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At its 2014 launch, the Linksys WRT1900AC was an expensive, high-spec tribute to the WRT54G—not simply a modern replacement for it. Its dual-band 802.11ac radios, removable antennas, Gigabit ports and storage connections made it ambitious for its time, while the roughly $300 US price and criticism of its stock firmware made the value harder to justify. In 2026, Linksys has discontinued it; the most compelling reason to consider a used unit is that OpenWrt still supports both hardware revisions.
Why Linksys brought the WRT54G name back
The WRT1900AC’s resemblance to the WRT54G was intentional. Linksys announced it at CES on January 6, 2014, presenting its blue-and-black, stackable design as a return to the WRT line’s heritage, now with 802.11ac wireless. The WRT54G had launched in December 2002, and its role in the early open-router community was part of the appeal: Linksys released its source code in July 2003 after GPL-related community pressure.
That history gave the new router a story as well as a familiar shape. Linksys said customers wanted reliability, functionality and open-source capability alongside current wireless technology. OpenWrt relationship manager Gregers Petersen described the project’s history as beginning with efforts to modify the WRT54G. Linksys also said in 2014 that the original WRT line had sold more than 50 million units worldwide; that is a company-reported figure, not an independent audit.
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Repair common Windows errors and clear accumulated junk for a smoother, more stable PC - no reinstall needed.Free scan · no reinstallThe WRT1900AC therefore traded on a real legacy, but the connection did not make it the same product. It was a newer, more capable router built for a different wireless era—and priced as a premium device.
#1 Best Overall
- 4 High-performance Antennas For Maximum Coverage & Reliability
- 2.4 GHz & 5 GHz Simultaneous Dual Wireless Bands For A Strong, Reliable Wi-Fi Signal That Eliminates Dead Zones Even In Multistory Homes
- Beam forming Technology Allows The Router To Strengthen The Wireless Signal To Specific Devices
- Professional-grade, 1.2 GHz Dual-core Arm CPU
- 4 Gigabit Ethernet Ports Are 10 Times Faster Than Fast Ethernet To Provide The Fastest Wired Speeds
What the WRT1900AC offered for its $299.99 US launch price
Ars Technica reported a planned US price of $299.99. Linksys announced UK availability from April 21, 2014, at £249.99. Those are launch-era prices, not evidence of what a used unit costs today.
For that money, buyers got a substantial specification sheet. Linksys advertised physical-layer rates up to 1.3 Gbps on 5 GHz and 600 Mbps on 2.4 GHz. Those figures describe link rates, not actual internet or file-transfer speeds: real throughput is lower and varies with the wireless environment and connected devices.
Rank #2
- Wireless AC, up to 4.3x faster than N technology: Simultaneous dual band speed up to 600 Mbps (2.4 GHz) + 1300 Mbps (5 GHz) for media intensive applications
- 4 high performance antennas: Engineered to enhance dual band communication, four external, adjustable antennas ensure supreme Wi Fi signal strength in multilevel homes and small offices
- Dual Core 1.6 GHz CPU: Powerful CPU promotes simultaneous high speed data processing allowing multiple users to simultaneously game online, stream movies, and transfer files without lagging
- Share content via an external storage device with ultra fast data transfer speeds. USB 3.0 delivers enhanced performance over USB 2.0; eSATA delivers optimal data transfer speeds from external SATA drives and accommodates USB 2.0
- Users can prioritize devices or websites, gain parental control over content, monitor network activity, turn Wi Fi access on or off and create select password protected guest networks. Network Map offers a visual map of the home network
| Feature | WRT1900AC launch specification |
|---|---|
| Wireless | Simultaneous dual-band 802.11ac; advertised physical rates up to 1.3 Gbps at 5 GHz and 600 Mbps at 2.4 GHz |
| Processor and memory | 1.2 GHz dual-core ARM processor, 256 MB DDR3 RAM and 128 MB flash |
| Antennas | Four removable antennas |
| Wired network | One Gigabit WAN port and four Gigabit LAN ports |
| Storage connections | One USB 3.0 port and one eSATA/USB 2.0 port |
Linksys said the router selected the best three of its four antenna signals for transmission and reception, a diversity approach intended to improve coverage. Its stock software pitch included Smart Wi-Fi, a browser-based Network Map, storage and printer sharing, DLNA and FTP functions, parental controls and dynamic DNS.
Was it overpriced?
Calling the WRT1900AC overpriced is most defensible when discussing its launch value, not denying its hardware. At $299.99 in the US, it cost premium-router money. Ars Technica recorded that planned price, and WIRED characterized the launch as a “$300 reboot.” The hardware was unusually ambitious, but contemporary coverage also criticized the price and said its firmware lacked some features offered by competitors.
Rank #3
- 4 high-performance antennas
- 1.3 GHz dual core processor
- AC1900 wireless speed
- 4 Gigabit Ethernet ports
- .The router will broadcast a wireless signal to your Wi-Fi-enabled devices like gaming consoles, TVs, mobile devices, and printers
The trade-off was between hardware performance and expandability on one side, and price and stock-firmware polish on the other. The advertised wireless rates do not settle that question: they are physical link rates rather than promised real-world throughput. Nor does the WRT54G association establish that every buyer valued the nostalgia enough to pay extra. The strongest case for the price was for enthusiasts who wanted the combination of capable hardware, removable antennas, storage connectivity and a platform associated with open firmware.
