The Linksys E8350, part of the
latest "Wave 2" generation of Wi-Fi routers, is among the fastest
wireless routers available. It is the second router after the Asus
RT-AC87U to provide 2,400Mbps in wireless-transmission capacity.
This figure is the combination of four spatial streams on the
802.11ac standard (for 1,733Mbps), and one on the older 802.11n
standard (at 600Mbps).
Another high-speed feature is the use of MU-MIMO (multi-user,
multiple input multiple output), a technology found in Wave 2 routers
which lets them send data to multiple devices at full speed for every
device.
However, all that speed is an overkill for now. This is because
there are currently no client devices which can tap into such
high-speed features. There is another rub: For the router to run at its
full potential, a second E8350 router is needed as a wireless bridge.
To be fair, this arrangement is also suggested by Asus for its RT-AC87U
router.
The E8350 has a similar design to the older Linksys routers. Its
plastic chassis has plenty of ventilation holes and can be mounted on
the wall. There are four adjustable antennas, two at the sides and two
at the rear.
For some reason, Linksys chose not to have any LED status indicators
at the front of the router. You have to check the back of the router to
find out if it is switched on. At the back is also where you will find
the power button, as well as the USB and Ethernet ports.
An unusual feature is the presence of an eSATA/USB combo port to go
with the single USB 3.0 port. The inclusion of eSATA offers more
connectivity options. For instance, you can connect an external drive
to create your own network-attached storage.
The router is powered by a dual-core 1.4GHz processor. I like that
it is easy to navigate the router's Web interface and that changes to
the router settings are applied promptly.
However, Linksys seems to have handicapped this advanced router with
an older interface. Compared with its peers, the E8350's interface is
basic. For instance, you are restricted to the mixed mode for the 5GHz
network, which may result in slower speeds for all clients if even one
of them uses an older Wi-Fi protocol.
Also, while the router includes common router features, such as
guest networks and parental controls, they feel like a "lite" version
with fewer options than the Asus RT-AC87U.
Performance-wise, the Linksys managed an average download speed of
231Mbps for Wi-Fi 802.11ac, slightly better than the Asus model Digital
Life reviewed earlier this month.
The foibles of the router would have been more acceptable if it is
much cheaper than the Asus model, its only rival. However, both the
Asus and Linksys devices have the same $399 price tag.
Still, the E8350 is a capable router and worth considering for those
who need to set up the fastest wireless network available for home use.
Otherwise, it might be better to wait for more Wave 2 routers to be released before making a decision.
