We did a quick round of testing with Linksys range of WiFi routers E1000, E2000 and the E3000. The Cisco E-series connects everything from your Notebook to Xbox and also serves as a network player. All the three routers are WiFi ‘n’ capable. Here is a quick overview of the range:
Linksys E1000:
- Base model E series
- Fast Ethernet (10/100 Mbps) for Wired Devices
- Priced Rs 3,250
Linksys E2000
- Dual-band 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz
- Gigabit ports for faster file sharing
- Priced Rs 6,500
Linksys E3000
- Media Server: FTP / Media Streaming from connected USB Storage
- Dual-band / Gigabit ports
- Priced Rs 8,500
There is no doubt in our minds that Linksys makes some of the most beautiful WiFi routers out there. Look at the range right from the beginning and you would know what we mean. Every model in the E series has a beautiful glass finish and backlight to display connections. We loved streaming music on the E3000 and its a simple interface that plays on Windows media player once the device is detected. The stability and performance surpassed the routers we had in our office (the ones provided by your broadband provided :)) and if budget permits, this is the way to go. We did a quick speed test with these routers using the Linksys USB Wireless-N adapter (WUSB600N).
When testing on 802.11G we saw a file transfer speed of 1.5 to 1.7 MB/s between two systems. Where as 802.11N gave a boost. On 5GHz frequency the speed was 3.72 MB/s where as on 2.4 GHz it dropped to 2.25MB/s. While I personally like wired connections for speeds, the convenience factor kicks in on WiFi (which comes at its own cost of speed).
