At first glance, the Linksys MR8300 ($179.99) looks like a typical Wi-Fi router, and in many ways it is.
It has external antennas, multiple LAN ports, and a traditional form factor.
However, it also contains Velop mesh technology that lets you build a whole-home Wi-Fi system using Linksys Velop nodes.
While it can be used as an individual unit, you can also hook it up to any Velop node to gain all the benefits of mesh, including seamless roaming, one network SSID and password, and easy management.
It's a solid performer, but it can't match the features and performance that you get with our Editors' Choice mesh system, the TP-Link Deco M9 Plus.
From Router to Mesh System
The MR8300 looks identical to the EA8300 that we reviewed last year.
It measures 2.1 by 8.4 by 6.3 inches (HWD) and has a black, textured finish and four adjustable nonremovable antennas.
The glossy black panel on the top of the router uses a single colored LED to tell you what's going on: Blinking blue means the router is starting up, solid purple means it is ready for setup, blinking purple means setup is in progress, solid blue means it is connected to the internet and ready to go, and red means you've lost your internet connection.
Around back are four gigabit LAN ports, a WAN port, a power port, reset and power buttons, and a USB 3.0 port that oddly is reserved for future use, which means you can't currently connect external peripherals like hard drives and printers.
However, Linksys plans to rectify this in a future firmware update.
The MR8300 is an AC2200 tri-band router capable of speeds of up to 400Mbps on the 2.4GHz and 867Mbps on each of the two 5GHz bands.
It is powered by a quad-core CPU, 512MB of RAM, and 256MB of flash memory, and it supports MU-MIMO simultaneous data streaming, direct-to-client signal beamforming, and Smart Connect (automatic band-steering).
However, you can separate the bands if you prefer.
It uses Linksys Velop mesh technology to allow you to build a Wi-Fi system using any Velop node, but to do so the MR8300 must act as the main (primary) node that connects directly to your modem.
When paired with a Velop AC2200 tri-band node, it provides up to 4,500 square feet of coverage, which matches the Deco M9 Plus.
You can manage the MR8300 using the Linksys mobile app (iOS and Android) or the Linksys Smart Wi-Fi web console, show below.
Both offer many of the same settings, but you'll have to use the web console to separate the Wi-Fi bands.
The mobile app is the same one used to manage the Velop Tri-Band and Plug-In systems and is designed for ease of use.
It opens to a Dashboard screen that displays the name of the network, Internet status, and the number of connected devices.
The Wi-Fi tab takes you to a screen where you can change the name and password, change security settings and Wi-Fi mode, and use the channel finder to scan for the Wi-Fi channel with the least amount of traffic.
Below that are tabs for enabling guest networking and parental controls and assigning device prioritization.
Parental controls allow you to instantly pause internet access, create internet access schedules, and block websites for specific devices, but you don't get the age-specific filters that you get with mesh systems such as the TP-Link Deco M9 Plus and the MR8300's cousin, the Linksys Velop tri-band Wi-Fi system with Linksys Shield (Shield is only available for tri-band Velop systems and does not work with the MR8300).
Also missing are the anti-malware tools that are part of the AIProtection software that comes with most Asus routers including the RT-AC66U B1 and the RT-AX88U.
The Device Prioritization feature lets you assign bandwidth priority for up to three devices, but you can't set your own thresholds or assign priority based on application.
Other menu items include Speed Check, the Ookla-powered utility that measures internet upload and download speeds, and Notifications that tell you when a node goes offline.
You can also access Router Administration settings to set the time zone, update firmware, and restart the router, and Advanced settings such as Port Forwarding, Port Triggering, MAC filtering, and DNS settings.
Installation and Performance
I had the MR8300 up and running in no time.
I downloaded the app, plugged the router in to my modem, and powered it up.
Within a few seconds, the LED glowed purple, indicating that the router was ready for setup.
I tapped Setup New Device and the app found the router immediately, at which point the LED began blinking purple.
I tapped Next, created an account, and waited several seconds for the app to link the router to my account.
I then gave the network a name and password and waited another 20 seconds for the app to configure my network.
I named the router (Office) and was prompted to add satellite nodes.
I plugged in a Velop AC2200 tri-band node, waited about 60 seconds for the LED to turn from blinking blue to solid purple, tapped Next, and the node was immediately found.
