Cisco-Linksys E4200 Dual-Band Wireless-N Router

by Cisco

• Transfer rates up to 300 + 450 Mbps speed for a premium home network experience
• Full 3x3 MIMO antenna array boosts signal strength to provide exceptional coverage and reliability
• Double your network bandwidth with dual-band N (2.4 and 5 GHz) designed to avoid interference and maximize throughput
• Keep Wi-Fi freeloaders and Internet threats at bay with WPA/WPA2 encryption and SPI firewall
• Quick to install and easy to manage

Product Details

• Item Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S.
• ASIN: B004K1EZDS
• Item model number: E4200
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (707 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,597 in Electronics (See Top 100 in Electronics)
  • #71 in Electronics > Computers & Add-Ons > Routers
• Date first available at Amazon.com: January 24, 2011

Product Description

From the Manufacturer

The Linksys E4200 offers maximum speed (up to 300 + 450 Mbps), optimal range, and simultaneous dual-band technology, plus a next-generation industrial design
(see larger image)

The Linksys E4200 offers maximum speed (up to 300 + 450 Mbps), optimal range, and simultaneous dual-band technology to create an ultra-powerful wireless network designed for home theater performance. Simultaneous dual-band Wireless-N technology allows for smoother and faster HD/3D video streaming. A built-in USB port lets you add external storage to share files across your network. And a built-in UPnP AV media server means you can seamlessly stream media files across your network. Plus, included Cisco Connect software gets you set up in three easy steps and offers powerful tools for ongoing management of your network.

See how the E4200 stacks up against the rest of the Linksys E-Series routers below.

Key Features

Maximum Wireless Speed

The Linksys E4200 offers ultra fast speed to connect your computers, Internet-ready TVs, game consoles, and other Wi-Fi devices at transfer rates up to 300 + 450 Mbps speed for a premium home network experience.

Superior Wireless Coverage

Built with leading 802.11n wireless technology, the Linksys E4200 offers maximum range to create a powerful wireless network. Full 3x3 MIMO antenna array boosts signal strength to provide exceptional coverage and reliability so you can enjoy your wireless network from anywhere in your home.

The Power of Dual-Band

Double your network bandwidth with dual-band N (2.4 and 5 GHz) designed to avoid interference and maximize throughput for smoother and faster HD video streaming, file transfers, and wireless gaming.

SpeedBoost

Higher quality antenna technology helps to maintain high speeds across greater distances throughout your home for maximum wireless coverage and in-home mobility.

Advanced Security

Keep Wi-Fi freeloaders and Internet threats at bay with WPA/WPA2 encryption and SPI firewall to help keep your network protected.

The rear of the Linksys E4200 with four Gigabit Ethernet ports and a USB 2.0 port

Benefits of Gigabit

Use the four Gigabit Ethernet (10/100/1000) ports for quick file sharing, 10x faster than standard Ethernet, between other Gigabit-enabled devices like computers, hard drives, and servers.

Built-in USB Port and UPnP Media Server

The USB port lets you add devices such as storage and printers to your network to share files at home or over the Internet for greater access to more information. The built-in UPnP AV Media Server enables seamless streaming of video and media files on your attached storage to an Xbox 360, PS3, or other UPnP compatible device.

Easy set-up with Cisco Connect software.

Home Theater Ready

Bring the ultimate entertainment experience to your home by connecting computers, Internet-ready TVs, game consoles, media players and more to your wireless network and the Internet. QoS traffic prioritization technology is designed to deliver your time-sensitive Internet traffic efficiently so you can enjoy fast downloads, smooth video and music streaming, gaming and VoIP.

Quick to Install

Cisco Connect software helps you set up your home wireless network in three easy steps.

