Linksys WRT1900AC Router

by
in hardware on (#3HS)
story imagePhoronix reports that Linksys is finally shipping its successor to the highly popular WRT54G wifi router. The original spawned a number of open source router projects, including DD-WRT , which partially shares its name. Features of the new model:
  • Wireless-N & AC (2.4 & 5 GHz)
  • 1.2 GHz dual-core ARM processor
  • 128MB of flash memory
  • 256MB of DDR3 RAM
  • 4 exchangeable external antennas
  • 1 gigabit ethernet port + 4 gigabit ethernet switch
  • 1 USB 3.0
  • 1 eSATA/USB 2.0 (somehow sharing the same port)
Although the specifications and commitment to open source are welcome, the retail cost of $250-$280 may turn some away.
Reply 10 comments

ORP1 (Score: 2, Interesting)

by hyper@pipedot.org on 2014-04-11 15:44 (#11X)

Shame that the ORP1 kickstarter failed.

Re: ORP1 (Score: 1)

by guises@pipedot.org on 2014-04-12 04:46 (#123)

That's nice and all, but $400 is pretty nuts. Having just gotten one of these for %60, I don't feel like I've missed out.

Re: ORP1r (Score: 3, Informative)

by hyper@pipedot.org on 2014-04-12 05:31 (#124)

It is the built in encryption on the router they are going for. So your phone and tablet can browse via TOR or through a VPN without each device needing software and config.

My bad. Indigogo project, not Kickstarter. http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/orp1-an-open-router-project

Looking Forward to a Price Decrease (Score: 1)

by songofthepogo@pipedot.org on 2014-04-11 15:48 (#11Y)

I love(ed) my WRT54GL with DD-WRT, and set up a number of family/friends with the same router/firmware combo. It was replaced a while back, due to wanting 802.11n and also due to concerns that the hardware itself was getting quite long in the tooth (I was paranoid of immanent failure), but it's still sitting around the house somewhere, gathering dust, simply because I'd grown attached to it.

The replacement router, while pretty to look at (not necessary, but a nice thing to have when the router sits out in a plainly visible part of the room), is not able to take third-party firmware. Not having DD-WRT has been a hardship. It's so wonderfully tweakable and gives me so much control that I find myself continually frustrated by the limitations of the factory firmware on my current router.

I'm pleased to see the release of the WRT1900AC, but its current pricing scheme is indeed very cost-prohibitive; I'll certainly not be running out to buy one immediately. In time, of course, the price will come down to something I can stomach, but how long that will take may well depend on how popular this router proves to be, and I have a feeling it'll be very popular. I could end up waiting a very long time to get one of these.

Still going strong (Score: 2, Insightful)

by skarjak@pipedot.org on 2014-04-12 02:21 (#121)

After all this time, my WRT54G is still going strong. Guess I'm lucky!

One really has to wonder why they have decided to make its successor so expensive. You'd think that something that cost you around 80$ back then could be made even cheaper now.

But is it stackable? (Score: 1)

by unitron@pipedot.org on 2014-04-12 02:41 (#122)

Doesn't appear to be.

Re: But is it stackable? (Score: 1)

by insulatedkiwi@pipedot.org on 2014-04-14 13:56 (#12G)

Stacking ports is easy, stacking with another 4 radios is another issue entirely.

USB/eSATA (Score: 2, Informative)

by Anonymous Coward on 2014-04-16 04:33 (#132)

>1 eSATA/USB 2.0 (somehow sharing the same port)

"Somehow"? It's not magic. It's a port that fits both plugs.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ESATAp

Neat! (Score: 1)

by nightsky30@pipedot.org on 2014-04-16 12:44 (#13A)

Pastebin I found with some more info:

http://pastebin.com/XaTZJdW9