Belkin N300 Vs Linksys E1200-A Comprehensive router comparison

By installing a router in your home or office, you will be able to get wireless devices such as phones and laptops connected to the internet and you can be sure that your wireless network is secure.

There are some basic wireless connection routines that I am used to whenever I lose wireless connectivity with my router. First I would unplug the router from the power source and then linger around for about five minutes before I plug it back, then I give it some time, let’s say 10 minutes before I retry the connection. Well, the above process has worked with several of the routers, until recently when my router completely lost connection and I had to call support for the umpteenth time.

I am now back to the drawing table and searching for the best router in the market with a good price tag. The Belkin N300 and the Linksys E1200 are high-performance routers; however, we need to find out if they are good units for the long term.

What are the differences between the Belkin N300 and the Linksys E1200

Model	Belkin N300 (Winner)	Linksys E1200
Speeds	24.4mbps Download speeds 16.1mbps Upload speeds	39.64mbps Download speeds 38.49mbps Upload
Data Transfer Rate	150mb per second	54mb per second
Connectivity Technology	Wi-Fi˄Wired	Wireless
Wireless communication standard	802.11n	802.11a/b/g/n, 802.11a/b/g/n
	Check Price Here	Check Price Here

The Belkin N300 vs the Linksys E1200- How do they compare?

Performance

The best way to know if a router is performing to its absolute best is by determining its throughput results, and the routers signal strengths. The Belkin n300 router, therefore, has a theoretical speed of 300mbps at 2.4GHz and offers users a data transfer rate of up to 150mb per second, well this is quite high for a home environment and will definitely work best in a business setting as it enables quick transfer of information between the networking devices.

The Belkin router therefore, offers a good performance at 150mb per second; Linksys E1200 on the other hand has a data transfer rate of 54mb per second, which is considerably low. However, that doesn’t mean that it cannot be used, on the contrary, the router can come in handy in environments that aren’t so busy, for example, it could be used at home or in a home office where there aren’t many bandwidth-intensive applications running.

Still on Performance from the table above we notice that the Belkin N300 utilizes the 802.11n wireless communication standard which as it so happens, offers faster and reliable Wi-Fi connection. The standard is believed to support a maximum theoretical transfer rate of up to 300mbps and can scale up to 450mbps but if your router is using three antennas.

The Linksys E1200 on the other hand has incorporated a couple of channels and frequency bands while n assures users of maximum throughput from their Wi-Fi devices. The above is because n can use multiple frequency bands for the multiple input multiple output; in essence, is that the Linksys E1200 router can efficiently and simultaneously communicate with multiple devices.

So by installing the E1200 in your home, you can be sure that the devices connected to the network will not experience internet signal delays because the network operates at high speeds.

Speeds 

Most high-end routers come equipped with low upload speeds and high download speeds, the reason being, that many people rarely upload files, and even if they do it is not as frequent as compared to downloading. Meaning that less data is used during this process, downloading files, on the other hand, happens more frequently both at home and in the office, the reason for the high download speeds.

Linksys E1200, therefore, offers its users higher download speeds when compared to the Belkin, this then makes Linksys a better performer suitable for a busy environment or where many devices are connected to the network. In terms of the upload and download speeds, the Belkin N300 isn’t the best router for a busy environment.

Design

The major difference between these two routers is their deployment positions, if you look at the structure of the Belkin it is rather easy to position because with the Ethernet wires hanging from the back you can only assume one position and tilt it a little in case you lost your signal. The wireless router comes equipped with a stand at the bottom so you just need to find a flat surface.

The Linksys E1200 is the easiest to deploy if you compare it to the Belkin router, simply because it has a flat structure and all you need to find is a flat exposed surface for faster signal transmission.. Important to note is that of the wireless Belkin routers the N600 and the N300-2 feature the classiest and sophisticated design.

The Belkin N300 vs the Linksys E1200- a Comparison Overview

Belkin N300 Overview

Setting up a new router is both exciting and daunting, worry not though if this is your first time setting up the Belkin N300 because you will only have to go through three easy steps and your router is up and running. The router will provide the devices connected to your network with faster and stronger Wi-Fi signals and the cherry on top is that it offers a longer range.

Even better is that the router does not broadcast the wireless signals to all directions rather it makes every attempt to broadcast the wireless signals to the intended devices thanks to the incorporated multibeam technology.

Pros

• Set up and installation is on the fly
• Incorporated the N technology for enhanced network performance
• The router self heals to help resolve networking issues
• Fairly priced

Cons

• Users complain of technical support
• Not convenient for the long haul

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Linksys E1200 Overview

The Linksys E1200 features the MIMO technology thus provides users with broad wireless coverage, the unit provides users with varied connectivity options via the fast four Ethernet ports that allow direct wired connectivity to computers and other wired networking devices. Additionally, the router has incorporated a customizable security option where you will be able to protect your network with the WPA/WPA2 personal and the SPI firewall.

And if you are thinking of installing this unit in your home then you have been provided with the parental controls that will enable you to filter out the inappropriate websites and you can even put a time limit to the time with which the internet can be accessed.

Pros

• Equipped with advanced wireless security
• Has the guest access option
• Offers up to 300mbps speeds
• Has incorporated the parental control feature

Cons

• Not convenient for the long term
• Problem with customer service

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Conclusion

If you are thinking of investing in either the Belkin N300 or the Linksys E1200 then you have to consider your needs because both units work efficiently though they vary in their functionality features. They both offer high networking speeds at least with regards to the standards set up by the FCC and will provide smooth operations concerning the online engagements and the number of devices connected.

Verdict, so which is the better router? The Belkin N300 or the Linksys E1200

The Belkin N300 is the better router because it offers high upload and download speeds, to simultaneously cater to the bandwidth intensive applications. The router also provides faster data transfer rates at 150mbp per second, thus enables seamless transmission of data with high clarity when online gaming or when streaming videos online.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. How do I reset my Belkin N300 router?

Press on the reset button for five seconds to set it back to factory default

2. How many devices can the Linksys E1200 router handle?

The default setting is 50 user devices but you have the option to increase up to 253