Linksys E2500 N600 Dual-Band Wi-Fi Router
The Linksys E2500 is the budget true dual-band router, and the third tier after the E3200 and the top-notch E4200 in the refreshed E seriesof Wireless-N routers that Cisco announced a while back. Compared with the other two, the E2500 lacks Gigabit Ethernet, a USB port, and support for the 450Mbps wireless speed, but it’s also much more affordable at just around $70.
Similar to the other E series models, the E2500 is good-looking and especially easy to use for novice and home users, thanks to the included Cisco Connect software. In our testing, however, the router was comparatively slow, especially on the 2.4GHz band, and offered limited range. For this reason, it’s only good for small spaces, such as a dorm room or an apartment. Those who need a more viable and robust network should spend a little more for a more powerful router, such as the E4200 or the Editors’ Choice Award-winning RT-N56U from Asus.
