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Today networking is an exceptionally important aspect of daily life. Be it interpersonal or mechanical it poses a great advantage to us, distribution of information. The distribution we want to be delivered quickly, reliably, and without much hassle. These are reasons why router choice is important to us whether it’s to establish a wider network or for a single household.
Branding is important for any company, although that’s something following entrants won’t have much to worry about as Linksys is very recognizable with their WRT54G series’ chassis design. Design prominently featured on newer models, including Linksys WRT1200AC and Linksys WRT1900ACS. In this article, we will compare Linksys WRT1200AC vs WRT1900ACS, their similarities, differences, and pros/cons. Let we start with similarities!
Linksys WRT1200AC vs WRT1900ACS – Similarities
Quick Glance
Operating system
Obviously, both coming from Linksys they share an operating system and alternative operating systems. A necessary tidbit found on both is the Linksys Smart Wi-Fi App, you can closely monitor and manage your home Wi-Fi remotely using a smartphone or tablet with it. App also helps with the easy setup of networks.
Third-party support
Another Linksys WRT 54G staple, good third party firmware support. Thankfully it makes a reappearance for both of our competitors, courtesy of them being open source. Additional customizability of your router is always a nice thing to see as it helps with a more specific configuration.
Memory
The memory stays the same in terms of RAM and flash. More RAM is always good as it allows for better handling when multiple devices are present, universally it helps if network traffic is plentiful. The RAM is DDR3 which is nice as DDR3 routing guidelines involve less strain than DDR4 routing ones. Flash memory’s capacity is very useful on Linksys devices as their open-source nature allows for 3rd party support, offering more firmware updates for the system.
Security
Found on both entrants are secured with WEP, WPA, WPA2, WPS encryption, providing decent safety. Additionally, you have the ability to create guest networks, so you can offer an internet connection without simultaneously giving access to your home devices.
Network and connectivity
Both retain regular IPv4 and IPv6 protocols, nothing special there. The same amount of LAN as well as WAN ports, 4 and 1 respectively. Along come a single USB 3.0 port and a combo port for eSATA as well as USB 2.0. Another similarity is that both of them are dual-band, meaning they have two frequencies, working on both 2.4GHz and 5GHz ones. Dual-band offers better managing of your data traffic.
Differences Between Linksys WRT1200AC and WRT1900ACS
Processor
The models possess the same dual-core processor model, Marvell Armada 385 88F6820, however, the difference between the two is that Linksys WRT1900ACS has its overclocked. This does make the 1900ACS faster and thus preferable in this category.
The Winner: Linksys WRT1900ACS
Read next – Linksys EA8300 vs EA8500: Which Wi-Fi Router is Better?
Antennas and their use
Antennas receive and transmit data throughout the network, making them key to actually connecting your devices to the internet. We will also cover mechanisms they use and the number of spatial terms on routers, the number of spatial streams router has determined how much data it can send and receive from devices.
Linksys WRT1200AC
Two antennas are present on WRT1200AC, one for each of its frequencies. These are used in its 2×2 mechanism which supports two spatial streams, two for receiving and two for transmitting. Additionally, antennas are detachable, offering easy replacement in case they get damaged.
Linksys WRT1900ACS
This router possesses four antennas although it remains a 3×3 mechanism. This means only three of four antennas are used, providing three spatial streams for transmitting and receiving, but an additional fourth one can serve as a backup. Thankfully you can detach and replace these just like WRT1200AC.
The Winner: Linksys WRT 1900ACS
Theoretical Maximum Speed
Theoretical maximum speed is the limit router is assumed to be able to obtain. It’s important to get a decent one as it will dictate whether you can achieve the speed that internet providers forward to the router.
Linksys WRT1200AC
At a maximum speed of 300Mbps for 2.4GHz frequency we are looking at a decent capacity but considering this is theoretical it might not be enough for somebody using exceptionally fast internet. On its 5GHz frequency WRT1200AC comes with 867Mbps theoretical max speed which will prove far more capable for high-bandwidth devices.
Linksys WRT1900ACS
Providing 2.4GHz frequency with 600Mbps max speed puts it at twice the theoretical maximum of our previous entrant. Its second frequency clocks in at 1300 Mbps, a hefty speed for your needs.
The Winner: Linksys WRT1900ACS
Signal power
For those using routers that are farther away from devices strong signal power is a must. Be it multistory buildings or a house with multiple walls interfering with your signal making sure it’s strong is important to prevent speed loss.
Linksys WRT1200AC
Considering it transmit power of 22dBm, two antennas, and dual-band nature this router has decent coverage.
Linksys WRT1900ACS
Surprisingly enough model possesses 19 dBm / 21 dBm, both being lower than modest WRT1200AC. Despite that it is actually better in this section as well due to possessing more active antennas, the whole deal we mentioned above about 1900ACS having more spatial streams comes into effect there.
The Winner: Linksys WRT1900ACS
Read next – Linksys EA8500 vs WRT1900AC: Which Wireless Router is Better?
Pros and Cons
Linksys WRT1200AC
PROS:
- Good range
- Stackable design
- Lives up to the Linksys standard
CONS
- Slower data transfer
- Only dual-stream
Linksys WRT1900AC
PROS:
- Great speed
- Linksys seal of quality
- Triple stream
- Great range
CONS:
- More expensive
THE FINAL VERDICT
Throughout this comparison, we can see WRT1200AC closing in on its competitor over and over again. However, it never surpasses it, even with its transmit power being higher. While this doesn’t make the model itself bad it does showcase the superiority of his older brother.
Linksys managed to put out two great routers in a short span of time that emulate its famous 54G. Open source provides good firmware support and stackable design is great if you are meaning to utilize multiple of them for whatever networking purpose. After a deeper look, we’ve homed in on strengths that set WRT1900ACS apart, making it a clear winner.