{"wikiid":15046,"langid":"en","namespace":"CATEGORY","title":"Linksys Router","revisionid":1249976,"contents_raw":"== Background and Identification ==\n\nLinksys is an American manufacturer of network hardware including routers, modems, and switches since 1988. At various points, Linksys has been owned by Cisco, Belkin, and Foxconn. The general naming scheme for Linksys routers consists of a few letters to indicate the type of device followed by letters and numbers for each model. You can usually find this model number and other information on a sticker on the bottom or side of the device, as shown in this [link|https:\/\/www.linksys.com\/us\/support-article?articleNum=141117|Linksys support article].\n\nModels starting with \u201cE\u201d or \u201cEA\u201d are primarily wireless routers. The earlier EA models feature a [link|https:\/\/www.lifewire.com\/dual-band-wireless-networking-explained-818279|dual-band radio] which allows you to host both a 2.4 GHz network and a 5 GHz network simultaneously. Some later EA models support tri-band technology or [link|https:\/\/www.linksys.com\/us\/r\/resource-center\/what-is-mu-mimo\/|MU-MIMO] to communicate with multiple devices at once. \u201cWRTxxxx\u201d products are another line of Linksys\u2019s wireless routers, with the name WRT used as a shorthand for ***W***ireless ***R***ou***T***er.\n\nMany of these wireless routers support third-party firmware and open-source software such as the Linux-based [link|https:\/\/dd-wrt.com\/support\/router-database\/|DD-WRT] and [link|https:\/\/openwrt.org\/supported_devices|OpenWRT]. You can check compatibility with these projects using their supported devices pages (linked just above) or checking this [link|https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Linksys_routers|incomplete list on Wikipedia].\n\nModels starting with \u201cWHW,\u201d \u201cVLP,\u201d \u201cMX,\u201c or \u201cMR\u201c are [link|https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Wireless_mesh_network|mesh Wi-Fi routers] that you can use to extend wireless coverage over a larger area than a single router can cover. The WHW, VLP, and MX models are specifically part of [link|https:\/\/www.linksys.com\/us\/velop\/|Linksys\u2019s Velop brand] of mesh routers.\n\nLinksys also has non-wireless routers (Ethernet only) which are labelled as \u201cBEFxxxx.\u201d Their combined modem and wireless routers are sold with the model numbers \u201cWAGxxxx.\u201c Other devices like standalone [link|https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Wireless_access_point|wireless access points] and wireless range extenders are sold as models beginning with \u201cWAP\u201d and \u201cRE\u201d respectively.\n\n== Additional Information ==\n\n* [link|https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Linksys|Linksys on Wikipedia]\n* [link|https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Linksys_routers|Linksys routers on Wikipedia]\n* [link|https:\/\/www.linksys.com\/us\/support\/|Linksys support page]\n* [link|https:\/\/www.linksys.com\/us\/support\/sitemap\/|List of Linksys products on the support website]\n* [link|https:\/\/www.linksys.com\/us\/support-article?articleNum=135389|Comparison of Linksys routers on the support website]","contents_json":{"type":"doc","content":[{"type":"heading","attrs":{"level":2},"content":[{"type":"text","text":"Background and Identification"}]},{"type":"paragraph","content":[{"type":"text","text":"Linksys is an American manufacturer of network hardware including routers, modems, and switches since 1988. At various points, Linksys has been owned by Cisco, Belkin, and Foxconn. The general naming scheme for Linksys routers consists of a few letters to indicate the type of device followed by letters and numbers for each model. You can usually find this model number and other information on a sticker on the bottom or side of the device, as shown in this "},{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"link","attrs":{"href":"https:\/\/www.linksys.com\/us\/support-article?articleNum=141117","target":false}}],"text":"Linksys support article"},{"type":"text","text":"."}]},{"type":"paragraph","content":[{"type":"text","text":"Models starting with \u201cE\u201d or \u201cEA\u201d are primarily wireless routers. The earlier EA models feature a "},{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"link","attrs":{"href":"https:\/\/www.lifewire.com\/dual-band-wireless-networking-explained-818279","target":false}}],"text":"dual-band radio"},{"type":"text","text":" which allows you to host both a 2.4 GHz network and a 5 GHz network simultaneously. Some later EA models support tri-band technology or "},{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"link","attrs":{"href":"https:\/\/www.linksys.com\/us\/r\/resource-center\/what-is-mu-mimo\/","target":false}}],"text":"MU-MIMO"},{"type":"text","text":" to communicate with multiple devices at once. \u201cWRTxxxx\u201d products are another line of Linksys\u2019s wireless routers, with the name WRT used as a shorthand for "},{"type":"text","text":"W","marks":[{"type":"bold"}]},{"type":"text","text":"ireless "},{"type":"text","text":"R","marks":[{"type":"bold"}]},{"type":"text","text":"ou"},{"type":"text","text":"T","marks":[{"type":"bold"}]},{"type":"text","text":"er."}]},{"type":"paragraph","content":[{"type":"text","text":"Many of these wireless routers support third-party firmware and open-source software such as the Linux-based "},{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"link","attrs":{"href":"https:\/\/dd-wrt.com\/support\/router-database\/","target":false}}],"text":"DD-WRT"},{"type":"text","text":" and "},{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"link","attrs":{"href":"https:\/\/openwrt.org\/supported_devices","target":false}}],"text":"OpenWRT"},{"type":"text","text":". You can check compatibility with these projects using their supported devices pages (linked just above) or checking this "},{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"link","attrs":{"href":"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Linksys_routers","target":false}}],"text":"incomplete list on Wikipedia"},{"type":"text","text":"."}]},{"type":"paragraph","content":[{"type":"text","text":"Models starting with \u201cWHW,\u201d \u201cVLP,\u201d \u201cMX,\u201c or \u201cMR\u201c are "},{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"link","attrs":{"href":"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Wireless_mesh_network","target":false}}],"text":"mesh Wi-Fi routers"},{"type":"text","text":" that you can use to extend wireless coverage over a larger area than a single router can cover. The WHW, VLP, and MX models are specifically part of "},{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"link","attrs":{"href":"https:\/\/www.linksys.com\/us\/velop\/","target":false}}],"text":"Linksys\u2019s Velop brand"},{"type":"text","text":" of mesh routers."}]},{"type":"paragraph","content":[{"type":"text","text":"Linksys also has non-wireless routers (Ethernet only) which are labelled as \u201cBEFxxxx.\u201d Their combined modem and wireless routers are sold with the model numbers \u201cWAGxxxx.\u201c Other devices like standalone "},{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"link","attrs":{"href":"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Wireless_access_point","target":false}}],"text":"wireless access points"},{"type":"text","text":" and wireless range extenders are sold as models beginning with \u201cWAP\u201d and \u201cRE\u201d respectively."}]},{"type":"heading","attrs":{"level":2},"content":[{"type":"text","text":"Additional Information"}]},{"type":"bulletList","attrs":[],"content":[{"type":"listItem","content":[{"type":"paragraph","content":[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"link","attrs":{"href":"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Linksys","target":false}}],"text":"Linksys on Wikipedia"}]}]},{"type":"listItem","content":[{"type":"paragraph","content":[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"link","attrs":{"href":"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Linksys_routers","target":false}}],"text":"Linksys routers on Wikipedia"}]}]},{"type":"listItem","content":[{"type":"paragraph","content":[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"link","attrs":{"href":"https:\/\/www.linksys.com\/us\/support\/","target":false}}],"text":"Linksys support page"}]}]},{"type":"listItem","content":[{"type":"paragraph","content":[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"link","attrs":{"href":"https:\/\/www.linksys.com\/us\/support\/sitemap\/","target":false}}],"text":"List of Linksys products on the support website"}]}]},{"type":"listItem","content":[{"type":"paragraph","content":[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"link","attrs":{"href":"https:\/\/www.linksys.com\/us\/support-article?articleNum=135389","target":false}}],"text":"Comparison of Linksys routers on the support website"}]}]}]}]},"contents_rendered":"
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Background and Identification<\/h2><\/div>\n\n

