Linksys - MAX-STREAM AC1900 Dual-Band Wireless Router with 4-Port Gigabit Ethernet Switch
- Model: EA7500
- SKU: 4830200
- 4.6 (156)
- 1 Questions, 2 Answers
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What's Included
- Linksys MAX-STREAM AC1900 Dual-Band Wireless Router with 4-Port Gigabit Ethernet Switch
- 3 Antennas
- Ethernet Cable
- Power Adapter
- CD-ROM with Documentation Quick Start Guide
Ratings & Reviews
Overall Customer Rating:
96% of customers would recommend this product to a friend (150 out of 156)
71%
(111 Reviews)
23%
(36 Reviews)
4%
(6 Reviews)
1%
(2 Reviews)
1%
(1 Review)
Stay connected online with this Linksys MAX-STREAM router. This device provides Wi-Fi speeds of up to 1.9 Gbps, and its 1.4GHz dual-core CPU accommodates three simultaneous data streams for faster processing. This Linksys MAX-STREAM router also features the brand's MU-MIMO technology, which secures multiple Wi-Fi connections to devices including tablets and 4K TVs and Qualcomm 11ac technology.
Product Features
MAX-STREAM Wireless-AC1900 technology
The MU-MIMO smart antenna design provide wide range while eliminating drops and dead zones.
Up to 1.9 Gbps data transfer rates
For ultra fast, efficient operation.
Compatible with draft 802.11ac
Backward compatible with 802.11b/g/n networks so you can easily upgrade your home or small-office network.
Supports multiple applications simultaneously
Enjoy fast-paced Wi-Fi activities such as online multiplayer gaming.
Built-in 4-port Gigabit Ethernet switch
For wired connection of up to 4 computers.
Indicator LEDs
Provide status of your Internet, Ethernet network and WPS connection for an easy status check.
Wi-Fi protected access and WEP protection
Compilant to WPA2-Personal, WPA2-Enterprise, 64-bit and 128-bit encryption to keep your information secure.
Easy Setup
Set up your wireless home network fast and easy. No CD required.
Best Buy Customer Reviews
A Very Stable Workhorse of a Wireless Router
5
Posted by: bigbob53 from on 04/01/2016After receiving the Linksys EA7500 I proceeded to go through what I had anticipated would be the arduous task of setting up my new router. I couldn't have been more wrong. Following the enclosed Quick Start Up Guide I had the EA7500 configured and up and running in less than 10 minutes. I manually entered the network configuration settings from my old Linksys EA6500 so that all of my devices would be able to connect immediately to the new router, alleviating the need to reconfigure any network devices. From a wireless perspective, everything went flawlessly, all wireless devices automatically connecting to the router at their optimum connection speeds ( i.e. - AC capable devices at 5 ghz, legacy devices at 2.4 ghz) however, I did run into a minor hick-up when trying to establish a LAN connection to my Vonage device using DHCP. In this instance it was necessary to establish a Static IP address for my Vonage device as the EA7500 was having difficulty in establishing a connection. This observation has been reported to the Linksys Support Team. Since completing the setup, all wired and wireless network devices have been working flawlessly.
The Linksys "Smart WiFi" interface makes customization of the router a breeze giving the user an easy way to check the health of their wired & wireless network environment. Utilities such as speed test, guest network setup, parental controls, prioritization, network status, etc., are all offered in an easy to understand graphical interface. Additionally, you have the added capability of accessing your router remotely as well.
Our Wireless Devices include:
*4 Computers, 4 Smartphones, 2 Smart TV's, 2 Android Tablets, Linksys WUMC-710 Wireless Media Bridge supporting Sony Blu-ray player, Pioneer Receiver, Samsung Smart TV, wireless printer.
Wired Devices include:
AT&T Microcell, Vonage, WD MyCloud Back-up
We tried our own stress test on this router by running 2 movie streams along with 3 large simultaneous downloads, a couple of instances of web surfing along with my son playing Diablo 3 on maximum settings on an Alienware gaming computer. I know that this not exactly a scientific test but I can say that as good as my previous Linksys EA6500 is, it would never have been able to simultaneously support these operations, ever. Downloads did seem to slow down a bit and web surfing was not quite as brisk but the streaming of the movies and the game play continued without buffering or interruption. As a side note, our connection speed is 55 Mbps and it appeared that we were consuming almost everything that the connection speed would support. Faster connection speeds would undoubtedly result in even better results.
