The first of an expected onslaught of MU-MIMO routers, the Linksys EA8500 has the hardware and software to fill a house with Wi-Fi and Web access, but the device doesn't live up to its performance potential.
The storage feature doesn't support Time Machine backup
Clients must support MU-MIMO to take advantage of enhanced performance
Competitors and Related Products
Our editors hand-pick related products using a variety of criteria: direct competitors targeting the same market segment, or devices that are similar in size, performance, or feature sets.
The router performed admirably and I have no real issues with anything that the router was required to do but at the same time for a router priced at a premium there wasn't anything that really impressed me about the Linksys AC2600. It's a solid...
Linksys EA8500 is great for gamers, businesses, larger families, and generally anyone running multiple devices at once while doing lots of work that requires a solid...
The Linksys EA8500 Max-Stream AC2600 MU-MIMO Smart Wi-Fi Router uses the latest wireless technology to deliver speedy 5GHz throughput to multiple devices at the same...
The Linksys Max-Stream AC2600 MU-MIMO Gigabit Router (EA8500) belongs to a new breed of Wi-Fi routers dubbed Wave 2 routers. These devices support multi-user multiple input multiple output (MU-MIMO), a technology that lets the router send wireless data...
Our routine test setup includes a desktop PC, the reviewed router, and a laptop to simulate a wireless home network. The desktop system takes on the role of a host machine, while the router acts as a gateway. And lastly, an external Wireless 802.11ac...
The Linksys EA8500 Max-Stream AC2600 router, then, is a tool of the future. It's performance with clients equipped to deal with the first wave of the 802.11ac standard was good, but not really spectacular enough to be boasted about, and that's before...
If you have a bunch of high-speed 802.11ac Wi-Fi devices on your network, and you do a lot of file transfers and high bit-rate Netflix and networked video streaming, then a MU-MIMO router like the Linksys EA8500 makes sense and makes for a genuine...
The Linksys Max Stream AC2600 MU-MIMO Smart Wi-Fi Router (EA8500) is a wi-fi router that can handle the connectivity needs of a home or office with built-in technology to make it even faster and more...
The first of an expected onslaught of MU-MIMO routers, the Linksys EA8500 has the hardware and software to fill a house with Wi-Fi and Web access, but the device doesn't live up to its performance potential.
Homes with lots of devices will benefit from the Linksys EA8500's speedy Wi-Fi and storage performance, but those with modest needs should look for something...