Linksys is an American manufacturer of network hardware including routers, modems, and switches since 1988. At various points, Linksys has been owned by Cisco, Belkin, and Foxconn. The general naming scheme for Linksys routers consists of a few letters to indicate the type of device followed by letters and numbers for each model. You can usually find this model number and other information on a sticker on the bottom or side of the device, as shown in this Linksys support article<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n

Models starting with \u201cE\u201d or \u201cEA\u201d are primarily wireless routers. The earlier EA models feature a dual-band radio<\/a> which allows you to host both a 2.4 GHz network and a 5 GHz network simultaneously. Some later EA models support tri-band technology or MU-MIMO<\/a> to communicate with multiple devices at once. \u201cWRTxxxx\u201d products are another line of Linksys\u2019s wireless routers, with the name WRT used as a shorthand for W<\/strong>ireless R<\/strong>ouT<\/strong>er.<\/p>\n\n

Many of these wireless routers support third-party firmware and open-source software such as the Linux-based DD-WRT<\/a> and OpenWRT<\/a>. You can check compatibility with these projects using their supported devices pages (linked just above) or checking this incomplete list on Wikipedia<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n

Models starting with \u201cWHW,\u201d \u201cVLP,\u201d \u201cMX,\u201c or \u201cMR\u201c are mesh Wi-Fi routers<\/a> that you can use to extend wireless coverage over a larger area than a single router can cover. The WHW, VLP, and MX models are specifically part of Linksys\u2019s Velop brand<\/a> of mesh routers.<\/p>\n\n

Linksys also has non-wireless routers (Ethernet only) which are labelled as \u201cBEFxxxx.\u201d Their combined modem and wireless routers are sold with the model numbers \u201cWAGxxxx.\u201c Other devices like standalone wireless access points<\/a> and wireless range extenders are sold as models beginning with \u201cWAP\u201d and \u201cRE\u201d respectively.<\/p>\n\n

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Additional Information<\/h2><\/div>\n\n