Linksys EA7500 Max-Stream AC1900 by Kenny Yeo
Linksys EA7500 Max-Stream AC1900 by Kenny Yeo
AT A GLANCE
FREQUENCY RANGE 2.4GHz and 5GHz
NETWORKING STANDARDS 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac
PORTS 1 x Gigabit Ethernet WAN, 4 x Gigabit Ethernet LAN, 1 x USB 3.0, 1 x USB 2.0
PRICE $299
MU-MIMO is the latest buzz phrase in the world of networking. It stands for Multi-User Multiple Input Multiple Output and it’s a technology that aims to improve the efficiency of how wireless networks work.
For the sake of brevity, it’s important to note that traditional wireless routers can only transmit data to one device at a time. This is why wireless performance degrades rapidly as more and more devices are added to the network. MU-MIMO solves this problem by simply allowing the router to transmit data to multiple devices simultaneously. This improves network performance by reducing the time taken for the router to cycle between devices and also enables the router to better make use of its available bandwidth.
One important to note is that MU-MIMO only works with compatible clients, so be sure to check if your client devices support MU-MIMO.
The Linksys EA7500 is decked out in black and has a rather plain design. But inside, it’s powered by a mighty 1.4GHz dualcore Qualcomm IPQ8064 processor. This is the same processor found in the higher end EA8500 router.
The EA7500 also supports dual-bands and the speedy 802.11ac wireless networking standard. So like other AC1900 class routers, the EA7500 supports data transfer rates of up to 600Mbps on its 2.4GHz band and up to 1,300Mbps on its 5GHz band.
In our tests, we found the EA7500 router to be a very capable performer. Uplink performance was generally very strong, especially at closer ranges; while downlink performance was very decent throughout all tested ranges. The EA7500 router’s main weakness was that its performance would dip noticeably when we got past 10 meters.
Don’t expect MU-MIMO to be a miracle drug though. In our experience, we found that performance increases with MU-MIMO was very modest. With two devices, we found that overall performance was improved by around 30%. But with three devices, the margin of improvement dropped to just 10%.
Still, at $299, the EA7500 router is priced comparably to other top tier AC1900 routers. However, its added support for MU-MIMO makes it a more compelling buy. If you are in the market for an AC1900 class router, the EA7500 from Linksys is certainly a worthy contender.
CONCLUSION
MU-MIMO technology is now available in a more aff ordable package.