Easy to Manage

Cisco Connect software helps you customize your settings and quickly add multiple devices to your network:

• Create a separate password protected network for guests
• Limit access time and websites with Parental Controls
• Access advanced network settings easily

Linksys Wireless-N Router Comparison
	E1200	E1500	E2500	E3200	E4200
Technology	Wireless-N
Wi-Fi Max Speed	300 Mbps	300 Mbps	600 Mbps	600 Mbps	750 Mbps
Compatibility	Wireless-N, -B, -G	Wireless-N, -B, -G	Wireless-N, -A, -B, -G	Wireless-N, -A, -B, -G	Wireless-N, -A, -B, -G
Bands	Single-band 2.4 GHz	Single-band 2.4 GHz	Simultaneous Dual-band 2.4 + 5 GHz	Simultaneous Dual-band 2.4 + 5 GHz	Simultaneous Dual-band 2.4 + 5 GHz
Transmit/Receive Streams	2 x 2	2 x 3	2 x 2	2 x 3	3 x 3
SpeedBoost		√		√	√
Power Amplifiers	Integrated On-Chip	External Off-Chip	Integrated On-Chip	External Off-Chip High Power	External Off-Chip High Power
Ports	4 x 10/100	4 x 10/100	4 x 10/100	4 x Gigabit 1 x USB	4 x Gigabit 1 x USB
USB Features				Shared Storage  Shared Printer*	Shared Storage Shared Printer Media Server
Wi-Fi Protected Setup	Yes
UPnP Support	Yes
Parental Controls	Time of Day Access Controls Specific Website Blocking
Guest Wi-Fi Access	Separate SSID for guests keeps your WiFi private
Wireless Security	WEP, WPA and WPA2 Personal and Enterprise, RADIUS
Warranty	1 year hardware limited warranty, 90 days complimentary assisted support
Package Contents	Router, AC Adapter, CD-ROM with setup software, Ethernet Network Cable, Quick Start Guide
Setup Software CD	Cisco Connect Windows XP SP3, Vista SP1 or later, Windows 7 Mac OS X 10.5, 10.6

Product Description

The Linksys E4200 offers maximum speed (up to 300 + 450 Mbps), optimal range, and simultaneous dual-band technology to create an ultra-powerful wireless network designed for home theater performance. Simultaneous dual-band Wireless-N technology allows for smoother and faster HD/3D video streaming. A built-in USB port lets you add external storage to share files across your network. And a built-in UPnP AV media server means you can seamlessly stream media files across your network. Plus, included Cisco Connect software gets you set up in three easy steps and offers powerful tools for ongoing management of your network.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

548 of 563 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Fast router.. wish it was faster May 4, 2011

By M. Eaton

Format:Electronics

I would say the E4200 router provides a solid connection, roughly the same throughput performance as the NETGEAR N750 450 Mbps Wireless Dual Band Gigabit Router WNDR4000 (another 450 Mbps router), easy setup with `Cisco Connect', and the lack of LED lights in the front of the router really helps with the light pollution on the office desk.

Pros:
* Supports 3 data stream (450 Mbps) on the 5 GHz band. The tested throughput on the 5 GHz band was 129 Mbps up and 148 Mbps down (laptop with Intel 6300 wifi card to a server with a wired connection). About 15% faster then my old WNDR3700 router, but I was hoping for a 50% increase (300 Mbps -> 450 Mbps).
* Easy to setup with the `Cisco Connect' application. The application guides you in setting up the wireless security, parental control, and guest network.
* No issues connecting to the router with my PS3, Windows Home Server, Vulkano, and iPad

Con:
* Only 2 data stream (300 Mbps) on the 2.4 GHz band. The tested throughput on the 2.4 GHz band was 60 Mbps up and 70 Mbps down
* No extra features like WDS repeating/bridge
* WNDR4000 has better parental control features

Summary:
Having the E4200 and WNDR4000, the E4200 has roughly the same throughput performance as the WNDR4000 (134 Mbps up and 140 Mbps down on the 5 GHz band). The difference between the two comes down to features. The E4200 has a great setup utility that will allow any newbie to configure the router with ease. The WNDR4000 provides more useful features such as WDS repeating and traffic meter. As for the range of the router, I really can't comment on it due to living in a small apartment....

Some extra background info:
One thing that I feel is missing in the `router comparison table' is the processor speed. The CPU speed gives you an idea about the performance of the router. So here is what I found on the internet.
E1200 - 300 MHz CPU with 32MB RAM and 4MB Flash
E1500 - 300 MHz CPU with 32MB RAM and 8MB Flash
E2500 - 300 MHz CPU with 64MB RAM and 8MB Flash
E3000 - 480 MHz CPU with 64MB RAM and 8MB Flash
E4200 - 480 MHz CPU with 64MB RAM and 16MB Flash Read more ›

355 of 375 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Great router with robust features, although the 5GHz band signal and speed is erratic June 15, 2011

By Jennifer Ray TOP 500 REVIEWERVINE™ VOICE

Format:Electronics|Amazon Vine™ Review (What's this?)

