Linksys E2500 WiFi Router

Linksys E2500 Review

I purchased this router from our CompUSA store for $79.95 a few days ago to replace a WRT54GL (pictured at right) that performed admirably for many years before being fried by lightning. The Linksys E2500 Router is billed as an Advanced Dual-Band N Router for active online households and home offices. I figured that meant that it was a robust device with lots of connectivity options, which led to my one disappointment with the unit -- it does not support wireless bridging or repeating functions.

I wanted to bridge the E2500 (pictured at left) with an older Motorola WR850G to extend the Wireless G range in my home. Most of my devices still use G, with my work laptop and Roku box being the exceptions. I

had this working just fine with the previous router. Without doing the bridge, the Wireless G coverage in my home is not any better than it was with the old one and is maybe even a little less. I am

hoping that Linksys adds the Bridging and Repeating functions to the E2500 in a future software update. The hardware should certainly be able to support it.

Wireless N coverage with this router appears to be very good. I have a Roku player installed at the opposite end of the house. It reports the Wireless N signal is excellent, and I have not noticed any sluggish performance in streaming media. The unit is sleek, attractive, and thin. It doesn't have any lights on the front. There are four 10/100 ethernet LAN ports and one 10/100 WAN port for connection to your Cable Modem or DSL. Another nice feature is it's support for a Guest Network that is firewalled from your internal devices.

Overall, I am satisfied with this purchase. I do hope that they update the software to support bridging and repeating, or that dd-wrt comes out with replacement firmware. I would recommend the Linksys E2500 to others, especially if their need is mostly for Wireless N.

Pro's:

• Fast Wireless N Connectivity
• Good N Coverage
• Easy set up
• Advanced configuration available

Con's:

• No bridging or repeating functionality
• No external antenna support
• Less than exceptional G coverage

Features:

• 300 + 300 Mbps Speed
• 2.4 + 5.0 GHz Dual-Band Radios
• Strong Signal Range
• Parental Controls
• Easy Setup
• A/B/G/N WiFi Support
• WPA/WPA2 Encryption
• SPI Firewall
• QoS Features
• One Year Limited Warranty