Linksys EA6900 AC1900 802.11ac Wireless Router Review

1. Introduction2. Linksys EA6900 AC1900 Router3. User Interface & Settings4. Testing Methodology5. 2.4GHz 802.11n Wireless Performance6. 5GHz 802.11ac Wireless Performance7. Closing Thoughts8. View All Pages

Short range:

During short range Wireless-ac testing, we observed between two and eight competing wireless signals on the 5GHz frequency band.

My test environment (an old church building converted into multiple flats) is an unusual one – there are typically more access points utilising the 5GHz frequency band than there are using the 2.4GHz alternative. Any number from one to five high-powered Cisco access points are gobbling up channels on the 5GHz frequency band, amongst other routers.

Situated within line-of-sight distance from the router, the EA6900's 5GHz wireless-ac connection is able to provide transfer rates of more than 400Mbps via the Intel PCIe adapter. This is an impressive speed in a relatively signal-heavy test environment.

Line-of-sight performance translates into real-world transfer speeds of just over 50MBps (as confirmed by Windows). This allows a 4.7GB, DVD-sized file to be transferred in little more than one-and-a-half minutes.

With no drop-outs and a reported signal strength of -37dBm (100% and 5 bars in Windows), the 802.11ac wireless connection is likely to be an adequate alternative to the 1Gbps wired connection that many users currently rely upon. A benefit of the wireless route is the omission of cables which are sometimes forced to trail across flooring and other extended spans.

The Linksys WUSB6300 adapter wasn't able to match the performance of Intel's PCIe model, although its 273Mbps transfer speed is an impressive result, nonetheless.

Medium range:

During mid range Wireless-ac testing, we observed between two and three competing wireless signals on the 5GHz frequency band.

As soon as obstructions such as fireproof doors and partitioning walls are added into the equation, the transfer speeds of the 5GHz 802.11ac signal drops by a noticeable margin. The external Linksys adapter fairs far better with extended range and an increase in the number of obstructions.

The 175Mbps connection speed offered by the Linksys WUSB6300 adapter is sufficient for sending files across the network.

Long range:

During long range Wireless-ac testing, we observed between three and five competing wireless signals on the 5GHz frequency band.

Positioned 40 foot (12 metres) away from the router, with the 5GHz signal being forced to travel through a number of power-degrading objects, the long-range location becomes a challenging environment for the Linksys EA6900 router's 5GHz 802.11ac wireless signal.

Despite the intense challenge, the Linksys EA6900 router is able to send a strong signal to the powerful WUSB6300 adapter. External mounting helps the performance of the Linksys adapter to firmly surpass that of Intel's internally-mounted variant used in Dell's laptop.

A transfer speed of up to 78Mbps at range shows that Linksys' EA6900 has the strength to boost a strong signal around a number of rooms in a household environment, provided the receiving adapter is able to keep up.

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