Linksys announces WRT160NL Linux-powered media sharing router

Do you have some media to share with yourself (or with those in close vicinity)? The Linksys Wireless N Storage Router is a sleek and sexy refresh of the tried and true Wireless G, throwing in external R-SMA antenna connectors, USB connectivity (for your fave external drive) and an integrated media server. This bad boy can stream to PCs or UPnP AV digital media adapters, and it supports FAT16, FAT32, and NTFS file systems in both read and write mode. Available now for $109.99.

[Dustin Hess @ Jun 23rd 2009 1:30PM]

this is old news, it has been available for months

[Danny P @ Jun 23rd 2009 1:54PM]

Yea it must be a slow day. My brother installed this thing @ my moms house like 3 months ago

[iofthestorm @ Jun 23rd 2009 6:25PM]

I think the Linux part is what's new, previously the only version available was using Vxworks.

[tom @ Jun 23rd 2009 1:33PM]

Thank you thank you thank you!

Finally, a Linux based N router.

[kjb434 @ Jun 23rd 2009 2:40PM]

Pretty much all of Linksys router products us a form a Linux to operate.

[tom @ Jun 23rd 2009 2:44PM]

Most of Linksys router are using Vxworks OS to save Rom and Ram size, to cut production cost. Where were you?

[heffeque @ Jun 23rd 2009 7:41PM]

Actually... no, most current Linksys routers are with Linux and all of them are Wifi-N. And yes, there are tons of Linux based routers that support Wifi-N. Just go to DD-WRT and go to the supported hardware list and you'll find a ton of Wifi-N routers that are supported.

[kingu @ Jun 24th 2009 6:30AM]

Asus WL-500W is a wireless N router that comes with linux preinstalled. (I assume thats what he meant)

[Gilberto @ Jun 23rd 2009 1:37PM]

How about an integrated modem?

[john @ Jun 23rd 2009 1:38PM]

can this run an nzb client?

[Taylor. Yes, Taylor. @ Jun 23rd 2009 1:39PM]

Haha, I didn't even know it was special! I bought that very one last week! Got it for $81 on newegg, they were having a promo! :)
Haven't done much with it yet, but it seems nice.
-Taylor

[Wwhat @ Jun 23rd 2009 9:40PM]

So are you sure it's the L version?
-Taylor (not)

[Haggisns @ Jun 23rd 2009 1:44PM]

It has one USB port. Would you be able to add a USB hub to it and add multiple hard drives?

[bluefish @ Jun 23rd 2009 1:46PM]

Are you serious? This is a story? I bought this thing in early MAY. It's so old that its selling for a big discount already:

http://bountii.com/product-3332-linksys-wrt160nl-wireless-n-router.html

[linuxrc5 @ Jun 23rd 2009 1:50PM]

Funny how a Linux-based device only supports Microsoft filesystems.

[slyd3z @ Jun 23rd 2009 1:52PM]

Exactamundo! Any word on EXT3/4, ReiserFS, JFS, etc.?

[Beastage @ Jun 23rd 2009 3:49PM]

I seriously dont see anyone who will use ext3/4/etc on external USB storage.

Would be pretty pointless for Linksys to include the needed libraries and drivers for it.

[iofthestorm @ Jun 23rd 2009 6:54PM]

Well, FAT is probably good enough. Funny though, DD-WRT only supports FAT and ext2, so I guess if you want ext2 you can put on DD-WRT. In fact, you might as well put on DD-WRT.

[heffeque @ Jun 23rd 2009 7:43PM]

dd-wrt doesn't support this version of the router yet. It only supports 160N v1 and v1.1, and there's work in process for v2, but 160NL isn't supported yet.

[Shenanigans @ Jun 23rd 2009 1:51PM]

Sounds exactly like something I am looking for when I move out in the fall. It'll even match (glossy black with blue lights) the external HD I have. I was looking for a N router and something to make my external network accessable. This does both!

Does it keep the HD running even if the data is not accessed? I'd hate to have an external running 24/7.

[Mike @ Jun 23rd 2009 1:54PM]

Add a gigabit switch and eSATA connectivity and I'm all over it.

[Mace Moneta @ Jun 23rd 2009 1:59PM]

An N router without gigabit interfaces and jumbo frame support is just silly. That's probably why this thing has been on sale deeply discounted already.

[canabal @ Jun 23rd 2009 2:24PM]

Agreed, that is the only thing stopping me from picking this up right now.

[heffeque @ Jun 23rd 2009 7:44PM]

There are routers that do that, but are more expensive. The WRT160 line is the cheapo line so don't expect much.

[Eric Warnke @ Jun 23rd 2009 2:10PM]

http://ubnt.com/products/rspro.php

Gig-e switch, 600+Mhz CPU, 128mb ram, 3 mini-pci slots for whatever wifi cards you need, USB, PoE, and more for $80.

[Blacksheep @ Jun 23rd 2009 2:16PM]

Those of you that have this, do you like it better than Linksys' current antennaless offerings? I have been using an old Linksys Wireless G Router for years due to its stability, but I've been hesitant to upgrade to any N router as I always fine tons of negative reviews on all but the most expensive. And the antennaless current Linksys models not only have drop horror stories, but overheating horror stories as well. Curious if they got it right this time?

[jay jay @ Jun 23rd 2009 2:27PM]

"it supports FAT16, FAT32, and NTFS file systems in both read and write mode"

this thing is linux powered yet it doesn't support ext2,ext3,or ext4?

[Brex @ Jun 23rd 2009 2:33PM]

I think I'm missing something here. Why don't these routers have multiple USB ports to manage HDs and printers?

[domoPod @ Jun 23rd 2009 3:12PM]

just throw in a usb hub, install dd-wrt, optware, samba and ur all set.

[eric42 @ Jun 23rd 2009 3:15PM]

That thing looks way too much like the Knight Industries Two Thousand. If it only had a red light moving menacingly back and forth it would be perfect.

[Major4Play @ Jun 23rd 2009 3:47PM]

Surely you "experts" know that nearly every router availble runs linux right ?

[Bimmer_Lover @ Jun 23rd 2009 4:40PM]

I bought this router from newegg.com for $79. The sale ends in a week. It works great.

[majortom1981 @ Jun 23rd 2009 4:22PM]

You can get the wrt610n for $139 at newegg right now. Much better. Has all gigabit ports , 802.11n uses both frequencies at the same time

IT also supports dd-wrt. EKO just got one in his hands and is working right now to fix the dd-wrt bugs on this model.

So i would just spend the extra money and get something like the wrt610n.

PS also has the usb port for hdd storage and has an vailable firmware from trendmicro to do virus scan from the router (if you rather use this then dd-wrt).

[rajesh @ Jun 23rd 2009 7:07PM]

are they out of new design ideas?

[ideaz @ Jun 23rd 2009 7:10PM]

I have a G that looks the same

[m2h @ Jun 23rd 2009 7:38PM]

So it runs Linux, but requires M$ filesystems. Lame.

[Wwhat @ Jun 23rd 2009 9:41PM]

So if they only now release the L versions of the 160, I guess it'll be 2 more years before we see the WRT320n go L eh? :/

[JohnTech @ Jun 23rd 2009 11:15PM]

Seriously?? Come on. I just bought my WRT54GL and now I'm going to HAVE to buy this.

[Boyo @ Jun 24th 2009 2:29AM]

10/100 ?? Media router FAIL!

[teststrips @ Jun 24th 2009 8:48AM]

10/100 = fail

agree