I tapped Next again and waited several minutes for the node to be added to my network.
The app informed me that the node was placed in a good spot, so I gave it a name (Living Room) and setup was complete.
I tested the MR8300 as a primary mesh router using automatic band-steering, which always selected the faster 5GHz band.
On our close-proximity (same-room) test, it managed 450Mbps, beating the Linksys Velop Plug-In router but not the D-Link Covr Dual-Band and the TP-Link Deco M9 Plus routers.
At a distance of 30 feet, the MR8300 scored an impressive 246Mbps, besting the TP-Link Deco M9 Plus by 16Mbps and outperforming the D-Link Covr and the Linksys Velop routers by a significant margin.
See How We Test Wireless Routers
With a score of 380Mbps, the Velop satellite node connected to the MR8300 came in just behind the TP-Link Deco M9 Plus satellite and beat the D-Link Covr node by 95Mbps and the Linksys Velop Plug-In node by 248Mbps.
Similarly, its score of 277Mbps on the 30-foot test couldn't quite catch the TP-Link Deco M9 Plus but was faster than the D-Link COVR and the Linksys Velop Plug-In nodes.
Mesh for Beginners
If you're not ready to jump into a mesh network just yet, but plan on growing your home network over time, the Linksys MR8300 is a smart choice.
It doesn't offer the sleek aesthetics that you get with most mesh routers, but it's a fast performer, and setup is quick and easy.
Although the MR8300 uses Linksys Velop mesh technology, it doesn't offer the Linksys Shield parental controls that you get with the Velop Wi-Fi system, and it lacks malware protection.
For about $80 less than what you'd pay for the MR8300 ($179.99) and a Velop AC2200 node ($199.99), the TP-Link Deco M9 Plus offers equivalent Wi-Fi coverage, comes with robust parental controls and anti-malware tools, and is a top performer.
It also contains Zigbee circuitry that allows it to control home automation devices, and remains our Editors' Choice for mesh Wi-Fi systems.
The Linksys MR8300 is a tri-band Wi-Fi router that, when paired with a Velop node, can also form a mesh network.
It's a solid performer, but lacks some key features including malware protection and robust parental controls.
At first glance, the Linksys MR8300 ($179.99) looks like a typical Wi-Fi router, and in many ways it is.
It has external antennas, multiple LAN ports, and a traditional form factor.
However, it also contains Velop mesh technology that lets you build a whole-home Wi-Fi system using Linksys Velop nodes.
While it can be used as an individual unit, you can also hook it up to any Velop node to gain all the benefits of mesh, including seamless roaming, one network SSID and password, and easy management.
It's a solid performer, but it can't match the features and performance that you get with our Editors' Choice mesh system, the TP-Link Deco M9 Plus.
From Router to Mesh System
The MR8300 looks identical to the EA8300 that we reviewed last year.
It measures 2.1 by 8.4 by 6.3 inches (HWD) and has a black, textured finish and four adjustable nonremovable antennas.
The glossy black panel on the top of the router uses a single colored LED to tell you what's going on: Blinking blue means the router is starting up, solid purple means it is ready for setup, blinking purple means setup is in progress, solid blue means it is connected to the internet and ready to go, and red means you've lost your internet connection.
Around back are four gigabit LAN ports, a WAN port, a power port, reset and power buttons, and a USB 3.0 port that oddly is reserved for future use, which means you can't currently connect external peripherals like hard drives and printers.
However, Linksys plans to rectify this in a future firmware update.
The MR8300 is an AC2200 tri-band router capable of speeds of up to 400Mbps on the 2.4GHz and 867Mbps on each of the two 5GHz bands.
It is powered by a quad-core CPU, 512MB of RAM, and 256MB of flash memory, and it supports MU-MIMO simultaneous data streaming, direct-to-client signal beamforming, and Smart Connect (automatic band-steering).
However, you can separate the bands if you prefer.
It uses Linksys Velop mesh technology to allow you to build a Wi-Fi system using any Velop node, but to do so the MR8300 must act as the main (primary) node that connects directly to your modem.
When paired with a Velop AC2200 tri-band node, it provides up to 4,500 square feet of coverage, which matches the Deco M9 Plus.
