The admin page of your Linksys router is where you make nearly all the changes to your network. You can change the name and password of the network, set parental restrictions, and prioritize how the internet should get distributed among devices. However, many router owners never actually venture to their router admin page, so they don’t fully utilize their network. Luckily, getting into the menu is straightforward, and now even easier with the below guide.
When people think of networking hardware, one of the main brands that come to mind is Linksys. Since the foundation of Linksys in 1988, the ownership of the networking manufacturer has changed around several times. Cisco once owned the Linksys brand before selling it on to Belkin, a US-based networking hardware manufacturer. However, Foxconn has a pending purchase on the Linksys name with the amount of $866 million offered for the brand name.
Linksys are most famous for their routers, though they provide a variety of networking products for both domestic and commercial markets. Network storage, modems, VOIP phones, Wi-Fi extenders, and more are all available through Linksys. Perhaps the biggest achievement of the Taiwanese couple turned US immigrants who founded Linksys, is that the company often gets credited for establishing wireless as the primary form of networking.
However, it is not just home and business networking that Linksys focuses on. The company is working on a Wi-Fi network that will allow you to monitor your health. The Linksys Velop mesh routers can already track individuals in a property, which serves as a security solution to a home invasion. That same tracking technology can help monitor sleep patterns or be used to ensure the elderly are safe at home, without infringing on their privacy.
Linksys has a variety of ranges for their routers. Some are designed for domestic use and are ready to go. Some work with a smart home system, meaning they are easy to set up alongside your home assistant. Others are designed with open source software, meaning they are more customizable to someone who knows their way around such a system. Linksys also uses the standard naming convention for routers by including the type of Wi-Fi and the Wi-Fi speed in the name.
Not all of Linksys routers fall under a specific brand or type and are just simple domestic routers. Routers in the Linksys Max-Stream router series are optimized for HD streaming and online gaming to ensure the online experience of its user is fully optimized. A router of the Max-Stream series is a leveled up version of the standard routers. A couple of examples of routers in the series includes:
The WRT series of routers gets its name from the OpenWRT firmware project, which is an open-sourced Linux based software. That means that a WRT router is easily modified, by those with the knowledge, for a user’s specific networking use. Some examples of what a user can do with a WRT router includes, though not limited to:
The flexibility of the WRT series requires power, and the routers of the series provide that. As an example, the Linksys WRT3200ACM AC3200 MU-MIMO Gigabit Wi-Fi Router has a dual-core 1.8Ghz processor. In comparison, the EA9500 only has a dual-core 1.4Ghz processor.
Due to Linksys providing different series of routers for a different purpose, it is relatively easy to choose a router to suit your needs. With that being the case, your final decision on the router your buy will come down to the smaller details. One such smaller point to consider is whether the router is dual-band or tri-band.
Some routers offer a single-band, and these may be of use to someone who requires the bare minimum from there network. However, if you intend to use your network for heavy internet usage such as streaming or gaming, then a dual-band or tri-band router is the way to go. Not all devices use the newer 5Ghz network of modern routers, so this is where an additional band or two comes in. For example, with a dual-band router, you can have two networks, one running at 5Ghz and one running at 2.4Ghz, meaning more compatibility. However, the 2.4Ghz band can often be congested, so a tri-band router could provide another 2.4Ghz band, meaning more devices can connect without a lapse in quality. Your number of internet-capable devices will determine the option you opt for.
You are most likely buying a router because you require a wireless network, though there are still people who require wired connections. Gamers need a stable connection for online gaming, as one example. Routers often come with Ethernet ports for wired connections, though newer models come with Gigabit Ethernet ports. These Gigabit ports are more powerful than there standard counterparts. You should also consider the number of ports you need when purchasing your router.
MU-MIMO or Multi-User, Multiple-Input, Multiple-Output technology allows multiple users to access the router's network, at the same time, without affecting the quality of the connection. MU-MIMO utilizes the router's antennas to make sure the internet goes where it needs to go throughout a property. The technology is becoming more standard among routers though older models do not have it in place, so you should consider it when making your purchase.
The type of router you buy from Linksys will depend on your ultimate needs. They have many units that are ready to go from the box, though you can get creative with one of the WRT series models. From high-speed gaming and streaming to uploading to a shared network for business, Linksys routers can do it all.
You may not have realized how different each router can be, but with this breakdown of ASUS routers, you should have a better idea of what you require for your needs. Gaming and streaming require high-speed internet to ensure a smooth experience, whereas basic browsing can be done of a lower end router model. Luckily, ASUS has routers no matter your needs.