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Whenever you talk about computer accessories and connectivity gadgets, there is a good chance that you are going to hear the name Linksys in there somewhere.
This is because Linksys is one of those household name brands that have been around for decades and have developed a reputation for manufacturing the best products around.
Today, we are going to look at some of the best Linksys routers for your home.
At a Glance: Our Top Picks for Best Linksys Routers
- OUR TOP PICK: Linksys WRT3200ACM
- RUNNER-UP: Linksys MX10600
- BEST BUDGET OPTION: Linksys EA7300
Comparison of the Best Linksys Routers
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Who is Linksys?
Founded in 1988 by Victor and Janie Tsao, a couple who migrated to the U.S.A from Taiwan, Linksys is one of the world's leading data networking hardware manufacturers. Although it's an American brand, their products are produced in China.
Linksys has a lot in common with the best router producing brands in the world. Their routers are built by the reputable Sercomm, which handles the manufacturing of routers for big brands such as Netgear, Aruba, 3Com, and Belkin.
Linksys ownership has changed hands several times ever since it was invented. In 2003, it was purchased by Cisco, who then sold it to Belkin in 2013. Belkin itself was then acquired by Foxconn in 2018.
What Makes Linksys Products Stand Out From the Competition?
Like most tech companies, Linksys trades on its reputation to design and manufacture only the best products that do what the company claims they do. One of the reasons this brand stands out and its products are so popular is because of the high standards the brand maintains.
Linksys routers are manufactured by Sercomm, a well-respected manufacturer who also handles the manufacturing of routers for a host of top brands such as Netgear and Belkin.
That is pretty much all you need to know about the standards that Sercomm brings into the market. The fact that it's trusted by a majority of the world-leading data networking hardware brands says a lot about their quality and reliability as a manufacturer.
Not only does Linksys trade on this top-notch manufacturing prowess, but it also relies on its in-house design and coding team as well as customer service and tech support departments to give their customers the best experience possible.
Review of the Best Linksys Routers
Here is a review of some of the best Linksys routers in the market today:
Best Overall:
Linksys WRT3200ACM
PROS
CONS
What Recent Buyers Report
This is a highly sophisticated Tri-Band router that works well for people who want excellent speeds. It offers you total speeds that can go up to 2.6 Gbps (2.4 GHz / 600 Mbps) and (5 GHz / 2600 Mbps).
Why it Stands Out to Us
One of the best reasons this router stands out to us is a simple fact that it supports DD-WRT and OpenWrt, which means that you could very well write some complex code if you are technically gifted to help you better manage your network.
This gives you unprecedented control over your Wi-Fi connection via your router. This kind of advanced customization option works perfectly well to manage the speeds and connectivity within your network and the security.
Furthermore, this is a very powerful router that supports 4K streaming, online gaming, and high-quality video conferencing without buffering. Finally, it features MU-MIMO technology, which provides reliable and stable Wi-Fi connectivity to multiple devices simultaneously.
Bottom Line
If you want a fast router that you can customize to your liking, this is the best option. It is a good choice for faster speeds and allows you to maintain control over your Wi-Fi connection.
Runner-up:
Linksys MX10600
PROS
CONS
What Recent Buyers Report
Are you in the market for an ultra-fast wireless router that provides you with excellent coverage? If so, you might want to give this Linksys MX10600 a second look. Designed as a Mesh Wi-Fi router that provides you with next-gen Wi-Fi 6 speeds, this router gives you speeds of up to 5.3 Gbps, which is impressive by any standards.
Why it Stands Out to Us
This router has everything going for it. However, if we were to mention just a few reasons why it stands out to us, at the very top would be the fact that it provides you with excellent coverage. It can serve up to 6,000 sq. ft. of space thanks to its mesh technology.
Furthermore, it's a powerful wireless router that can support 4K streaming, online gaming, and so much more for more than 50 devices connected to it simultaneously. It also has a simple setup procedure through the Linksys App and comes with a 3-year warranty.
Bottom Line
For the price, you get a technically adept router that will provide you with reliable speeds and coverage at every turn.
Best for the Money:
Linksys EA7300
PROS
CONS
What Recent Buyers Report
This is an affordable yet highly sophisticated wireless router designed to serve those who have medium-sized homes with fewer members. With a Wi-Fi coverage of up to 1,500 sq. ft, this router doesn't provide you with the widest coverage, but it does make up for it with excellent speeds.
