Linksys Max-stream Ac2200 Mu-mimo Tri-band Wireless Router Review

Designed for homes with multiple devices vying for Wi-Fi bandwidth, the Linksys EA8300 Max-Stream AC2200 Tri-Band Wi-Fi Router ($199.99) provides three separate radio bands and user-friendly device prioritization to ensure that your clients have all the bandwidth that they need for gaming, video streaming, and web browsing. This router is easy to install and uses all the latest wireless technology, including Multi-User Multiple Input Multiple Output (MU-MIMO) data streaming and beamforming, and information technology offers Quality of Service (QoS) settings, parental controls, and intelligent band steering. It delivered good close-range throughput in our tests, but its overall performance was no match for our Editors' Choice, the same-price Asus RT-AC86U AC2900 Router.

Riding on Three Bands

The EA8300 ($99.99 at Amazon UK) looks similar to the EA8500 Max-Stream AC2600 MU-MIMO Smart Wi-Fi Router ($99.99 at Amazon UK) that we reviewed a while back. It has a black textured enclosure with a foursquare status indicator panel that displays Internet connectedness, LAN port, and WPS action. It also has a Linksys logo that glows solid white when the router is powered up and running properly. The router uses four non-removable adaptable antennas and has four gigabit LAN ports, a WAN port, a USB iii.0 port, a reset button, and a power button, all on the rear of the enclosure. The right side holds a WPS button.

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An AC2200 router, the EA8300 is equipped with a quad-cadre processor, 512MB of retention, and 802.11ac circuitry with three radio bands (one 2.4GHz ring and two 5GHz bands). The 2.4GHz band tin can reach speeds of upwardly to 400Mbps and each 5GHz band has the potential to striking 867Mbps. The router supports beamforming, which sends data directly to clients rather than over a wide spectrum, and MU-MIMO streaming, which transmits information to compatible clients simultaneously rather than sequentially. It also supports two types of band steering: All Bandsteering lets the router selection the best available ring from among all 3 bands, and 5GHz Bandsteering lets the router choose the best 5GHz band. You can also turn off band steering birthday to create a network with three separate bands.

The router can be managed using the Linksys Mobile App or the familiar-looking Linksys Smart Wi-Fi web-based console that is used on other Linksys routers such as the EA6350 AC1200+ Dual-Ring Smart Wi-Fi Wireless Router ($99.99 at Amazon United kingdom) and the EA7500 Max-Stream AC1900 MU-MIMO Gigabit Router.

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On the left side of the Master screen is a list of Smart Wi-Fi Tools and Router Settings, and on the correct are widgets for ordinarily used settings. Smart Wi-Fi Tools include a Network Map, Guest Access, Parental Controls, Media Prioritization, External Storage settings, and a Speed Cheque utility that measures upload and download speeds between the router and the cyberspace.

The Media Prioritization menu offers an easy elevate and drop method of assigning bandwidth priority to specific clients and for specific applications and games, and the Parental Controls menu lets you block or restrict Cyberspace access for specific clients and block admission to specific websites. External Storage settings let you lot grant access to shared folders, configure FTP settings, and assign Media Server properties to connected drives.

Router Settings include Connectivity options for Net and Local Network Settings, Advanced Routing, VLAN, and Basic settings where y'all can edit things like Network Name, Countersign, and Fourth dimension Zone settings. In Wireless settings you tin can enable band steering, change SSIDs and passwords, enable MAC filtering, and create access schedules. Security options include Firewall, Cyberspace Filtering, VPN Passthrough, and Port Forwarding settings.

Fast Installation, Mixed Operation

As with other Linksys routers, the EA8300 is easy to install. I connected the router to my modem using the included LAN cablevision, continued my desktop to one of the router's LAN ports, and plugged in the router. When the Linksys logo stopped blinking and remained solid white, I entered linksyssmartwifi.com in my browser's address bar, which launched the Welcome Page, which gives you the pick of using the Setup utility to configure the router or configure it manually. The Setup utility walks you through the initial wireless settings and has you set passwords and security and configure HDCP settings. One time setup is complete, you can create a free Smart Wi-Fi account to use your phone and mobile app to manage the router.

See How Nosotros Test Wireless Routers

The EA8300 turned in mixed results on our throughput performance tests. Its score of 92Mbps on the 2.4GHz close-proximity (same room) exam was a bit slower than the D-Link DIR-855L/R and the Asus RT-AC86U ($99.99 at Amazon UK) , while its sibling, the WRT32X, beat it by 56Mbps. On the 30-pes test the EA8300'southward score of 52Mbps trailed the pack past most 34Mbps.

On our 5GHz shut-proximity test, the EA8300 scored a respectable 497Mbps, chirapsia the WRT32X, but not the Asus RT-AC86U or the D-Link DIR-885L/R. Its score of 201Mbps on the 30-foot exam was not quite as fast as the WRT32X and was significantly slower than what nosotros saw with the Asus RT-AC86U and the D-Link DIR-885L/R.

To test MU-MIMO operation, we use three identical Acer Aspire R13 laptops equipped with Qualcomm's QCA61x4A MU-MIMO circuitry to see how the router handles simultaneous data streaming on the 5GHz radio band. On the close-proximity test, the EA8300's score of 145Mbps was proficient, just came up a bit short compared with the Asus RT-AC86U and the Linksys WRT32X ($99.99 at Amazon UK) . The D-Link DIR-885L/R led the pack by a healthy margin. At a altitude of xxx feet, the EA8300'southward score of 100Mbps beat the WRT32X, but came in behind the Asus RT-AC86U and the D-Link DIR-885L/R.

To test file-transfer functioning we move a i.5GB folder containing a mix of photo, music, video, and certificate files betwixt a USB drive connected to the router and a desktop connected to the router via a LAN cable. The EA8300's scores of 36MBps (read) and 30MBps (write) were on par with the Asus RT-AC86U, but trailed the Linksys WRT32X past 12MBps (read) and 46.8MBps (write). The Netgear X10 R9000 remains our leader with scores of 89.1MBps (read) and 77.1MBps (write).

Best for Wi-Fi-Stressed Homes

The Linksys EA8300 Max-Stream AC2200 Tri-Ring Wi-Fi Router is a good pick for homes that have numerous mobile clients, gaming consoles, and smart dwelling devices all competing for wireless bandwidth. With its iii radio bands, two of which are 5GHz, and drag-and-drop QoS settings, you tin can create a network where all video-streaming and gaming devices operate on a split up 5GHz band, thereby freeing upwards the other two bands for less-demanding duties. The router is easy to install and manage and provided solid close-range throughput operation in our tests. But our Editors' Choice for midrange routers, the $200 Asus RT-AC86U AC2900, delivered improve overall operation in testing and offers congenital-in Tendency Micro AiProtection to block access to malicious sites and detect viruses.

Linksys EA8300 Max-Stream AC2200 Tri-Band Wi-Fi Router

Cons

The Bottom Line

The Linksys EA8300 Max-Stream AC2200 uses three radio bands, making it ideal for homes stressed by multiple Wi-Fi devices, but this router'southward performance falls behind competing models.

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Source: https://www.pcmag.com/reviews/linksys-ea8300-max-stream-ac2200-tri-band-wi-fi-router