Linksys E4200 Pro Reviews

There are those who will take one look at the E4200V2's lower wired routing throughput results and conclude that Cisco screwed up with the V2. They would be wrong. High routing speed doesn't do you any good unless you have Internet throughput to match, which few of us do. Given the increased processing power of the V2, I don't know why Cisco chose to crank down routing throughput. But that doesn't make the V2 a bad router. On the other hand, the V2 won't provide a quantum leap (or even a little hop) in wireless performance, despite now supporting up to 450 Mbps link rates on both bands (with three stream clients and with 40 MHz bandwidth mode used). The only real performance improvement the V2 provides is about twice the speed of the V1 for sharing a USB drive. 20 MB/s is actually pretty good, especially when you consider that's using an NTFS-formatted drive. If that, plus three-stream N on the 2.4 GHz band, is worth $20 to you, then by all means go for the E4200V2.

Essentially, the E4200 is a competent networking device (more so on the 5GHz band) with a decent range; just maybe not quite as fast as its ASUS adversary or Linksys' advertised speeds. Software wise, Cisco Connect can be useful for users unfamiliar with a router's configuration process. The application might not provide extensive choices, nor is it as snappy as Linksys claims it would be, but it does accomplish the task reasonably well. As for its price tag, $279 is quite a fair bit to fork out for a wireless router. Its consistent performance and comprehensive features (minus print server services), however, could make it a worthwhile consideration in the end. As we see it, Linksys biggest threat still lies with its cheaper and speedier ASUS RT-N56U nemesis.

The E4200 is an expensive router but the fast networking, parental controls and USB sharing are worth paying for.

A very capable router with an attractive new design, the E4200 performs adequately at 2.4GHz and exceptionally well at 5GHz. It is expensive, but if Cisco honours its promises to add some of the missing features, it would make it a great choice if you need a high-bandwidth Wi-Fi connection.

The Cisco E4200 is a superbly featured dual-band wireless router with great wired performance from gigabit ethernet, and now fast and extended wireless connectivity too. Right now, it’s the fastest wireless-n router we’ve come across.

All-in-all the Cisco Linksys E4200 is a potentially lightning-fast 5GHz router that doesn't seem to make the most of its expensive abilities.

Capable of amazing speeds, and set to get even faster when compatible laptops appear, but it's not enough to justify the inflated price.

At $180, the E4200 has supplanted the E3000 as top model in the Cisco Linksys consumer router lineup. The E3000 now costs $20 less and remains a viable option if you don't need the extra wireless speed.

Fast, particularly over 5GHz, but a little light on features for such an expensive router

The Linksys E4200 has supplanted the E3000 as top model in the Cisco Linksys consumer router lineup. The E3000 now costs less, however, and remains a viable option if you don't need the extra wireless speed. We really like the look of the new model, however.

Cisco Linksys' E4200 router is the router of the future; unfortunately, its speed is limited by the client adapters on the market. It's a good option for those planning future proof high-performance networks. For others, it may be overpriced and unnecessary.

The Linksys E4200 Maximum Performance Dual-Band Wireless-N Router is the first advanced router from Cisco that will make both novice and savvy users happy, thanks to its easy-to-use desktop application, comprehensive Web interface, great design, and stellar performance.