Linksys WRT1900AC V2 Firmware Ver. 2.0.6.166464

[sfx2000]

Thanks for the Info... so the take-away for finding a v2 router on the shelves at the moment...

Look for the S/N - 13J2 might be key, also perhaps RevA01 just above the UPC bar-code...

The V1 is also a great device, so I'm guessing for most folks, either one will be fine...

Linksys rolled Firmware today for both versions of WRT1900ac, along with the WRT1200ac - OpenVPN was the big item, but looks like a number of other fixies...

sfx

 

[sfx2000]

Edit: Just got it setup, its a bit lighter thanks to the smaller heatsink than in the V1. This one comes with a wall wart power supply vs the stand alone the V1 has, I would prefer it was the same since but after moving some things around on my UPS its in there fine. Not much to comment on yet though, so if there are any questions feel free.

Feel free to share - my guess is that the V2 should have similar WiFi performance to what we've seen with the WRT1900ac, which is pretty good - and the WAN/LAN and storage performance of the WRT1200ac that Tim Higgin's mentioned in his review of that box...

Might not be as open as some devices, but sounds like a pretty good feature set, and excellent performance all around...

win-win - I'm starting to think that the Linksys team actually does care, as least with the WRT product line, and it's cool that Belkin let's them do it - we know that Cisco wouldn't have let devices like this fly...

sfx

 

[nagle3092]

Thanks for the Info... so the take-away for finding a v2 router on the shelves at the moment...

Look for the S/N - 13J2 might be key, also perhaps RevA01 just above the UPC bar-code...

The V1 is also a great device, so I'm guessing for most folks, either one will be fine...

Linksys rolled Firmware today for both versions of WRT1900ac, along with the WRT1200ac - OpenVPN was the big item, but looks like a number of other fixies...

sfx

The main reason for me getting it was I wanted to try something other than a broadcom device. I've been using Asus routers since the N66U and after the 87R I felt it was time to give something else a try.

Looking at the update history of the wrt1900ac wasn't comforting with months of nothing released but after the wrt1200ac release and the news of a V2 using the same platform I decided to go for it. Sounds like they might have rushed to market with the V1, developed a better platform and decided to use that for multiple devices. I figure this will have them pumping out updates faster and longer for these devices (why I went for a V2) since it seems like they are nailing the coffin shut on the V1 but its too early to tell. I'm not very familiar with Linksys's history with how well they support multiple device versions so I could be very wrong in this regard.

Kong is developing ddwrt for the V1 though its a solo effort so not sure if that will get off the ground. I never really looked into openwrt so I may check in on that eventually also. Though I am getting to the point were I just want to setup my hardware and let it be vs tinkering endlessly with it.

I was happy with the performance of the V1, just didnt seem to confident in its remaining lifespan. Also since I was told I was going to get a V2 thats kinda of what I expected. Though Linksys did make things right on their end so I was happy how it turned out. I wasnt expecting them to let me keep the V1 until I got a V2 in hand, then not requiring a credit card hold or anything while they shipped another device to me was nice as well.

 

[sm00thpapa]

New firmware as of 18 May 2015. V1 I should of added sorry.

 

[htismaqe]

I'm not sure how you can say that releasing the V2 is shutting the door on the V1. It's an evolutionary step. Minus the fan and plus a tenth of 1Ghz, it IS the V1. It's the same exact platform. If anything, the V2 is evidence that they intend to continue supporting and developing the V1 platform. They've just decided to put in a much cheaper-to-manufacture box.

 

[nagle3092]

I'm not sure how you can say that releasing the V2 is shutting the door on the V1. It's an evolutionary step. Minus the fan and plus a tenth of 1Ghz, it IS the V1. It's the same exact platform. If anything, the V2 is evidence that they intend to continue supporting and developing the V1 platform. They've just decided to put in a much cheaper-to-manufacture box.