Why it Stands Out to Us
Designed to work with your existing modem, this router is simple enough to set up through the Linksys App or the setup CD that comes with it. It's a Dual-Band model that gives you speeds of up 1.7 Gbps, with the 2.4 GHz band giving you 450 Mbps and the 5 GHz band giving you 1,300 Mbps. This means that this router is fast enough to allow for comfortable 4K video streaming and even a bit of online gaming and video conferencing without buffering.
Furthermore, the router features impressive technologies such as MU-MIMO, which helps it connect to just over ten devices simultaneously without dropping any connections.
Bottom Line
It's affordable, easy to use, provides you with adequate speeds, and works well to serve over ten devices thanks to the on-board MU-MIMO technology. This might be the perfect wireless router for a small family.
Best Linksys Router for Gaming:
Linksys EA6350-4B
PROS
CONS
What Recent Buyers Report
This is a Linksys router that covers most of the bases any young family would want to be covered as far as their internet connection is concerned. For one thing, it is a Dual Band wireless router that offers excellent speeds of up to 1.2 Gbps, which is more than adequate for regular internet use such as browsing, light video streaming, video conferencing, and even some online gaming.
Why it Stands Out to Us
There are several reasons why this router stands out to us. The first and foremost is its affordability. If you have been looking for a reasonable router that won't hurt the pocket, then you have found one.
Even though it's cheaper compared to other routers of its class, this router doesn't underperform in any way. Equipped with Beamforming technology, which sends faster signals to all the ports and devices, you can depend on it to give you excellent speeds and reliable connectivity.
Furthermore, it has a reasonable range of 1000 sq. Ft, which isn't much to write home about, but if you have a small home with a young family, 1000 sq. ft, of Wi-Fi coverage is plenty. Couple that with the fact that it supports up to 10 devices, and you have a router that will serve you well.
Bottom Line
This is an affordable router that allows you to enjoy 4K video streaming, online gaming, and surfing without suffering buffering issues. It's affordable and easy to set up. What more could you want in a router?
Best Linksys Dual Band Router:
Linksys EA6350
PROS
CONS
What Recent Buyers Report
This is yet another excellent device that doesn't really go above and beyond but does just enough to provide you with adequate coverage and internet speeds. It's designed to serve a relatively small family with fewer than ten devices connecting to the internet via the router.
Why it Stands Out to Us
What makes this router stand out to us is that it provides you with excellent speeds, even at its low price point. You get up to 1.2 Gbps over two bands (2.4 GHz / N300 Mbps) and (5 GHz / AC867 Mbps). Furthermore, it has Gigabit LAN ports, which means you will be getting amazing speeds to any wired device. The gigabit LAN ports support up to 10 times the speeds of the fastest Ethernet ports.
Bottom Line
Designed to support 4K video streaming, video conferencing, online gaming, and typical internet surfing without buffering, this is a reliable, easy to set up a router that works well for the average family.
Best Linksys Modem Router:
Linksys CG7500
PROS
CONS
What Recent Buyers Report
This is a sleek router-modem combo, which, admittedly, some people don't like but offers an array of advantages, the least of which is the amount of space you save as well as money by combining the two devices.
Why it Stands Out to Us
It's an excellent device that is compatible with most major ISPs. Furthermore, it offers you amazing speeds of up to 1.9 Gbps and supports ISP packages of over 300 Mbps. It comes with 4 gigabit Ethernet ports that support incredible speeds and steady connectivity. This device is perfect for those who want to enjoy 4K streaming, online gaming, and video conferencing without suffering buffering.
Bottom Line
It's a powerful router-modem combo that is both affordable and easy to set up. The fact that it looks nice is a good plus.
What Should I Look For When Buying a Linksys Router?
There are a few factors that you should take into consideration when buying a Linksys router. These factors include:
Wi-Fi Speeds
There is something to be said about the numbers you read on the router description as far as speeds are concerned. The standard industry practice is that manufacturers give you the combined speeds from all the channels carried by the router.
If you buy a Tri-Band router, you will get numbers that will be carried by both the 5 GHz channels and the 2.4 GHz channel. Therefore, if your Linksys router says that it gives you 2.2 Gbps, it doesn't necessarily mean that you will get 2.2 Gbps speeds at every turn.
What you want to do is pay attention to the individual numbers. What speeds does the manufacturer say you will get per channel? That is the speed you should expect.
Wired Options
You need to pay close attention to the number of available LAN ports for wired connectivity. This is mostly because there are many interferences in Wi-Fi connectivity, and the speeds mentioned above won't always be optimal.
