Linksys WRT1900AC Wireless Router Overview

The Linksys WRT1900AC Wireless Router Overview examines Linksys’s high‑end successor to the iconic WRT54G, highlighting the hardware’s premium feel, expansive cooling design, and modular antenna setup. The video emphasizes the long history of open firmware support around the WRT line, noting that prior models gained popularity through community firmware like DD‑WRT and OpenWRT. It discusses the switch from Broadcom to a Marvel Wireless chipset and the implications for third‑party firmware availability, signaling that while the hardware is shipping now, the openness and future firmware support are still in a transitional phase. The reviewer also points out that the device is physically large, with a distinctive black and blue aesthetic, a sizeable heat sink, and a cooling fan that only activates under heavy load. Internally, the router packs four Ethernet ports, a WPS/power/Jack cluster, a reset button, two USB ports (one USB 3.0 and one USB 2.0), and two removable antennas, enabling flexible placement and potential NAS-style usage. The narrative notes the marketing and branding changes as Linksys seeks to reestablish itself after years under Cisco, while acknowledging the strong price point and the lack of built‑in VPN and limited advanced parental controls. In testing, the speaker demonstrates basic setup through Linksys interfaces, remarks on the absence of almost all changes needing a reboot, and explains the overall user experience as snappy and familiar to users of Ly’s prior smart routers. The conclusion weighs the WRT1900AC’s potential against its price and the historical advantage of open firmware communities, inviting viewers to weigh whether Linksys can restore its legendary status by delivering robust, community-friendly support over time.

Topics · technology · networking · hardware · consumer_electronics