Linksys EA8500 as Access Point

Can the Linksys EA8500 be configure as an AP? I know it can be configured in bridge mode, but it comes with a 50% loss of speed.

Thanks all for your help.

TechPup said:

Can the Linksys EA8500 be configure as an AP? I know it can be configured in bridge mode, but it comes with a 50% loss of speed.

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Any router can be configured as an AP if the router doesn't provide the feature directly.
How To Convert a Wireless Router into an Access Point

TechPup said:

Can the Linksys EA8500 be configure as an AP? I know it can be configured in bridge mode, but it comes with a 50% loss of speed.

Thanks all for your help.

Click to expand...

Actually, you dont have to jump through hoops. Set it for wired "bridge mode" and youll be set. This is how I run mine and its not the same as wireless bridge mode, which does cut bandwidth in half.

Thanks. Very helpful.

spinkick said:

Actually, you dont have to jump through hoops. Set it for wired "bridge mode" and youll be set. This is how I run mine and its not the same as wireless bridge mode, which does cut bandwidth in half.

Click to expand...

The EA8500 doesn't work like the old Linksys wireless routers. I've done AP on ASUS, Linksys and Dlinks. Belkin bought Linksys and the EA8500 is clearly Belkin's first attempt at firmware. When you put it in bridge mode, then you split home network into two separate pieces, unless everything you own is wireless only. I have a wired DLNA server and the Wireless bridge mode dumps the devices off to 10.255.x.x and they can't get back to the wired domain 172.169.x.x to watch a movie. So I disabled NAT, and tried RIP. No luck. Then, I thought if I disabled DHCP and let the wired domain handle DHCP, then I'd be OK. But the result was nothing connects to the EA8500 Wireless any more.

At this point, I updated the Firmware, I figured I got the first run crappy load. Nope, same exact garbage on the Ver. 1.1.4.173728 (7/1/2016).

Likewise, the AP mode (using a LAN port) makes the EA8500 completely unreachable, even after reboot. I even tried hard wiring it to the WAN & LAN port and/or setting my laptop's IP within range of the wireless router's IP. The Mgt interface is completely gone, no access. Reset the EA8500 wireless and tried it again, same result.

In summary, if you just want wireless access to the internet, and you're willing to fork out cash for extra backup devices, cloud space to transfer videos and never want link to another device, then the Linksys EA8500 is for you. As for me, sorry Belkin you screwed up! It's going back in the box and right back to Amazon with a nice crappy review.

This shouldn't be. Do you have the EA8500 in Bridge Mode and it's WAN port connected to the upstream router's LAN?