The Linksys EA7500 has been absolutely rock solid over the past 3 weeks with NO instances of broadcast interruption. I appreciate having a device that can easily handle the load that I am asking of it rather than a product that struggles to keep pace. This router has given me confidence in its abilities and has given me no reason to doubt its reliability. We are now out of the "honeymoon" period with the EA7500 so time will ultimately tell how the router performs over the long haul. It certainly seems to be up to the task based on what I have seen so far!
Disclaimer: I received this product “free of charge” from Linksys in exchange for my honest and unbiased feedback and review.
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Resolved a couple of long-standing problems
5
Posted by: Waldo from on 03/31/2016I received the EA7500 from the manufacturer for review and was glad to get it as it was time to look at a more up-to-date model. (I have purchased a new wireless router about every 24 months for the last 12 years, the last two being an EA 2600 in 2011 and an EA 6900 in 2013; last year I added an access point to improve coverage.) The setup was super-easy, the increased automation in the process over the years is impressive, and the addition of the Smart WiFi account and app gives the unit increased versatility. In trying to measure the difference between my wireless network before and after the installation of the EA7500 I used a couple of different WiFi network evaluation programs but it's had to quantify and exact difference. However, two things stand out. First, my Amazon Echo at one end of the condo had never been able to control my Wemo wireless control devices at the other end of the condo. Without thinking much would happen, I told Alexa to turn on one of the lights - and it worked! That's when I noticed that all of my Wemo devices were listed in the connected device list, something that hadn't been happening before the EA7500. Bottom line, I couldn't be happier with the EA7500's ease of use and effectiveness. Hard to believe that when my wife calls to say that "the internet's down," I'll be able to troubleshoot it from my office!
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good product!!!
4
Posted by: sniper40 from on 03/28/2016Fast and Secure!!!! Good Product works well for xbox
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Easy set up, great speed and coverage
5
Posted by: TomG49 from Allen Park, MI on 03/28/2016This review is for the Linksys EA7500 MAX-Stream AC1900 Dual-Band Wireless Router with 4-Port Gigabit Ethernet Switch. I received this product at no charge from Linksys for an honest review and appraisal of its operation.
This router is a snap to set up using the easy setup steps found in the documentation. Once the set up was complete, all of my wired Ethernet connections were recognized and up to speed. The Ookla speed test results (pictured) speak for themselves - very fast data retrieval with my Comcast 105 Mbps service.
Wireless devices were very easy to set up also. After finding my network name (that I changed from the default when in setup). I entered my strong password (that I also changed while in set up) and logged on to my new, fast network. The EA 7500 supports a 2.4 GHz band at up to 600 Mbps in both local and guest network, and a 5 GHz band at up to 1300 Mbps for the newer "AC" devices for gaming and new 4K TV's. All the wireless "dead spots" that were in my house with my previous equipment are gone, and I don't have to use my wireless signal repeaters any more.
The "Smart Link app for phone or tablet access to you protected network is convenient way to check and maintain your personal network. Everything is very easy to configure and their web sit is full of good information to help you along.
This Linksys EA 7500 MAX-Stream AC1900 Dual-Band Wireless Router is all you will need for a complete and secure home network for today and future needs. I highly recommend it.
PS - don't forget to set and document a strong password for you network access. Keeping hackers and freeloaders off your network is important to maintain personal data privacy.
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Easy to use Management Interface
4
Posted by: staskied from on 03/28/2016After receiving this product, for free, from Linksys - I setup my EA7500 as a repeater for my WRT1900AC. Configuring the EA7500 to act as a repeater was painless. The only issue I ran into was having to select apply instead of okay when changing Internet Settings under Connectivity.
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Fast Router
4
Posted by: mustangcobra from Albuquerque, NM on 03/27/2016I installed this a few weeks ago and so far so good. I had a problem with my older laptops dropping connection but I changed the channel and that fixed the problem. Great router and very fast.
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Wall mount,Great Range, Handles Multiple Devices
4
Posted by: Snixer from on 03/27/2016My previous router was the EA6900 series, a great router, but when Linksys offered me this one as a sample in exchange for my honest opinion, I accepted. My property is huge, two full city lots and when doing yard work I like to stream music,the 6900 would drop off about 40 feet into the back yard. This 7500 series coverage is fantastic! All the way to the alleys and out to the road!
