Linksys WRT3200ACM

amazon Linksys WRT3200ACM reviews

The Linksys WRT3200ACM MU-MIMO Wi-Fi Router is the latest addition to Linksys’ line of WRT routers. Like its predecessors, it allows you to replace the Router’s existing firmware with open source code that offers customized settings and enhanced monitoring capabilities. It also supports Multi-Input Multi-Output (MU-MIMO) data transmission, sending data to MU-MIMO-compatible clients concurrently instead of sequentially. It also offers Tri-Stream 160 technology, which effectively doubles the 80MHz channel width on the 5GHz band for faster throughput rates. There aren’t any Tri-Stream applications yet to take advantage of the increased throughput capabilities. The WRT3200ACM took top honors in our file transfer tests.

Design and Features

The WRT3200ACM retains the familiar 2.1 x 9.6 x 7.6-inch (HWD) enclosure design with the black and blue colors used on previous WRT models such as the WRT 1200AC and WRT 1900AC. It has four adjustable, detachable external antennas and a series of LED status indicators on the front panel for Internet, 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz radio bands, WPS, LAN port, USB port, and eSATA and Source. Surrounding are four Gigabit LAN ports, one WAN port, one USB 3.0 port, one USB 2.0/eSATA combo port, and Reset, Power, and WPS buttons. The WRT3200ACM is powered by a 1.8 GHz dual-core processor and uses the latest 802.11ac circuitry that supports 160MHz MU-MIMO, beamforming, and Tri-Stream technologies. That is an AC3200 router that can achieve a (theoretical) throughput rate of up to 600Mbps on both.

The WRT3200ACM uses the same Web-based intelligent Wi-Fi management console as the EA9500 Max-Stream AC5400 MU-MIMO Gigabit Gigabit Router and the EA7500 Max-Stream AC1900 MU-MIMO Gigabit Router. It can also be controlled using the Smart Wi-Fi mobile app. The Web Dashboard home page contains various widgets on the right and a list of Smart Wi-Fi Tools and Router Settings on the left. The Network Map tool shows all devices connected to the network and total Internet bandwidth usage, and the Guest Access tool allows you to create your SSIDs and passwords to use as a guest. The Parental Controls tool is a tool you use to block Internet access and access to certain websites for one or more of your customers. The Media Priority tool allows you to prioritize traffic networks for specific devices and applications such as online games. Use the Speed ​​Test tool to see how fast your Internet uploads and downloads are and the External Storage tool to share folders on a connected hard drive and set up FTP capabilities and Media Servers.

Router settings include Connection, Wireless, Troubleshooting, Security, and OpenVPN Server settings. The Connections page contains Internet and Local Area Network settings, advanced NAT and Routing configurations, and a firmware upgrade page.

The Troubleshooting page allows you to run network diagnostics and view security logs. The Wireless page is where you specify security settings for each band, change channels and channel widths, and create schedules wireless access. The Security page provides Firewall and VPN Passthrough settings, port forwarding and port activation, and Internet filtering. In contrast, the OpenVPN Servers page allows you to configure ports and set up IP Addresses to access your home network.

Settings and Performance

As with most Linksys Routers, the WRT3200ACM is easy to install and configure. Once it’s plugged in and connected to your host PC, type http://linksyssmartwifi.com into your browser’s address bar to launch the setup wizard, which guides you through the Internet settings and not the original wire. You can also choose to skip the wizard and configure the Router manually.

The WRT3200ACM delivered good results in our 5GHz throughput tests. It hit 569Mbps on the close test (same room), only slightly slower than the Trendnet AC2600 TEW-827 (590Mbps) but faster than the Linksys MaxStream EA7500 (495Mbps) and the Zyxel Armor Z2 AC2600 (558 Mbps). At 30 feet away, the WRT3200ACM hit 238Mbps, compared to the Linksys EA7500’s top 298Mbps. Zyxel Z2 managed 251Mbps and Trendnet TEW-827 260Mbps.

We test MU-MIMO performance using three identical Acer Aspire R 13 laptops equipped with Qualcomm’s QCA61x4A MU-MIMO circuit. The WRT3200ACM averaged 174Mbps in the short-range test, beating the Zyxel Z2 (150Mbps) but trailing the Linksys EA7500 (176Mbps). Trendnet TEW-827 leads with 238.3Mbps. In our 30-foot MU-MIMO test, the WRT3200ACM (138Mbps) beat the Trendnet TEW-827 (127Mbps), Zyxel Z2 (72Mbps), and Linksys EA7500 (81.2Mbps).

The WRT3200ACM did not perform well in our 2.4GHz throughput tests. Its results were 76Mbps in the Trendnet TEW-827’s 108Mbps proximity test, the Linksys EA7500’s 97.3Mbps, and the Zyxel Z2’s 97.2Mbps. At 30 feet, the WRT3200ACM returned 58.5Mbps, behind the Trendnet TEW-827 (75.3Mbps) and Zyxel Z2 (69.9Mbps) but beating the Linksys EA7500 (52.1Mbps).

We test file transfer performance by moving a 1.5GB folder containing a mix of music, photos, documents, and video files between a wired desktop and a USB drive connected to the Router. In these tests, the WRT3200ACM hit the fastest speeds we’ve ever seen. At 74MBps in the writing test, it beat our previous champion, the WRT 1200AC (73.1MBps), and blew the Zyxel Z2 (35.1MBps) and Trendnet TEW-827 (30.3MBps) away. Similarly, with a read of 88MBps, the WRT3200ACM is our new leader, beating the Linksys WRT1900AC (80MBps), WRT1200AC (76.8MBps), and Zyxel Z2 (51.2MBps).

Conclusion

The Linksys WRT3200ACM is a strong choice for users who want to use OpenWrt or DD-WRT firmware distributions to customize their Router. It offers all the latest 802.11ac Wi-Fi features, including MU-MIMO streaming and beamforming, and is 160MHz-ready for streaming when compatible clients are available. The WRT3200ACM delivers excellent 5GHz throughput in our tests, and its file transfer performance is second to none. That said, its 2.4GHz performance is less than excellent.

where can you get a Linksys WRT3200ACM online

Linksys WRT3200ACM Dual-Band Open Source Router for Home (Tri-Stream Fast Wireless Wi-Fi Router, MU-MIMO Gigabit Wireless Router): Buy it now