(Review updated 06/20/11 to add details concerning firmware version 1.0.02 and USB printer support with the E4200 router. Please see the end of the review for that update.)

I networked my home long before wireless routers were even available (or affordable) for home users, using Ethernet back then and moving to wireless as soon as it was available for home use. Throughout the years, I've almost always used Linksys routers, and the few times I've tried other brands, I was soon sorry and switched back to Linksys. I won't say I've always had perfect experiences with this manufacturer, but my overall experience with them has been very good enough to position Linksys as a name I trust.

When I saw the feature set for the new Cisco-Linksys E4200 router, I was more than intrigued, particularly by the dual-band feature and the potential speeds it boasts.

As it turns out, only one of the wireless adapters I already owned supported the 5 GHz band, and it was the internal NIC on one of my computers. In order to fully test the Linksys E4200, I bought one Cisco-Linksys AE1000 High-Performance Wireless-N Adapter and connected it to each of my computers to test it with the new router.

The dual-band feature by default uses the same SSID for both the 2.4 GHz band and the 5 GHz band. This allows a wireless adapter to seamlessly connect to whichever of those bands it can, but doesn't help if you want to force certain wireless devices to connect using the 5 GHz band, which is potentially faster. Fortunately, you can manually name the two wireless bands with different SSIDs, and simply connect your devices that support 5 GHz bands to the SSID for that band....

Before I progress, I should state that I live in a three story townhouse, and I placed the router as centrally as possible, in the den on the second floor. I use the den as my office, and I have a good spot for wireless routers that has no reflective surfaces near it, nor any other items that might interfere with the wireless signal.

The living room is just down the hall from the den, and there are no doors in between the two rooms. I get a fantastic signal using the 5 GHz band when I am anywhere on the second floor, whether using my laptop's internal wireless adapter or the AE1000 USB adapter that I bought. I connected the AE1000 on my desktop PC, my laptop, and my netbook and each enjoys speeds of 300 Mbps when using the 5 GHz band on the second floor. However, when I use the 5 GHz band with the same laptop and netbook and the same wireless adapters on the third floor, the signal is weak and the speeds jump wildly from 13.5 Mbps to 300 Mbps, with the 300 Mbps being a rarity upstairs.

Conversely, when I connect to the E4200 router using its 2.4 GHz band, the signal is strong on every floor and in every room and the speed is stable rather than erratic. I find that the 2.4 GHz band connects my devices with speeds on par with my older wireless routers - 65 Mbps to 130 Mbps, depending on which wireless adapter I use.

The configuration itself is very easy and users who run the setup disk to configure it will find themselves with a basic, mostly secure network. There are some things I don't like about the Cisco Connect software that runs the setup, but I'll get to that a bit later.

For more experienced users with more advanced needs, the advanced configuration is where you'll spend more of your time, if not all. This is where you can set additional levels of security, name the two wireless networks and the guest network with different SSIDs, manage connected storage devices, and more.

I prefer to not rely on only WPA encryption for my wireless security. In addition, I employ MAC address filtering, don't broadcast my SSID, and I limit the number of DHCP connections to the number of devices I need to use on my network. For those who don't know, a MAC address is the unique identifier for a network device. Every network device has one, and no two devices use the same MAC address. I set the filtering to only allow devices with a MAC address I've specifically allowed to connect. Even if someone were to break the code on my wireless connection, they would also have to have a MAC address that is permitted on my network. On top of that, since I don't broadcast my SSID, no one can see it, even if they are in range. You have to know the name of my SSID to manually configure it, or you must have access to the router to use the Wi-Fi Protected Setup button. You can also use the Easy Setup Key if you choose to create one, but we'll get to that a bit later.

I have a number of devices that I regularly connect to my network, some wired, some wireless. All were easy to configure and connect. Some I connected using the Wi-Fi Protected Setup button, others using the Easy Setup Key, and still others I connected by manually entering the wireless network information. These devices include: two TiVo Premieres with Wireless N adapters, TiVo Series 2 with a Wireless G adapter, desktop PC with an Ethernet port and a wireless NIC, a laptop computer also with both Ethernet and wireless, a netbook PC also with both Ethernet and wireless, a NAS device connected via Ethernet, a wireless printer, a Windows Mobile 6.5 Smartphone with wireless, and an Ooma phone router connected with Ethernet.