The 6900 isn't really a wall mount unit, the mount holes are only one side and it just doesn't work. This 7500 has center mount holes and sits nicely on the wall. We tried using six phones and two tablets all streaming videos and none experienced any lagging. Setting up the router is a bit difficult.That's why only four stars. The CD docs aren't in English until about half way down the multiple pages. And, since I run it in Bridge Mode I had to do some tweaking. Overall, a solid addition to the Linksys line up. Great range, versatile, and really a "set and forget" device.
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Excellent WiFi
5
Posted by: Joshua from on 03/27/2016I received this product a few weeks ago and I am extremely happy with it. I am running a desktop computer, two gaming consoles, a laptop, and two smartphones off of it and have no issues with lag or connectivity. Each device is able to reach the full potential of my internet connection. My family is able to game and browse the internet without any issues.
I received this product free through Linksys.
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Keep losing signal
1
Posted by: phil56 from copley, ohio on 03/26/2016I did not plan on buying this router but asked the Best Buy tech what he would recommend and he suggested this router. My main problem with the old router was range. My cable comes in through the basement and I had an extender but would lose the signal. Just want something where I would not lose the signal. I am not a tech person and just wanted a plug and play with no problems.
My first problem was that it did not set up. I called tech support and after an hour they had the router working. About 2 weeks later, the wifi stopped working on my computer. I also problems with the connection on my TV. I called tech support and spent another hour on the phone and they were able to get it working by switching it to another channel or frequency.
It worked for about 2 weeks. Then my computer kept dropping the signal about 4 times a day. Very frustrating. My 2 teenagers also told me that their wifi kept getting dropped and that the new router "sucked."
I called tech support for the third time yesterday. Spent close to another hour on the phone and they did an update. It has been working today.
I have spent 3 hours with tech support. I have had my signal drop on my computer close to 30 times. When it works, I get a good signal throughout the house. However, it has been frustrating.
I did not expect the hassles with a new product that I just spent $200. I am hoping that I am done with tech support but only time will tell. I probably should have returned the product but I am now outside the return period for Best Buy.
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Great Router with slight solvable issues
234516
5
Posted by: Jsyschan from on 03/26/2016Please note that I received this router from Linksys in exchange for my honest feedback. Again, I received this router from Linksys in exchange for my feedback and review.
Overview:
The Linksys Max-Stream AC1900 EA7500 router is a dual-band Wi-Fi router, allowing operation at 2.4 GHz and 5.0 GHz represented as two separate Wi-Fi connections. It says on the back of the box that the 2.4 GHz channel can reach up to 600 Mbps whereas the 5.0 GHz channel can reach up to 1300 Mbps. Together, they can reach up to 1.9 Gbps combined. It's coverage is optimal for mid-sized households, and it can connect up to 12 devices without lag or buffering. It's dual-core CPU at 1.4 GHz allows for fast transfer speeds, and with the Smart Wi-Fi access, you can control your router from anywhere.
I write this review today after spending some time setting up the router and running some tests with it. To be clear, I'm comparing this against my old VDSL router, which hosts 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi connectivity at the 2.4 GHz band. The equipment inside the box includes the router, AC adapter, three antennas, a very short Ethernet Cable, a CD-rom, and a quickstart guide.
Setup:
For the initial setup, it really was rather simple. I just disconnected my old router, attached the antennas, turned on the power, and plugged in the internet cable. Following the instructions for the smart-WIFI setup, it was easy to open my browser and set up the admin password. The physical properties of the router were a great leap forward compared to my old router, given that the AC1900 has three antennas and an actual off switch. I am glad that it has a switch. My old router lacked one. This was the first time I set up my own network, and the experience wasn't nerve-wracking. The antennas were easy to attach, though when I tried to adjust the black
part, the terminal that attaches to the router twisted loose as well, so I had to twist it back in tightly. Make sure they're securely fastened before adjusting the black antennas. The CD-rom does not contain software. Rather, it holds only PDFs of the user guide and other important legal information such as warranty. The user guide just gives an overview of the router, basics of setting up, how to use the Smart Wi-Fi, and basic troubleshooting. It doesn’t go in depth into the hardware specifics, but it does come in dozens of languages from Russian to Chinese, which is nice.