Its not the exact same, it has different hardware than the V1. See the snip from Tims article and sfx's post below. Different processor, more ram, native USB3/Sata (no third party controller on the V2) even the 5ghz radios are different. The V2 is the exact same as the wrt1200ac plus the extra 5ghz radio hardware. The only similarities I see between V1 and wrt1200, V2 are the 2.4ghz radio.

So to recap the differences:

Armada XP > Armada 38x - add 100Mhz, minor speed bump
256MB RAM > 512MB RAM - still 16 bit bus
Etron USB3/eSATA > native on Armada 38x
Daughter Board for Radios > single board w/radios

This is a classic cost reduction, and optimization - nice effort, my guess is that with all these changes, they probably dropped 20 bucks off the HW, and that includes adding twice the RAM.

Now if the 1900acV2 maintains the RF performance of the V1, and the network/storage performance of the 1200acV1, then it's a compelling device.

There is no doubt that its cheaper to produce but it also makes the V2 and wrt1200 easier to develop for since they are the same platform. Generally different hardware requires different software and at some point linksys will drop the V1 as it will be more cost effective to just develop for that one platform(V2, wrt1200). Just look at the release notes for the wrt1200 and the V2 firmware, they are exactly the same. The V2 and wrt1200 just got a wireless driver update while the V1 hasnt had one since December.

Like I said though I dont have really any knowledge of how well Linksys keeps up with different hardware versions so I'm just looking at this from my perspective. Granted you could be right in the regard that they will continue to develop for the V1, just for how long though? To me it looks like they are trying to consolidate their WRT platform.

 

[htismaqe]

It's a unified codebase. They'll almost certainly stop making the V1 hardware as it has obviously been superseded. None of the changes you listed suggest that they'll have to significantly change the code. If they did, the V1 and V2 wouldn't be using the exact same firmware. The V1 platform isn't "dead", the physical hardware is just outdated.

 

[sfx2000]

I'm not sure how you can say that releasing the V2 is shutting the door on the V1. It's an evolutionary step. Minus the fan and plus a tenth of 1Ghz, it IS the V1. It's the same exact platform. If anything, the V2 is evidence that they intend to continue supporting and developing the V1 platform. They've just decided to put in a much cheaper-to-manufacture box.

From what I see, Linksys is not shutting the door at all - the lack of updates from Dec 2014 to May 2015 might be directly related to what was happening with the WRT1200acV1/WRT1900acV2 - that they spun up releases for all three main boards - it's a good thing...

The WRT1900v1 was pretty musclebound... the HW is very strong, compared to some of the other the Wave1 AC1900 devices out there - it wasn't just about putting out the best radios, but a sound systems engineering approach to the home gateway overall.

The 1200ac and 1900acV2 is just that much more with a better processor and more RAM.

The SW holds it back a bit, but perhaps OpenWRT, now that Belkin/Linksys and the OpenWRT groups have settled their differences to a degree, and Marvell being a bit more open...

And the factory firmware is getting better...

FWIW - I'm not a Linksys Cheerleader - I just appreciate an elegant and fast design -- Linksys and Marvell did a really nice job on this family...

If it had been Apple, Netgear, D-Link, Asus, or WhoPhlungPoo as a whitebox ODM, I'd appreciate the design the same way...

 

[sfx2000]

Its not the exact same, it has different hardware then the V1. See sfx's post below. Different processor, more ram, native USB3/Sata (no third party controller on the V2) even the 5ghz radios are different. The V2 is the exact same as the wrt1200ac plus the extra 5ghz radio hardware.

That's actually SNB content from the WRT1200ac review, not mine...

This is mine - I made some observations after the 1200ac review was released...

So to recap the differences:

Armada XP > Armada 38x - add 100Mhz, minor speed bump
256MB RAM > 512MB RAM - still 16 bit bus
Etron USB3/eSATA > native on Armada 38x
Daughter Board for Radios > single board w/radios

This is a classic cost reduction, and optimization - nice effort, my guess is that with all these changes, they probably dropped 20 bucks off the HW, and that includes adding twice the RAM.