The router allows you to connect a USB hard drive to it which can then be shared on your network using the management console for the router. You can share folders publicly, or lock down access by creating user accounts for the shares. These folders can be accessed either through standard networking (UNC paths or mapped network drives) or they can be accessed via FTP. The router does function well inside my network as an FTP server, but as Comcast has blocked FTP ports from my Comcast modem, I cannot access the FTP server from outside my own network.
However, I can access the administration console from outside my network if I enable the Remote Management feature, and using the DDNS feature, you can easily access this from anywhere. I choose to leave this disabled, but did turn it on long enough to test it.

I should probably explain the DDNS feature as well. This feature communicates with one of two services (DYNDNS.org or TZO.com) and regularly updates your external IP address given to you by your ISP. As most internet service providers use dynamic IP addresses for residential accounts, your IP address could potentially change each day. By registering with one of the two supported services and configuring your E4200 router to keep your IP address updated with those services, you have a static internet address you can use to access your router's Remote Management feature, or FTP server (should your ISP not block those ports) when away from your home. This feature works beautifully.

The router has four Ethernet ports on the back, each of which is a Gigabit port. All of the NICs with the Gigabit capability I connected to it easily used that speed. This is great when you are moving files between machines within your network, but won't increase your internet speed, as most residential providers don't have plans anywhere near that fast.

Although I am mostly very pleased with the E4200 router, the area I have considerable disappointment in is the Cisco Connect software. While it is a fantastic tool for easy configuration - especially for novice users - it has limitations that prove frustrating for more experienced users. For one, if you want to use the Cisco Connect software, the password for the admin login must be the same as the password for the wireless network. I personally do NOT want these two passwords to be the same. I may not have an issue giving a friend the password to connect to my network, but I definitely do not want anyone but me to have the admin password where they can change settings.

Another issue I have with it is that you cannot install the Cisco Connect software on other PCs and connect it to your router unless you make an Easy Setup Key. The Easy Setup Key is a USB flash drive which you provide and the Cisco Connect setup installs it with the software for additional computers. Sounds innocent enough, but this USB flash drive can also be used to connect new wireless devices to your wireless network. Not only that, but it stores the admin password for the router in the key so that anyone who gets their hands on this flash drive can easily get into your network and even the administrator settings for your router. For me, this is a huge security liability and I just don't like it.

One feature I do really like in the Cisco Connect software is the ability to test your internet speed directly on the router. This is extremely handy when you are experiencing slowness with internet speeds and you want to quickly test the speed of the internet modem before the signal is spread out to the other devices on your network. This is a feature that has been a long time coming, and is very much appreciated. Where I am disappointed here is that the speed test feature is only available in the Cisco Connect software and not in the advanced configuration control panel. One other important thing to note, this speed test does not suffice if you are trying to determine if an internet speed problem is being caused by your router. For that, you still need to disconnect the router from your modem and connect your computer directly to your internet modem to test speed.

At the time I wrote this review, Amazon's page for the E4200 router states that it will have the ability to connect a USB printer and share it on your network sometime in the summer of 2011. I called Cisco-Linksys support to find out if there was an ETA on this feature. According to Cisco-Linksys support, this feature is not planned for this router. So, this is a huge discrepancy and it is anybody's guess which information is correct. It is possible that Amazon made a mistake, but it is equally possible that I spoke with an uninformed support agent. Also, the fact that he then tried to sell me on one of their print server devices makes one wonder if he would have admitted it even if he'd known about the feature. If you are looking for a device that will function as a print server for your USB printer, this is not yet the device, although it is one to watch. I wouldn't base your purchase on the possibility of that feature, though.

This is a really good router with a lot of great features. Having long used Linksys networking equipment, I know it to be a trustworthy name with long-lived hardware. If you are looking for the speeds the 5 GHz band can offer, be aware that this router is fairly erratic with signal and speed when using the 5 GHz band, even with a dual-band adapter made by Cisco-Linksys. The 2.4 GHz band has proved very reliable, though.