LinkSys Smart WiFi Dashboard:
Viewing the Smart WiFi dashboard was rather interesting. I can get there by following the instructions in the quickstart guide by going to LinksysSmartWiFi.com or by typing in the IP address. After I configured my router, I was able to get on to the dashboard, and I was amazed at the various features. The dashboard allowed me to view the devices connected to the router and their relative signal strength for each channel. I really liked how the options allowed me to do lots of stuff with the router, such as prioritizing devices, adding external storage for sharing amongst the devices connected to the router, parental controls, etc. There are so many features here, and it's hard to list them all. I especially like how you can fine-tune each Wi-Fi connection to allow only a specific Wi-Fi protocol, specify a specific channel frequency, and increase the channel bandwidth.
One issue I have is with the Smart Home Wi-Fi dashboard's speedtest. I couldn't get it to work. It says that it requires Adobe Flash 8, and I have Adobe Flash Player 21 enabled in my browser. However, it couldn't detect it even with two different browsers. Nevertheless, this wasn't a big deal to me. Another issue is that I need to be connected to the internet to access the dashboard to adjust my router settings, whether wireless or not. Luckily, when I try to access the dashboard, I can either log in with my Linksys Smart Wi-Fi account or I can access my router using the password I set up. This is helpful in trying to change settings to one or many devices.
Testing:
I tested this router by running a speedtest using Ookla at various locations in my house and using an app on my phone to check the signal strength for connectivity issues. Range wise, at the far end of my house, I was approaching around -70 dBm at 2.4 GHz and -80 to -83 dBM at the 5.0 GHz channel. Using Ookla Speedtest, the results varied, but I managed to get around a 1.3x to 5.5x speedup compared to my old router. This test wasn't the most accurate, but it did show that the new router was better. On the 5.0 GHz channel, I got up to 47 Mbps, so that was very surprising. However, I was surprised to learn that the speedtest through one of the Ethernet ports was slower than my old router. I was getting up to 19.76 Mbps whereas with my old router, I got 49 Mbps for download rates. My family uses only Wi-Fi, due to the router placement, so this isn't a big issue.
However, as time went by, I found some quirks with it that I would like to address. While the 5 GHz channel is very fast, it's important that you take the time to figure out what hardware is compatible with 5 GHz. I thought my family's game system would be able to connect to the 5 GHz channel, but it wasn't rated for it. In another instance, Chromecast uses 802.11n at 2.4 GHz only, which forced my devices to also be on the same 2.4 GHz channel for it to work. Be sure to understand what channel each device uses. It would help if there was a guide on the CD-ROM explaining the different Wi-Fi protocols and how to determine what your device has.
The next issue is the range of the signals. I had to do some research due to my unfamiliarity of the difference between the two frequencies to learn that 5 GHz is rated for a shorter distance than 2.4 GHz. Having the router placed on the first floor of the house caused some issues to happen at rooms on the second floor. My family’s Wi-Fi devices worked fine at 2.4 GHz. They claimed that the new router lets them have speeds just as fast as 4G-LTE, which was a big improvement over my old router. However, for me, being situated at approximately 60 feet from the router, I have connectivity issues. The 5.0 GHz channel is out of range, reaching at most 19 Mbps while the 2.4 GHz channel reaches at best 104 Mbps and 54 Mbps on average. As I tried to browse the internet on the 2.4 GHz channel, some web pages wouldn't load like Yahoo and Google. I found that performing a reboot on the router made the connection better, and I got a 9.06 Mbps download speed which is a 3x improvement over my old router. I believe the lesson here is to reboot your router every time you make a change to your settings and when you first configure your router.
This brings up my next issue: switching between the two channels. It's a bit confusing and troublesome, but when switching between channels, I have to disconnect from the old channel before switching to the new channel. Once I am not connected via Wi-Fi to any channel, I can switch to the other channel. Normally, I would just double click on the channel SSID, but it can't switch automatically. Whenever I tried to do so, it just tells me that it can't connect. It's not a deal breaker, but it's something to be aware of.
Final Thoughts:
Overall, the router is a step-up from my family's old router. Having one band for 2.4 GHz and 5.0 GHz is good to have, though research must be done for each device’s Wi-Fi capabilities to get the most out of your router. The overall speedup shows that the router is much faster than my old one. However, be aware of range issues with the router, though the issue can hopefully be resolved by rebooting. I highly recommend this router for the average household as well as tech enthusiasts and first-time buyers. Once again, this is a reminder that I received this router from Linksys in exchange for my honest feedback of the product.
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