Linksys WRT3200ACM AC3200 Wireless Router Review

1. Introduction2. Linksys WRT3200ACM3. Linksys WRT3200ACM Administration Interface4. Linksys WRT3200ACM Analysis5. Closing Thoughts6. View All Pages

After our recent adventures with mesh networking in the shape of the NETGEAR Orbi and Linksys Velop, it's time to bring things back down to earth a bit with a more mainstream router. This isn't to say that the Linksys WRT3200ACM is run-of-the-mill. But the sub-£200 price and features make it more like the kind of device you would consider as a sensible improvement over or replacement of the wireless router that came with your broadband.

This is a tri-stream router, so can operate with 160MHz wavebands rather than 80MHz. This means it can offer 2600Mbits/sec 802.11ac alongside 600Mbits/sec 802.11n WiFi. But it's only dual band, giving it the ability to provide 2.4GHz and 5GHz signals at the same time, but only one of each. There's a decent array of wired connectivity, too, with the standard four Gigabit Ethernet ports alongside one Gigabit Ethernet for the broadband, a single USB 3.0, and a combo USB 2.0 and eSATA port. So this router can double as your NAS with added storage.

The WRT3200ACM continues Linksys's long tradition of making its routers completely user-customisable, with support for OpenWrt and DD-WRT open source developments. So the ardent tinkerer can turn this device into a custom system via alternative GNU/Linux firmware, which adds facilities such as a more potent firewall. Since the styling remains remeniscent of the legendary WRT54G, it's great to see that this facility remains available.

Overall, the WRT3200ACM looks very much like a device in the tradition of the WRT54G of over a decade ago. It doesn't boast any radical new features, but instead hopes to provide a core functionality that is solid and comprehensive, with a reasonable price to match. So let's see whether it delivers on this workhorse promise.

Price: £189.95

Specification:

Wireless protocols: MU-MIMO with 802.11b/g/n 2.4GHz, 802.11a/n/ac 5GHz
Performance: AC3200 (2600 + 600 Mbits/sec)
Antenna Configuration: 4×4 External Antennas for 2.4/5GHz
Ports: 4 x Gigabit Ethernet, 1 x Gigabit Ethernet WAN, 1 x USB 2.0 and eSATA combo, 1 x USB 3.0
Modem Support: VDSL/ADSL 2+ or cable

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