You can manage the MR8300 using the Linksys mobile app (iOS and Android) or the Linksys Smart Wi-Fi web console, show below.
Both offer many of the same settings, but you'll have to use the web console to separate the Wi-Fi bands.
The mobile app is the same one used to manage the Velop Tri-Band and Plug-In systems and is designed for ease of use.
It opens to a Dashboard screen that displays the name of the network, Internet status, and the number of connected devices.
The Wi-Fi tab takes you to a screen where you can change the name and password, change security settings and Wi-Fi mode, and use the channel finder to scan for the Wi-Fi channel with the least amount of traffic.
Below that are tabs for enabling guest networking and parental controls and assigning device prioritization.
Parental controls allow you to instantly pause internet access, create internet access schedules, and block websites for specific devices, but you don't get the age-specific filters that you get with mesh systems such as the TP-Link Deco M9 Plus and the MR8300's cousin, the Linksys Velop tri-band Wi-Fi system with Linksys Shield (Shield is only available for tri-band Velop systems and does not work with the MR8300).
Also missing are the anti-malware tools that are part of the AIProtection software that comes with most Asus routers including the RT-AC66U B1 and the RT-AX88U.
The Device Prioritization feature lets you assign bandwidth priority for up to three devices, but you can't set your own thresholds or assign priority based on application.
Other menu items include Speed Check, the Ookla-powered utility that measures internet upload and download speeds, and Notifications that tell you when a node goes offline.
You can also access Router Administration settings to set the time zone, update firmware, and restart the router, and Advanced settings such as Port Forwarding, Port Triggering, MAC filtering, and DNS settings.
Installation and Performance
I had the MR8300 up and running in no time.
I downloaded the app, plugged the router in to my modem, and powered it up.
Within a few seconds, the LED glowed purple, indicating that the router was ready for setup.
I tapped Setup New Device and the app found the router immediately, at which point the LED began blinking purple.
I tapped Next, created an account, and waited several seconds for the app to link the router to my account.
I then gave the network a name and password and waited another 20 seconds for the app to configure my network.
I named the router (Office) and was prompted to add satellite nodes.
I plugged in a Velop AC2200 tri-band node, waited about 60 seconds for the LED to turn from blinking blue to solid purple, tapped Next, and the node was immediately found.
I tapped Next again and waited several minutes for the node to be added to my network.
The app informed me that the node was placed in a good spot, so I gave it a name (Living Room) and setup was complete.
I tested the MR8300 as a primary mesh router using automatic band-steering, which always selected the faster 5GHz band.
On our close-proximity (same-room) test, it managed 450Mbps, beating the Linksys Velop Plug-In router but not the D-Link Covr Dual-Band and the TP-Link Deco M9 Plus routers.
At a distance of 30 feet, the MR8300 scored an impressive 246Mbps, besting the TP-Link Deco M9 Plus by 16Mbps and outperforming the D-Link Covr and the Linksys Velop routers by a significant margin.
See How We Test Wireless Routers
With a score of 380Mbps, the Velop satellite node connected to the MR8300 came in just behind the TP-Link Deco M9 Plus satellite and beat the D-Link Covr node by 95Mbps and the Linksys Velop Plug-In node by 248Mbps.
Similarly, its score of 277Mbps on the 30-foot test couldn't quite catch the TP-Link Deco M9 Plus but was faster than the D-Link COVR and the Linksys Velop Plug-In nodes.
Mesh for Beginners
If you're not ready to jump into a mesh network just yet, but plan on growing your home network over time, the Linksys MR8300 is a smart choice.
It doesn't offer the sleek aesthetics that you get with most mesh routers, but it's a fast performer, and setup is quick and easy.
Although the MR8300 uses Linksys Velop mesh technology, it doesn't offer the Linksys Shield parental controls that you get with the Velop Wi-Fi system, and it lacks malware protection.
For about $80 less than what you'd pay for the MR8300 ($179.99) and a Velop AC2200 node ($199.99), the TP-Link Deco M9 Plus offers equivalent Wi-Fi coverage, comes with robust parental controls and anti-malware tools, and is a top performer.
It also contains Zigbee circuitry that allows it to control home automation devices, and remains our Editors' Choice for mesh Wi-Fi systems.