EDITED: After I posted this review, I launched Cisco Connect software again and it notified me there was a firmware update. I let it install the new firmware on the router and found that it enabled several new features, which I have not yet tested. From the Release notes for firmware version 1.0.02 (build 13):

- Added support of USB printer connected to the router's USB port, so that a user may send a print job to the printer via the local area network.
** This feature requires Cisco connect software v1.4 or later **
- Added support of Native IPv6 and 6rd tunnel Internet connections
- Added support of bridge mode
- Prevented devices on the guest network to access any private IP address (RFC 1918)
- Updated wireless driver to improve interoperability

So, it looks like the Cisco-Linksys support agent was mistaken and Amazon was correct concerning the E4200 router's ability to act as a print server for a USB printer. I will test this soon and report back.

I will say I was very pleased to see that the Cisco Connect software not only automatically checks for firmware updates, but downloads and installs them for you. It also gave me the option to delay that install if I had wished.

UPDATED 06/20/11: I have two printers at home, an Epson R200 and an Lexmark X4850. Using the instructions on page 15 of the new user guide for the E4200 router, I have not been able to connect either of these printers to the router via USB. The instructions say to launch the Cisco Connect software and then use the Add Printer command, selecting the option for USB printer. Cisco Connect reports that each of these printers is unsupported. I then went to the Cisco-Linksys website to find exactly what printers are supported and could find no such information in the support section or the forum. This prompted me to engage in a support session with Cisco-Linksys using their Live Chat - big mistake. Deepak insisted over and over again that this functionality does not exist on the E4200 router and refused to even look at the user guide on the Cisco-Linksys website, although I provided him the exact page number he could find these instructions on. He told me to call the support line by phone. Raine was a little better, but not by much. While she didn't come out and say that feature doesn't exist, she did start running me through a list of questions that have nothing to do with what USB printers are supported on the router (what ISP do I use, what wireless devices are in my network, etc.) I finally asked to be escalated to someone who could provide the information I'm asking for (a list of supported printers), and she escalated me to a supervisor, Marie, who then connected me with Al (Senior Technician) who finally stated that the firmware version 1.0.02 only introduces USB printer support for the E3200 router, but NOT for the E4200 router, and that the release notes for this firmware version that state otherwise are wrong. He also confirmed there is not a list of supported printers even for the E3200 router. If you are looking for a router that has the ability to add a USB printer, the E4200 is not yet an option for you. Read more ›

154 of 163 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Best out there!! May 1, 2011

By Mark Stran

Format:Electronics

After having owned many single band routers, it was time to upgrade to a dual band model.

I first tried the Netgear 3700. After using it for about a week, I returned it because of poor transmission speeds and messy firmware.
Thankfully that week, the E4200 was released. As with other linksys routers, installation was a breeze. I use more than 15 networked items in my house. Using the included software to do the setup is very simple and straight-forward. Linksys really got it right with this model.
This router is super fast compared to the netgear 3700. The NAS input for a USB storage devices is about 10 times as fast and the 5ghz band works better in my house on the E4200 than on the 3700.
Range on the 2.4ghz band is great. I can pick up signal on my laptop two houses over. It is nice when you are at a neighbors house and are able to use your own internet connection at a decent signal strength.
The 5gz band is not quite as strong but I was still able to pick it up one house over. For me, as long as I can sit poolside in the far back portion of my yard and get a strong signal, that is all that matters.
I recommend this router to anyone who is looking to get the most up to date technology in a beautiful package.

Only negative for me is the price point. I think we all have to suffer because of Cisco's huge margin requirements..

72 of 77 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Expensive, but the BEST router I've ever owned May 1, 2011

By Thomas Tomchak

Format:Electronics

The only negative is the price on this one, but I needed something that HAD to be reliable since I was using it on a live streaming job. So the price was not a big issue. I just looked at it as insurance.

Setup was super easy. I love that it sets up a guest network automatically (which you can disable if you don't want it obviously).

I've never seen such fast speed over wireless and the range is awesome.

If it were not so expensive I would buy a few more for the home, but at this price it's going to be part of the streaming system and that alone.

I can't recommend this router enough. I usually use Netgear and love the brand, have used TrendNet with poor results, and have mixed results with LinkSys (which is why I was a bit concerned about buying this since Cisco purchased LinkSys). But I'm very happy.