Which is better for a large house?

The MR9000 is rated for 3,000 sq ft versus 2,700 for the MR5500, and its third radio can carry backhaul traffic. In a big or multi-floor home, the MR9000's tri-band design usually meshes better.

Is WiFi 6 worth it over the MR9000?

Yes if your phones and laptops support 802.11ax. The MR5500 adds 160 MHz channels, WPA3 and higher throughput, and its recent low of $69.00 was below the MR9000's $74.99 at eBay.

Which has better security?

The MR5500. It supports WPA3 as well as WPA2; the MR9000 lists WPA2 only.

Do both have the same ports?

Yes. Both have one Gigabit WAN port, four Gigabit LAN ports and one USB 3.0 port.

Which is better for gaming and streaming?

The MR5500 on paper, with WiFi 6 and up to 5.4 Gbps combined. The MR9000's dedicated backhaul radio helps if you mesh several nodes.

Is the MR5500 worth the extra money?

At these prices there is little extra to pay. If the MR5500 is near $69 to $75, it is the better buy for most shoppers.

Linksys MR9000 Max-Stream Router vs Linksys Hydra Pro 6 MR5500 Router

Buy the Hydra Pro 6 (MR5500) if you want modern WiFi 6, WPA3 and 160 MHz channels; it is the newer, faster platform. Buy the MR9000 if you need a third radio for backhaul or more wired devices, or if you find it well below the MR5500. On price, the MR9000 was $74.99 at eBay as of November 7, 2026, while the MR5500's recent daily low was $69.00 on October 31, 2026, so the two are close and the MR5500 is often the better value.

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