Now if the 1900acV2 maintains the RF performance of the V1, and the network/storage performance of the 1200acV1, then it's a compelling device.​

 

[nagle3092]

That's actually SNB content from the WRT1200ac review, not mine...

This is mine - I made some observations after the 1200ac review was released...

So to recap the differences:

Armada XP > Armada 38x - add 100Mhz, minor speed bump
256MB RAM > 512MB RAM - still 16 bit bus
Etron USB3/eSATA > native on Armada 38x
Daughter Board for Radios > single board w/radios

This is a classic cost reduction, and optimization - nice effort, my guess is that with all these changes, they probably dropped 20 bucks off the HW, and that includes adding twice the RAM.

Now if the 1900acV2 maintains the RF performance of the V1, and the network/storage performance of the 1200acV1, then it's a compelling device.​

Yeah it was a formatting mistake, I fixed it in my post after. I had yours linked further down and then moved it up. Or I fixed after one of my many edits.

 

[sfx2000]

It's an attribution thing with content, I have much respect for Tim's work - and I appreciate your quoting me

sfx

 

[htismaqe]

I wonder why my previous post is "awaiting moderation"? It's been sitting there invisible for like 3 hours.

Now if the 1900acV2 maintains the RF performance of the V1, and the network/storage performance of the 1200acV1, then it's a compelling device.

Especially if they pass the cost savings on to the customer at some point.

 

[sfx2000]

I wonder why my previous post is "awaiting moderation"? It's been sitting there invisible for like 3 hours..

It's a board plugin... and I've got a few "pending" posts...

Anti-SPAM I guess...

 

[IAAI]

gonna get myself one + qnap HS-251
fanless ftw

 

[NETNewb]

I bought one of the WRT1200AC's and I gotta say... I'm pretty impressed. I have the Intel7260 chips in our laptops 2x2, so the 1200 I thought would be a good match. Super fast, especially on the NAS or USB harddrives. Range is good, the GUI is lacking advanced features, but I don't really need anything more than it has, and they just added VPN support. All in all, pretty good. A little expensive though for sure.

 

[nagle3092]

It's a unified codebase. They'll almost certainly stop making the V1 hardware as it has obviously been superseded. None of the changes you listed suggest that they'll have to significantly change the code. If they did, the V1 and V2 wouldn't be using the exact same firmware. The V1 platform isn't "dead", the physical hardware is just outdated.

Are the hardware drivers solely developed by Marvell? I'm not familiar with it but I was under the impression it was joint development between the two (Linksys & Marvell). If the former is the case then yeah I can see the V1 sticking around for quite some time, at least until Marvell stops development for the hardware. If its the latter then I just dont see them spending the resources on it for to long.

As I said before I'm not familiar with how well Linksys is at supporting multiple revisions of their hardware. Jumping to them was new for me, I believe the last product I owned of their was in 2003. Cant even remember the name of it, Linksys was pretty much the only home networking equipment brand they sold at the PX on Ft Wainwright back then.

Edit: I wonder if quoting your post made mine get the same thing as you. Awaiting moderator approval.

 

[thiggins]

V2's focus is cost reduction. V1 will be gone after stock is exhausted.

 

[IAAI]

V2's focus is cost reduction. V1 will be gone after stock is exhausted.

I wonder how the router going to handle the heat under a stressed environment

 

[nagle3092]

I wonder how the router going to handle the heat under a stressed environment

The V1 would get pretty warm, about as warm as my 87R but so far the V2 has been running very cool. Its hardly warm to the touch.

 

[sfx2000]

The V1 has a fan, but in my experience of beating it up pretty hard, I only had the fan spin up noticeably once... and that was during an deep NMAP scan with all services turned up... which is not a typical use-case...