You could find that a 5 GHz channel that is supposed to give you 1,650 Mbps on Wi-Fi can only give you 800 Mbps thanks to interferences. However, you will get the full 1,650 Mbps via a wired connection. How many LAN ports the router has determined how many devices you can connect to it through Ethernet cables.
Wi-Fi Coverage
There would be no point in buying a wireless router that doesn't give you much freedom in terms of coverage. The best Linksys router should be able to provide coverage for your entire home or, at the very least, entire workspace.
Types of Linksys Routers
Every brand produces a wide range of routers that serve specific customer needs. Linksys is no exception to that rule. Here a few different types of Linksys routers for your consideration:
Streaming Routers
Linksys manufactures a line of routers identified as Max-Stream™ routers designed to be used by households that enjoy heavy-duty streaming on multiple devices simultaneously.
Work From Home Routers
Linksys also offers "Work from Home Routers" that employ a host of technologies that help them deliver extremely fast speeds. These routers feature MU-MIMO technology and tend to be Tri-Band routers, ensuring you don't experience any lag, whether streaming, surfing, or video conferencing.
Linksys MX10600
Wi-Fi Routers For Customization
Designed for open source, this type of router allows the users to customize the firmware to their specific needs. This came about with the original WRT54G router and has since become a groundbreaking mode of operation for highly customizable wireless routers by Linksys.
Gaming Routers
The WRT32X router was designed to work specifically for online gamers. It's a router that optimizes performance and prioritizes online gaming traffic. It has an extremely powerful engine, minimizes lag while increasing speed and power. It's also designed to reduce peak ping by an impressive 77%.
These are the four different types of routers produced by Linksys.
Linksys Routers - Comparison Overview
For anyone not very familiar with the data networking industry, you may wonder what the difference is between the major brands of routers on the market today. Here is some comparison between Linksys routers and some of the best wireless router brands in the world:
Linksys vs Netgear Router
Linksys and Netgear are two of the most recognizable names in the data networking industry, bringing a great deal of innovation. Comparing the two companies would be unfair, considering both of them have some excellent routers and some "passable" ones depending on your particular needs. That being said, some common features may be similar among their routers, as well as some differences.
Similarities
- Both produce fast routers
- Both deal in Dual and Tri-Band routers
- Both feature-rich offer routers
- Netgear routers tend to be sleeker in design
- Linksys has routers that support OpenWrt and DD-WRT
Differences
Although both companies offer amazing products, it all comes down to what you want your router to do.
Linksys vs ASUS Router
These are both very high-end brands that produce some of the best products in the market. There are, however, a few factors that set them apart. These include:
Similarities
- Both deal in high-end routers
- Both have routers that offer excellent speeds
- Both have routers that provide excellent security features
- Linksys tends to build routers that lie flat on the surface while ASUS has a few that stand upright
- Linksys has routers that support OpenWrt and DD-WRT
Differences
As you can probably tell, the fact that Linksys is well known for producing some routers that support OpenWrt and DD-WRT sets them apart from the other brands. It means that Linksys gives the user a bit more freedom and better control over their network.
How to Set up Linksys Router
Connecting your Linksys router to the internet is a very simple process if you know what you are doing. The best part is that all the Linksys router models have pretty much the same procedure. With that being said, here are the simple steps you need to take to connect your Linksys router to the internet:
- Check the back for the LAN ports; one of them (most likely color-coded yellow) connects to the modem from your ISP, and the rest connect to any other devices that you want to give a wired connection.
- Once you power up your Linksys router, you have two options: use the setup CD or use the Linksys App, depending on the modem model you have. Both options work pretty much the same, with the App giving you a bit more control once the router has been set up than the CD.
- The setup CD should work with any computer, and it helps you to do three things: tell your router how it connects to the internet, set up your wireless network name and password, set up your Administrator password so that your network is protected even from those who have the normal login password.
- If you can't set it up this way for some reason, all you need to do is power it up, connect the Ethernet cable from your ISP to the router and go to the router's IP Address, which is: 192.168.1.1. This will take you to the router's setup page, where you can set it all up from there.
Here is a video taking you through all these steps:
How to Reset Linksys Router
Every now and again, you will find that you have a setting on your router that just isn't working for you. Either that or you have completely forgotten your password. In such cases, one of the best options is often to simply reset the router to factory settings and start all over again. Thankfully, the process is simple enough. Here is a guide on how to do reset your Linksys router to factory settings:
- Look at the back or the bottom of your router to find the little button hidden inside of a hole that's marked "Reset".
