there is no risk of snagging something on the flash drive while cleaning around it 
Neat!
I’m excited about a Wi-Fi 7-powered Flint 3 and I’m so glad GL.iNet skipped Wi-Fi 6E. I’ll definitely try to buy this early if pre-orders are done again. I managed to get a super early bird order with the Flint 2 (a router that I’m very happy with).
I’m guessing they’re aiming for a Q3 2025 release window.
I think Flint 3 will support Wifi 6E because it's BE9300
Indeed it does, but personally I'm skipping it, I'm very happy with the performance of the Flint2 using
4.6.6-op24 at the moment. 
And the fact the Flint3 it's reported to be using Qualcomm SoC instead of Mediatek SoC it's a hard pass for me.
Considering how good and stable Mediatek SoC it's supported by the OpenWRT community, unless GL.iNet sent me one to test 
its a pass for me 
Sorry, I respect your opinion but idk why you are talking mediatek is so good, as well the open source driver for Flint 2. Don't you remember the mega thread of Flint 2 issues?
There's a lot of problems and even 1 year later, some still unsolved. The MT chipset is so bad that GL needed to use the closed source firmware as default for Flint 2.
I have a Flint 2 myself and it's my default router, hope these issues will be solved soon, and then I can use the open source driver and firmware without fear. But after this experience, I'm glad GL will use Qualcomm Soc for Flint 3.
Fair enough, I guess that's a good thing we have options for everything in live, but with that being said op24 it's been a God send for me compared to all the struggles I went through with the close source drivers
