Linksys WRT160N 2.4 GHz router review, is it worth it?

The Linksys WRT160N (WRT160N) router released in 2007. It is powered by Broadcom BCM4703 @ 266 MHz chipset, 32 MB of RAM and 4 MB of flash. The N300 router is compatible with IEEE 802.11b/g/n standards, and the maximum speed that you can get with WRT160N is 300 Mbps. The router has 1 x 10/100 Mbps WAN and 4 x 10/100 Mbps LAN ports.

The WRT160N is an affordable and reliable router designed for basic networking needs. Linksys products typically adhere to industry-standard networking protocols and standards, ensuring compatibility with other devices and systems.

Table of contents:

• Linksys WRT160N specifications
• Linksys WRT160N pictures

Linksys WRT160N (WRT160N) specifications

Body

The dimensions and design of a router can impact its cooling capabilities. Routers with larger dimensions may have more space for internal cooling mechanisms, such as larger fans or heat sinks, which can help dissipate heat more effectively. If you purchase a router online or have it shipped, the weight may affect the overall cost. Heavier routers can result in higher shipping charges, especially for international deliveries.

System

The Linksys WRT160N router is equipped with Broadcom BCM4703 @ 266 MHz processor. The WRT160N has 32 MB of RAM. Some advanced router features and software functionalities require a certain amount of RAM to operate properly. For example, routers with more RAM can support advanced security features, VPN services, or QoS (Quality of Service) prioritization more effectively. The WRT160N has 4 MB of flash memory. A larger flash memory allows for more storage space to accommodate future firmware upgrades.

The process of upgrading the firmware on routers has become relatively simple and user-friendly over the years. The Linksys provides easy-to-use interfaces and instructions to guide users through the firmware upgrade process. Using a custom OS on a router can offer certain benefits and advantages, but it also comes with potential risks and considerations. Installing custom firmware on theLinksys router voids the manufacturer's warranty and may impact your ability to receive official support. The Linksys WRT160N router comes with 12 V / 1 A PSU. This unit is responsible for providing electrical power to the router, and if it becomes faulty, it can be replaced with a new, compatible one.

Network

The WRT160N router offers built-in security features to protect your network and connected devices. The IPv4 is the fourth iteration of the Internet Protocol (IP) and is the most widely used version of IP on the internet today. The Linksys WRT160N has 4 x 10/100 Mbps LAN and 1 x 10/100 Mbps WAN ports. LAN or Ethernet ports (RJ-45) are used to connect devices to the local area network (LAN). WAN ports often require specific configuration settings based on the type of internet connection provided by your ISP. The WAN port on the WRT160N router is a Fast Ethernet port, not a Gigabit Ethernet. The Fast Ethernet ports are capable of supporting speeds up to 100 Mbps, which is still suitable for most internet connections.

Wireless

This router has 2 x 1.5 dBi, internal antennas. Antennas play a significant role in Wi-Fi performance and coverage. They are essential components of wireless routers that transmit and receive radio signals to establish wireless connections with devices. The WRT160N is compatible with 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi. Many IoT (Internet of Things) devices, smart home devices, and older Wi-Fi-enabled devices primarily operate on the 2.4 GHz band.

The WRT160N is a Wi-Fi 4 (802.11n) router. Wi-Fi 4 improved the range and coverage compared to previous Wi-Fi standards. The use of MIMO technology and other enhancements help to mitigate signal degradation and provide better coverage in larger homes or office environments. This allows devices to maintain a stable connection even when located farther away from the Wi-Fi router. The N300 refers to the maximum combined data transfer rate supported by the router across all Wi-Fi bands.

The WRT160N is capable of a maximum throughput speed of 300 Mbps. The real-world speed of a WRT160N router is typically lower than its theoretical maximum speed. The TX power (17 dBm) of a router refers to the transmission power or signal strength at which the router broadcasts its Wi-Fi signal. It determines the range and coverage area of the wireless network. The WRT160N router offers several security protocols: WEP, WPA, WPA2.

The WEP (Wired Equivalent Privacy) was the first security protocol for Wi-Fi networks but is now considered weak and easily compromised. It uses a static encryption key and has known vulnerabilities, so it is no longer recommended for securing Wi-Fi networks. The WPA2 (Wi-Fi Protected Access 2) was introduced as an improvement over WEP and provides stronger security. If WPA3 is not available, WPA2-Personal with AES encryption is still considered secure.

Connectivity

The WRT160N router doesn't have file-server or print-server functionality.

Administration

The default IP addresses of the Linksys WRT160N device is 192.168.1.1. These address allows you to access the router's console login page. If you are unable to log in to the setup panel of your Linksys router, performing a reset can be a helpful troubleshooting step. It is highly recommended to change the default password of your WRT160N router after the initial setup. If you forget the new password in the future, you may need to perform a factory reset on the router to revert to the default settings.

The specifications above are based on the official data published by the manufacturer, but we also take user reviews into consideration. If you found an error or something lacking in the specifications above for the Linksys WRT160N, then don’t hesite and signal the problem to us.

Linksys WRT160N (WRT160N) pictures

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