- Use a sharp object such as a safety pin.
- Stick the safety pin into the hole marked "Reset".
- Hold it down for about 10 seconds, all the while pressing the button down
That's how you reset your Linksys router. From there, you can log in with the default password and set up your router again.
Here is a video showing you the simple steps you need to take to reset your Linksys router:
Linksys Router Problems Troubleshooting
From time to time, your router will give you issues (that's just how they work). Thankfully, most issues you will encounter are very easy to solve. Here are some of the most common Linksys router issues and how to troubleshoot them:
Linksys Smart Wi-Fi Can't Connect to Router
- On your browser, enter the router's IP Address "192.168.1.1" or just type in "myrouter.local" and enter.
- Log in to your router using your set passwords.
- The Smart Wi-Fi home page should appear, and from there, you can configure it as you wish.
Linksys Router Keeps Dropping Internet Connection
There are four main reasons why this could be happening:
- You have reached maximum transmission for your unit size - adjust it
- Interference from other wireless devices - switch off the other devices
- Low signal quality from router - customize the settings from your Smart Wi-Fi home page
- Outdated router firmware - update your router from the Smart Wi-Fi page
Linksys Router Says Connected But No Internet
- Make sure that the Ethernet cable from your ISP is connected properly and that your ISP isn't down
- Powercycle your router by switching it off from the wall, waiting 10 seconds, and switching it back on
How to Remove Devices From Linksys Router
This depends on how the device is connected to your router:
- Wired devices - Turn them off and then click on X on the device lists page to remove it.
- Wireless devices - Either use the same process as wired devices or simply change your password from the router to remove all wireless devices, then click on X from the devices page to remove the unwanted ones.
Why Does My Linksys Router Keep Blinking?
This often means that the firmware on your router is corrupted. In this case, you can do either of the following:
- Update the firmware from the Smart Wi-Fi page
- Reboot your router by switching it off at the wall
- Reset the router from the reset button
What Do Lights on Linksys Routers Mean?
- Solid white LED light - Power on
- Solid white internet LED light - Connected to the internet
- Solid amber internet LED light - Internet down due to configuration issues
- Blinking Amber internet LED light - Internet down due to hardware issues
- 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz wireless LED lights - Solid white when connected
- Solid white eSATA light - the device is connected; off when the device isn't connected
- USBs LED light - Off when no USB device connected and solid white when there are connected USB devices
- Ethernet cable LED lights - Solid white when Ethernet properly connected
Conclusion
Linksys routers are some of the best and most reliable in the world. This list gives you a good idea of the different types available for your picking. All you have to do now is find one that serves your purposes as per the specifications, buy it and rest assured that you are getting a high-quality wireless router.
People Also Ask
Here are some typical questions that people also ask about Linksys routers:
What Kind of Warranty Does Linksys Offer?
It varies from a limited 90-day warranty to a 3-year warranty depending on the router you buy.
Is Linksys Router Good?
Yes, Linksys routers are typically very well made and supported by the company.
Linksys EA6350
Can I Setup a Linksys Router Without a Computer?
No. You will need some kind of device to connect to the internet to set up your router. Typically, you can use a setup CD, which requires a computer, but you can also download the Linksys App on your handheld devices.
How Do You Check if Linksys Router is Working?
Simply ping one computer using another that's on the same network. Or you could check to see that all the lights are solid white.
How Long Does a Linksys Router Last?
It's advisable to buy a new router every five years or so.
How to Change Password on Linksys Router
Either reset it by pressing the reset button at the back or the bottom for 10 seconds or log on to the Smart Wi-Fi home page to reconfigure your router.
How to Open Ports on Linksys Router
- Access the Smart Wi-Fi home page.
- Click on "Apps and Gaming".
- Click on "Single Port Forwarding" then "Add new Single Port Forwarding".
- Enter device details (the device you want to forward port to).
- Save settings.
How to Update Linksys Router
- Log into the Smart Wi-Fi page through your browser.
- Click "Admin" then "Firmware Upgrade".
- Click "Browse".
- Select the downloaded firmware file and open.
- Click "Start Update".
- Click "Continue" once the update is successful.
- Turn your router off and back on again.
How to Install Linksys Router
Here is a quick video giving you a step by step guide on how to install your Linksys Router:
