Linksys EA9500 Router Is First With MU-MIMO 802.11ac Wave 2 Tech

Linksys has announced a new wireless router that it claims is the first fully functional MU-MIMO AC5400 Tri-Band Wireless Router. The company has also launched an accompanying AC1900 Range Extender and USB adapter. These are said to be the first network solutions in the category to support MU-MIMO, which is Multi-User, Multiple-Input, Multiple Output, and next-gen 802.11ac Wave 2 technology.

That tech is designed to improve performance and efficiency on a wireless network and to provide dedicated bandwidth to compatible client devices just as if they each had their own router. One of the big features of the Max-Stream AC1900 Range Extender RE7000 device is something dubbed Room-to-Room WiFi with seamless roaming.

This tech allows client devices to roam around the home while always being connected to the optimal access point be that a range extender or router. This allows roaming with no signal loss or having to manually connect to each device. The router itself is the EA9500 and has eight high-power antennas able to deliver maximum speeds of up to 5.3 Gbps. The router has a 1.4GHz dual core processor, tri-band access, and supports 802.11ac Wave 2 tech. The range extender sells for $149.99 and has a single gigabit Ethernet port.

The router boasts nine gigabit Ethernet ports and has a USB 3.0 port allowing sharing of connected devices. This is the first router able to support eight simultaneous MU-MIMO Streams. The router supports WPA2 encryption and has a SPI firewall. The router sells for $399.99. The USB adapter supports AC Wave 2 connections and beamforming. It is able to work with any router, but is maximized for use with the new MU-MIMO router and range extender. The USB adapter sells for $59.99. All three of these devices are available this weekend online and in retail outlets.

SOURCE: Linksys