Wi-Fi routers and range extenders on the 802.11ac standard.
Three years after the EA8500, Linksys's first MU-MIMO router, comes the EA8100 Max-Stream AC2600, the brand's first DFS (Dynamic Frequency Selection) router. DFS is its main draw, opening up extra Wi-Fi channels.
The Linksys EA9300 Max-Stream AC4000 Tri-Band Router launched in August 2017 at S$399. Not Linksys's flagship, that's still the EA9500, it succeeds the EA9200 from two years prior. Yet its 1.8GHz quad-core CPU makes it the most powerful.
The Aztech AIR-706P is Aztech's first mesh router, launched July 2017 at S$269. This budget router extends range by adding a second AIR-706P rather than an extender, though it's not a true mesh.
The Synology Router RT2600ac launched in Singapore on 12th January 2017 at S$365, Synology's second router after the RT1900ac. It upgrades to a 1.7GHz dual-core CPU, 512MB RAM, and 4x4 802.11ac wave 2 Wi-Fi with MU-MIMO and beamforming.
The Linksys EA9500 Max-Stream AC5400 MU-MIMO Gigabit Router has been available in Singapore since August 2016 at S$539. It's the flagship of the Max-Stream family, above the mid-range EA8500 I reviewed, featuring 802.11ac Wave 2 Wi-Fi with MU-MIMO.
The Linksys RE7000 Max-Stream AC1900 Wi-Fi Range Extender has been available in Singapore since August 2016 at S$199. This AC1900 dual-band extender adds a Gigabit Ethernet port and is the first range extender to combine MU-MIMO with Seamless Roaming.
The Linksys WUSB6100M Max-Stream AC600 USB Adapter is billed as the world's first MU-MIMO-enabled adapter, launched in Singapore in August 2016 at S$129. It connects a PC to wireless-AC and MU-MIMO networks, though there's no Mac driver available.
The D-Link DAP-1860 AC Wi-Fi Range Extender launched in Singapore at S$189. It runs concurrent dual-band 2.4GHz and 5GHz with four external MIMO antennas, supporting MU-MIMO and 802.11ac Wave II for speeds up to 2,532Mbps.
The Synology Router RT1900ac is Synology's first router, aimed at the mid-range market at roughly S$234. It went on sale in Singapore on 6th October 2015. For the unaware, this brings Synology's polished software experience to home networking.
The ASUS RT-AC88U launched at SITEX 2015, Singapore's last major IT event of the year, held at Singapore Expo from 26th to 29th November. The much-awaited router retails for S$429, packing eight Gigabit LAN ports and strong wireless performance.
The Linksys EA8500 Max-Stream AC2600 MU-MIMO Gigabit Router launched on 4th August 2015, exclusively at Challenger before reaching most electronics stores, at S$399. Despite the lower model number, it isn't really a step down from the EA9200.
The new Linksys WRT1200AC brings the high-end features of the WRT1900AC to AC1200 speeds at a lower price, retailing for S$329 from 4th June 2015 at Challenger and other electronics stores. I attended its Singapore launch.
The Linksys EA9200 Wireless AC3200 Tri-Band Smart Wi-Fi Router launched in Singapore on 6th February 2015 at a recommended S$399, available only at Challenger for now. It's the new flagship after the Linksys E8350 AC2400, and its true successor.
The Linksys E8350 AC2400 Dual-Band Gigabit Wi-Fi Router launched on 7th November 2014 at a recommended S$399, exclusive to Challenger and online. It's the second Linksys router priced at S$399 after the WRT1900AC, and I think that's too high.
The Asus RT-AC87U is the world's first AC2400-class dual-band 802.11ac wireless router with a four-by-four antenna configuration, and the first to use multi-user MIMO. It delivers 1.7334Gbit/s on 5GHz and 600Mbit/s on 2.4GHz, for a combined 2.334Gbit/s.
The Linksys WRT1900AC came in the biggest router box I've ever received. Inside, everything sits in protective foam rather than cardboard, with a sponge fixed to the lid to cushion the router. It retails for S$399.
The D-Link DIR-868L Wireless AC 1750 Dual-Band Gigabit Router retails for S$319, or S$279 at Challenger's member price, steep for a router. Still, it's cheaper than the Cisco Linksys EA6500 was at launch. This draft 802.11ac router supports simultaneous dual-band.
The Cisco Linksys EA6500 succeeds the EA4500 and is now in stores for S$349. It uses the new 802.11ac wireless technology, still under development, to deliver near-gigabit wireless speeds. Most AC routers currently reach a theoretical maximum of 1.3Gbps.