How it compares with the WRT54G
The WRT1900AC was a generational leap in wireless capability, not a WRT54G with a new shell. The WRT54G belonged to the 802.11g era; the WRT1900AC added dual-band 802.11ac and Gigabit Ethernet. Its advertised wireless capacity was far beyond the WRT54G’s 54 Mbps-class legacy Wi-Fi, though comparing a physical-layer maximum to a generation label does not predict the speed a particular device will achieve.
Rank #4
- This Certified Refurbished product is manufacturer refurbished, shows limited or no wear, and includes all original accessories plus a 90-day warranty
- Wireless-AC, up to 4.3x faster than N technology: Simultaneous dual-band speed up to 600 Mbps (2.4 GHz) + 1300 Mbps (5 GHz) for media - intensive applications
- 4 high-performance antennas: Engineered to enhance dual-band communication, four external, adjustable antennas ensure supreme Wi-Fi signal strength in multilevel homes and small offices
- Dual Core 1.6 GHz CPU: Powerful CPU promotes simultaneous high-speed data processing allowing multiple users to simultaneously game online, stream movies, and transfer files without lagging
- Share content via an external storage device with ultra-fast data transfer speeds. USB 3.0 delivers enhanced performance over USB 2.0; eSATA delivers optimal data transfer speeds from external SATA drives and accommodates USB 2.0
- Wireless generation: 802.11g-era WRT54G versus dual-band 802.11ac WRT1900AC.
- Expansion: The WRT1900AC added removable antennas, USB and eSATA/USB storage connections, and Gigabit Ethernet.
- Community legacy: The WRT54G helped establish the open-firmware story that Linksys invoked for the new model; the WRT1900AC’s present-day enthusiast case rests more concretely on OpenWrt support.
WRT1900AC v1 versus v2
The hardware revision matters if you are evaluating one secondhand. OpenWrt’s device records list different processor and memory specifications for the two revisions.
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Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →| Revision | CPU | RAM | OpenWrt status |
|---|---|---|---|
| WRT1900AC v1 | 1.3 GHz dual-core | 256 MB | Discontinued hardware; supported through OpenWrt 25.12.5 |
| WRT1900AC v2 | 1.6 GHz dual-core | 512 MB | Discontinued hardware; supported through OpenWrt 25.12.5 |
These revision figures come from OpenWrt’s hardware records and are separate from Linksys’s original launch specification for the WRT1900AC. Check the exact model and revision marking on a unit before buying or choosing firmware; do not assume one revision’s instructions or specifications apply to the other.
Best Value
- This Certified Refurbished product is manufacturer refurbished, shows limited or no wear, and includes all original accessories plus a 90-day warranty
- Four High-Performance Antennas for Maximum Coverage and Reliability - to provide strong, reliable Wi-Fi coverage throughout your home, the WRT1900AC is the first router to feature four external adjustable antennas that ensures your Wi-Fi signal is always at maximum strength.
- Fastest Dual-Core ARM Processor to Surf, Stream, and Game Simultaneously
- Most Advanced Wired Connections - the WRT1900AC is equipped with four Gigabit Ethernet ports - which are 10x faster than Fast Ethernet to provide the fastest wired speeds.
- Advanced Security to Stay Safely Connected - to keep unauthorized users from accessing your data, the WRT1900AC offers Wi-Fi Protected Setup along with WPA2 encryption and an SPI firewall for maximum network security.
Can you still install OpenWrt?
Yes. OpenWrt’s current device pages list both the WRT1900AC v1 and v2 as supported through release 25.12.5, even though they are classified as discontinued hardware. The WRT AC series also has a dual-firmware layout: an alternate partition can remain available as a fallback during upgrades. That is useful insurance for enthusiasts, not a guarantee that flashing is risk-free.
Use the instructions for the exact revision and the current OpenWrt device page before installing or upgrading firmware. Linksys has discontinued the product family, so do not count on current manufacturer support or treat it as a current new-router recommendation.
Is a used WRT1900AC worth buying in 2026?
It may suit a buyer who specifically wants this legacy hardware for an OpenWrt project and can verify the revision and condition. It is a poor fit for someone seeking a supported, current router or an uncomplicated new purchase. Linksys lists the family as discontinued, and used-market prices, stock and condition vary; no reliable current price is established here.
Recommended Free Tools
- Confirm whether the listing is for a WRT1900AC v1 or v2, rather than assuming the name alone identifies its hardware.
- Check the unit’s physical condition and that the included power supply and removable antennas are present.
- Before paying, check OpenWrt’s page for that revision and confirm its listed support and installation guidance meet your needs.
- Weigh the price and condition against the value you place on OpenWrt compatibility and the router’s older wireless generation.
For a current replacement, choose based on present-day requirements and support rather than assuming Linksys’s discontinued model has a direct equivalent; the available evidence does not establish a particular replacement recommendation.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
