Linksys EA7500 vs. Netgear R7000 – the battle of range and speed
There are plenty of routers you can get in order to keep your home or office online, but you cannot just buy the first model you see just because it looks promising. You need to do plenty of research into it before making that purchase, like in our review of the Linksys EA7500 and Netgear R7000.
The search for routers reveals plenty of brands, though you may have noticed two prominent ones in the market: Netgear and Linksys. While our observations of the EA9500 and R7000 reveal the sharing of many attributes, the results they offer you are very different.
Both the Linksys EA7500 and Netgear R7000 are AC routers, which mean they support the 802.11ac network connection standard (though with some deviations). Both of them are AC1900 routers, meaning that their theoretical speeds are 1900 Mbps each – with the 2.4GHz band supporting speeds of 600 Mbps, and the 5GHz band supporting speeds of 1300 Mbps. They are both dual-band, which denotes that they have a 2.4GHz and 5GHz radio band to handle different devices and increase connection efficiency.
At the end of the day though, why should you choose one over the other? What makes any of them appealing to your needs?
Table of Contents
What are the differences between the Linksys EA9500 and Netgear R7000?
Linksys EA7500 (Winner) |
Netgear R7000 |
|
Peak throughput speed (average) |
97.3 Mbps |
444.8 Mbps |
Dimensions (inches) |
2.2 x 10.1 x 7.2 (the smaller option) |
2.2 x 11.2 x 7.3 (bulkier choice) |
Download speeds |
50 Mbps |
90 Mbps |
Upload speeds |
10 Mbps |
20 Mbps |
Wi-Fi connectivity technology |
802.11ac |
802.11ac/n/g/b/a |
Linksys EA7500 vs. Netgear R7000 – How they compare
Features and appearance
Looking at the Linksys EA7500, you notice that it has a dual band setup, and uses an 11.4GHz Qualcomm dual core processor as the source of power, as well as three detachable antennas to help in streaming of data. You can use it in an AP (Access Point), bridge, or router modes.
Its appearance is quite identical to earlier Linksys routers, coming in a black finish and backlit logo that goes on when the router connects to the internet. It measures 2.2 x 10.1 x 7.2 inches, and will include a USB 2.0 port, a USB 3.0 port, an Internet (WAN) port, and four Gigabit Ethernet ports.
On the other hand, the Netgear R7000 is mid-size, measuring slightly larger than the Linksys EA9500. It measures 11.2 x 7.3 x 2 inches. In order to optimize the Wi-Fi signals, it has 3 fin-like antennas, all detachable, at its rear. You can aim these antennas to get the best signal, or replace them with third-party options. If you want to mount it, there is a disadvantage – its in-wall adapter is large and it can be tricky trying to fit it in a small space.
Mechanism of setup
The app controlling the Linksys EA7500 main screen will have a list of tools and widgets, all covering the most common settings you will need. These include parental controls, network maps, speed tests, media prioritization, and guest access settings. Aside from these, there are also wireless settings that deal with security modes and troubleshooting.
Its installation, overall, is quite easy. To do so, you will go to your browser and type in linksyssmartwifi.com, which will land you on the Welcome page. You can then configure the router through the setup utility, or do it manually by skipping the setup.
In the case of the Netgear R7000, you will have the mechanism of setup ready from the onset – the package includes a startup booklet, an AC adapter, and a network cable. You will have to download the software and manual though.
Fortunately, setting it up is easy. After you plug it in and type its IP address, the Genie software will take over and set up the system for you, then give you a summary of all the passwords and settings you need. You can also change the passcodes and network names from the default ones you will get in the package.
Performance and throughput
The Linksys EA7500 delivers plenty of good results, making it viable if you are a heavy bandwidth user. The score in close proximity is 97.3 Mbps, making it faster than a whole range of budget routers. In the 5GHz throughput test, it still ranks highly. In fact, the total score is up to 495 Mbps in close proximity of 5 feet, and 298 Mbps at a distance of 30 feet.
Our tests on the MU-MIMO feature revealed an average speed of 176 Mbps at a distance of 5 feet, while the 30-foot performance drops very slightly to 81.2 Mbps. Its file transfer performance is 66.7 Mbps, but its write speed is the main disappointment, as it can have middling speeds going to a maximum of only 35.8 Mbps.
The Netgear R7000 uses a 1GHz processor, and comes with 128 MB of storage space and 256 MB of RAM. The structure allows it to work with three lanes of data flow. When we tested its transmission power, the result was a combined bandwidth of 444.8 Mbps at 5 feet.
In its 5GHz mode, it cab nice a maximum of 353 Mbps at 5 feet, and 252 Mbps at 140 feet, while the 2.4GHz band has a throughput of 91 Mbps. Note this is only applicable to newer homes, as older homes lose a lot of contact with the network.
Linksys EA7500 vs. Netgear R7000 – A comparison review
Linksys EA7500 – Overview
- Provides up to 1,500 square feet of Wi-Fi coverage for 15plus wireless devices
- Works with existing modem, simple setup through Linksys App
This router will give you the twin benefits of MU-MIMO performance and speedy dual-band connectivity, all while offering plenty of management settings and a solid choice of ports.
The Linksys EA7500 represents the attempt by the company to provide routers that have MU-MIMO capability, and it can serve multiple clients at the same timewithout sacrificing the quality of the bandwidth connection. However, it is important to note that the clients using the network need to have a network adapter that can use MU-MIMO technology, so that they can experience the increase in throughput.
With that said, the Linksys EA9500 has plenty of management settings and I/O ports, and delivers a good throughput stream in all our tests. This makes it among the top picks when you are selecting a mid-range router.
Pros
- Very fast throughput in the testing process
- Includes MU-MIMO in the features
- Plenty of management options
- Good selection of ports
Cons
- Mixed performance of file transfers
- Quite expensive
Netgear R7000 – Overview
- Fast wifi performance: Get up to 1800 square feet wireless coverage with AC1900 speed (Dual band up to...
- Recommended for up to 30 devices: Reliably stream videos, play games, surf the internet, and connect...
While the Netgear R7000 has the best attributes of excellent 5GHz speed and the very-handy Netgear Genie software, it struggles to attain the best range. The Netgear R7000 also has plenty of LED lights, in contrast to the Linksys EA9500 that only uses the main logo as the light indicator.
In the R7000, there are also lights to show you whether the Wi-Fi transmission is on, or whether the Ethernet ports are active. It lacks a physical switch at its back to turn off the LEDs though, but you can do it from the software.
One major plus we give this router is its ability to work with all encryption techniques, ranging from WPA2 and WPA types, to SPI (Stateful Packet Inspection) and NAT (Network Address Translation).
Pros
- It has every good combined throughput rating
- The firmware is open-source
- Detachable antennas
- Very affordable
- Genie software helps in easier setup
Cons
- The range is disappointing
- In-wall AC adapter is very large
Verdict: So what is better? The Linksys EA7500 or the Netgear R7000?
If you want a good mid-range router that can bring 802.11ac technology to your home, then the Linksys EA7500 is your best choice. As long as you can get past the expensive pricing, it proves to be a router that has plenty of value for money, such as the throughput performance, and very easy setup due to the Genie app.
FAQs
Can I use VPN when using the Linksys EA9500?
The EA9500 does not have a VPN feature, so it will not support VPN connection.
Does the Netgear R7000 include a firewall?
Not really, as all Netgear consumer routers like the R7000 will only include a service blocking web UI control.
