Linksys put tri-band, 5.3Gbps MU-MIMO into a $399 Wi-Fi router

How fast do you want to go? There are two hot new buzzwords in Wi-Fi router land you should be aware of: tri-band AC5400, and MU-MIMO.

AC5400 (the latest version of 802.11ac Wi-Fi) is a combo of one 2.4Ghz channel and two 5Ghz channels to blast an absurd 5334Mbs over the air. Because some companies are better at rounding than Linksys, it's also referred to as AC5300. Fast either way.

MU-MIMO stands for "Multi-user multiple-input and multiple output." As opposed to boring old MIMO, which has to sneakily take turns between clients, a MU-MIMO router can create full-bandwidth MIMO connections with up to four users at once. So that's fast, too.

Linksys's new EA9500 model includes both of these hot new technologies, and it also has "Seamless Roaming" tech for nice handoffs between multiple routers or extenders — the way good office Wi-Fi is set up. It costs $399.99, which is a lot of dollars. Linksys is also offering a MU-MIMO (but not tri-band) range extender and a MU-MIMO USB adapter, so you can finally MU-MIMO the whole home.

Oh, and check out the back of this EA9500:

Love seeing those Gigabit Ethernet ports.

• SourceLinksys