New Linksys EA6500 Router Announced

I was about ready to buy the Asus RT-N66U, but now maybe I'll wait to see the reviews on this one.

Cisco adds 802.11ac, cloud features to new home router

 

It is indeed interesting but I have a feeling it's gonna be in the "ridiculous" price range...

 

My guess was $229.99

Actual: $219.99

 

I'm curious as to what CPU it uses.

Marvell -> Cisco better have the firmware figured out alright this time and maybe just maybe i'll consider it if throughput is good.
Broadcom -> Hell yeah!

 

It's Broadcom based.

 

How would you guys say this compares to the new Netgear R6300 ?

 

I'd wait for reviews from smallnetbuilder if they aren't up yet. Haven't been there in a while, but if you want a good comparison between routers, smallnetbuilder is the way to go.

 

Ooh. Broadcom? Guess custom firmwares are back, then.

 

Has anyone seen a 3-antenna 802.11ac half-size mini-PCI card (for internal/laptop) that goes with this new EA6500? (i currently use the E4200.)

 

Well, I went ahead and bought the Asus RT N66U and I have to say I am very happy with it. My key issue was range. Last year I bought the Linksys E4200 and was disappointed with the range and ended up returning it to the store.

The Asus RT N66U gives me all the range I wanted, i.e. being able to take my laptop and iPad outside the house, and to other parts of the house, without a problem. It was a snap to set up.

I read a lot about routers here over the last 18 months. I really apppreciated all the great info I got from people here. Thanks!

 

Really? But the reviews say that it has one of the best range?

 

^we just have to point it in the right direction (ie. not at the ceiling/sky)

 

It does. And it doesn't really matter how do you point the router.
The thing is these test are run in a clean wireless environment and in real life your mileage may vary to a certain point.
Besides the Asus is not some low end router so it's not a shocker in itself- it just means that in this particular situation and with the setup and location (in relation to other routers and in the apartment) Asus did better.

 

I know, that's why I bought it. At the time I posted here and got advice from various members, but no matter what I did, the range didn't equal my old WRT54GS.

I live in a house that was built in 1932. It has been remodeled, but still retains thick interior walls. The exterior walls are field stone backed by dense concrete blocks, so it is tough for any kind of radio signals to penetrate. I used to have trouble with the older cordless phones working around the house.

I will say that one thing that seems to make sense is that a unit with 3 external antennas will have better transmission/reception than a unit with an internal antenna.

Anyway, that's my personal experience. As downloads says, your results may vary!

 

And you can replace the antennas for better ones. As you said, concrete is a killer when it comes to wireless signal attenuation.

Then you can have a wireless environment that looks like this which definitely doesn't help:

 

haha, who would name their SSID "Pure-Evil"

 

That would be me, not in the US so it didn't make sense to name it FBI Surveillance Van 9.

 

I think I've just found the new name for my network!

 

ok i want to rename mine too!!!
i have 2 SSIDs
i can spook all my neighbors too!!