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Networking: Linksys E4200 v2

Tom's Hardware's 2011 Gift Guide: Part 2, Last-Minute Extras
By , Anthony Celeste

$199.99
homestore.cisco.com

These days, many families have at least one computer guru whose thankless job is to make tech recommendations for the rest of the family. And then install said purchases. And then support them…at any hour, day or night. For free. But we’re not bitter. Quite often, this leads to a dichotomy. On one hand, there’s the gear you would buy for yourself because it has the most features and is wicked fast. Then there’s the gear you recommend for your family, which is idiotproof simple and comes backed by 24x7 free tech support. In the latter case, performance is the least of your concerns. You just don’t want another reason to be IT support.

The amazing thing about Cisco’s Linksys E-series routers is that they satisfy both polar opposite groups. As we’ve seen from in-house testing, the E-series has the ability to blow most other consumer-class routers off the map on performance. Its reception range and sustained throughput are simply epic. However, Linksys' instructions are simple and largely automated, and we’ve always found the 24x7 phone support (usually off-shore) to be competent and effective.

Moreover, this premium Linksys offering comes stocked with loads of power user perks. Like what? At the top of the list  you have four gigabit Ethernet ports and a USB connection for turning add-on storage into a mini-NAS. A UPnP server comes built in for streaming your media to gaming consoles or similar reception devices, plus you can tweak packet stream prioritization (QoS) within the router’s settings for improving media playback, videoconferencing, VoIP, gaming, or any other app type you please.

The E4200 v2 uses a 3x3 transmit/receive antenna system for both radio bands, enabling theoretical throughput of up to 450 Mb/s. The original E4200 did 3x3:3 (three spatial streams) in the 5 GHz band, but only two streams (3x3:2) in 2.4 GHz, which is why you see it listed as 300 + 450 rather than the v2’s 450 + 450. Of course, this won’t matter if your client devices aren’t capable of handling three streams, so make sure to keep your eyes open for this spec in your clients heading into 2012. In general, 5.0 GHz Wi-Fi will provide more solid video performance as needed, free from interference by other common Wi-Fi devices. You can set up a guest access account for better Wi-Fi security and implement WPA2 to prevent unwanted snooping.

Last but hardly least, we love the slender, simple aesthetic the Linksys group has brought to the E-series. Keeping things sleek and all of the antennas internal is such an improvement over the functionally excellent, but clunky-looking, W-series of yore.

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Top Comments
  • 20 Hide
    manu 11 , December 16, 2011 3:04 AM
    i am loving these articles!
  • 16 Hide
    JonnyDough , December 16, 2011 8:58 AM
    richboyliangomg more of those same hot girls!!!as usual, the one with the monitor is the best because she resembles mariah carey.blonde one is ok, redhead is too old.


    You must be in your teens. Not all readers here are kids you know...
  • 10 Hide
    JonnyDough , December 16, 2011 8:59 AM
    For future reference, we adults call them "women", not girls. ;) 
Other Comments
  • 20 Hide
    manu 11 , December 16, 2011 3:04 AM
    i am loving these articles!
  • 3 Hide
    joytech22 , December 16, 2011 3:28 AM
    The ZBox is the most promising item to me.
    Why? Because I can mount it on the back of the TV in the lounge for the family and stream my media files to it from my home server.

    I can then throw in an external BD drive and boom, fully capable home entertainment system, which is even capable of light gaming.

    Of course.. I'd reserve my gaming for my gaming rig! ;)  The Zbox would be for more family oriented games in the lounge.
  • -1 Hide
    richboyliang , December 16, 2011 4:05 AM
    omg more of those same hot girls!!!

    as usual, the one with the monitor is the best because she resembles mariah carey.

    blonde one is ok, redhead is too old.
  • 1 Hide
    richboyliang , December 16, 2011 4:14 AM
    the suggestive poses combined with the suspicious "xXx" on the Thecus network storage box....
  • -2 Hide
    Judguh , December 16, 2011 4:50 AM
    You can't tell me there's more.... reasonably priced items for the holidays here. :| ... unless you're getting a share of that dough for these ladies :p 
  • 0 Hide
    a4mula , December 16, 2011 5:14 AM
    Why recommend the u2410 when the u2412M can be had for half the price and has the same exact specs along with LED backlighting. The only loss is going from 100% sRGB to 98% sRGB and that's only important to a tiny fraction of users. The other advantage of the u2412M is that it doesn't suffer from pink tint that has plagued the u2410.
  • 0 Hide
    pharoahhalfdead , December 16, 2011 6:49 AM
    This was an article about electronics? I must have missed something. That's what I get for skipping all the words. Haha
  • 7 Hide
    kartu , December 16, 2011 7:57 AM
    Shameless sexism, eh?
    But I enjoy it too...
  • 16 Hide
    JonnyDough , December 16, 2011 8:58 AM
    richboyliangomg more of those same hot girls!!!as usual, the one with the monitor is the best because she resembles mariah carey.blonde one is ok, redhead is too old.


    You must be in your teens. Not all readers here are kids you know...
  • 10 Hide
    JonnyDough , December 16, 2011 8:59 AM
    For future reference, we adults call them "women", not girls. ;) 
  • 5 Hide
    SevWarfare , December 16, 2011 2:27 PM
    Didn't read a friggin' word.
  • -2 Hide
    mcd023 , December 16, 2011 2:44 PM
    man I really want that Dell monitor. 110% color gamut!!! (ok, really only 100% due to the signal, but hey, it can do it!).
  • 1 Hide
    Teeroy32 , December 16, 2011 3:36 PM
    What was this article about, I was only interested in the pictures, what the red heads too old, that poster must be 15 years old, all three of these lovely women are gorgeous, they should be in the "Girls of Geek" calender along with Nixie Pixel
  • -1 Hide
    ChromeTusk , December 16, 2011 4:40 PM
    Regarding the RC8, my only complaint is how easy it is to lose flash drives.
    Falcon's Icon2 reminds me of Silverstone's Raven series with much need improvements.
    The N5200XXX sound like a great addition (and I like the model's poses too :p )
  • 0 Hide
    rubix_1011 , December 16, 2011 4:58 PM
    The elves just don't stack up to the original Tom's Holiday elf...what's her name...Sarah? She was far and away the best.
  • -1 Hide
    Anonymous , December 16, 2011 6:14 PM
    La rubia me volvió loco, 10/10 recommended buy
  • 6 Hide
    jsc , December 17, 2011 2:25 AM
    JonnyDoughYou must be in your teens. Not all readers here are kids you know...

    No. Some of us like women.
  • -2 Hide
    mayankleoboy1 , December 17, 2011 3:07 AM
    second picture on Thecus N5200XXX is the best picture.
    saving to my PC....
  • -5 Hide
    Reynod , December 17, 2011 4:02 AM
    I want more articles like this one.

    In fact I demand that you do more articles like this one ... please?

    Can you please post a few more pictures of the Supertalent USB drive ... move the drive down a bit and zoom in ... its a bit fuzzy from here.


    If other users agree please rate my post up so the reviewers can guage interest in these products !!!


    :) 

  • 5 Hide
    RealityClash , December 17, 2011 6:35 AM
    The ginger one scares me...
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