Alexandra Ramirez
Linksys WRT1900ACS DD-WRT Dual-Band Review
What Does The Linksys Dual-Band Router Do?
The WRT1900ACS in every regard has been said to have surpassed its predecessor the WRT1900AC. A router which in its time, was second to none in the market in hardware power, packing a 1.2GHz dual-core processor and a system memory of 256MB of DDR3.
The WRT1900ACS outclasses that with a 1.6GHz dual-core processor and a system memory of 512MB of DDR3 RAM which doubles that of its predecessor, allowing much better overall performances. The router is equipped with four LAN ports and one WAN port alongside a 3.0 USB port and another USB port at 2.0. The router is tested to run at 1,300 Mbps on the 5GHz band and 600Mbps on the 2.4GHz band.
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Specifications of the Linksys Dual-Band Router
- The speed of the router is 802.11ac: 3x 867 Mbps, 802.11n: 600 Mbps
- it has a dual frequency band of 2.4 GHz and 5GHz
- the flash memory of the router is 128 MB
- the WRT1900ACS DD-WRT is a wireless router
- it has a data transfer rate of 1.3 Gbps and one WAN port
- it also features a USB port
- the router has four detachable antennas
- it comes in both blue and black colors
- the router is compatible with MAC and PC
- it weighs 4.41 lbs
How to set up your WRT1900ACS DD-WRT
Just like its predecessor, the WRT1900ACS can be used without setting it up. The router includes default network settings with information on the Wi-Fi networks printed. Though you can use the router without setting it up, its setup is relatively easy. After you plug in the router and screw the antennae, and it’s ready for use, connect its WAN port to an Internet source and the router would optimize the connection and would be ready and operational.
You can use the web interface for further configurations. To access the web interface open any browser of your choice and key in the router’s default IP address. This would take you to the login page; insert the default username and password to access the web interface. After linking the router to an account, the web interface can be found by just going to linksys smartwifi.com instead of its IP address. This also enables the interface to be accessed from any computer with an internet connection.
Warranty
The WRT1900ACS has a two-year warranty
Who is the WRT1900ACS DD-WRT made for?
Although WRT1900ACS is stated to be best suitable for HD streaming and a high-end gaming experience, It’s OpenVPN feature allows great benefits for small businesses as its connections are capable of making the users feel like they are in the same place. Also, savvy users can take advantage of the high-end customization in its web interface.
Things to note about the WRT1900ACS DD-WRT
- The router has a handy media prioritization feature that permits you to move connected clients to and from regular list to the high priority list and vice versa helping you manage the connected clients according to network priority.
- Its Network Map feature displays the relevant information of the clients and devices connected to the network. The feature allows you to know how many wired, wireless devices are connected and even the nature of the devices (PC, Tablets, Printers), you are also a mouse-click away from interacting with each connected client allowing you to have visual control of the network.
- Its Parental control features though quite simplistic are very effective in its impact. It permits the blocking of connected clients to certain websites and can also be used to prevent certain clients from internet access allowing you to control client activity and traffic on the network.
What We Liked
- the router has Fast Wifi performances based on its powerful hardware features
- it is OpenVPN supported
- it has High-end and flexible customization capabilities with the web interface
- it is easy to setup the router
- it has Reliable management and monitoring apps
What We Didn’t Like
- The router is Expensive
- It Does not support Time Machine backup for MAC users
- It is One of the larger routers with an unattractive design
- The router Lacks MU-MIMO support
Conclusion
The WRT1900ACS though expensive would provide high-end performance levels including fast internet speeds that will reach more places of the home and office than most routers. Although the router has a high performance and internet speed, it is tested not to be useful in your home or office if your broadband is not on at least 50 Mbps connection speed.
