Wi-Fi System Roundup

[thiggins]

We finally have our new Wi-Fi System test process up and running and ran the latest products from NETGEAR, TP-Link and eero through it.

Read on SmallNetBuilder

 

[sm00thpapa]

And I was just about to spring for the Deco 5. Guess I'm not now. Thanks Tim.

 

[pete y testing]

hi tim

i assume the rbk50 system that wasnt tested would be at the top of that list , do you not have the rbk50 anymore or why did you choose to leave it out , its not really evedent as to why from the review

 

[tannebil]

Thanks Tim. A good cut at a complex problem.

 

[thiggins]

hi tim

i assume the rbk50 system that wasnt tested would be at the top of that list , do you not have the rbk50 anymore or why did you choose to leave it out , its not really evedent as to why from the review

The review explained it was focusing on new products and retested only GWiFi due to its market share. I will be retesting some of the previously tested products, but not all.
The original Orbi isn't a real priority, since I'm pretty sure it will still end up at the top of the ranking. But it will be retested eventually.

 

[thiggins]

And I was just about to spring for the Deco 5. Guess I'm not now. Thanks Tim.

Why were you considering the Deco, considering all the products available?

 

[sm00thpapa]

Why were you considering the Deco, considering all the products available?

Price per 3 nodes just to tinker with.

 

[murdock57]

Hi Tim,

Very cool to see this new system. Will you be including Amplifi products in the retests as well? I'm sure you are aware of some additional functionality they added with being able to mesh two "cubes" together wirelessly as well as wired backhaul. Would love to see if UBNT's frequent updates have made any sort of performance impact since you last tested too.

 

[thiggins]

Very cool to see this new system. Will you be including Amplifi products in the retests as well? I'm sure you are aware of some additional functionality they added with being able to mesh two "cubes" together wirelessly as well as wired backhaul. Would love to see if UBNT's frequent updates have made any sort of performance impact since you last tested too.

Sorry, but I don't plan on reviewing Amplifi.

 

[Kyne]

Hi Tim,

Very cool to see this new system. Will you be including Amplifi products in the retests as well? I'm sure you are aware of some additional functionality they added with being able to mesh two "cubes" together wirelessly as well as wired backhaul. Would love to see if UBNT's frequent updates have made any sort of performance impact since you last tested too.

I would love to see the Amplify HD included back in a retest as well... I have found that the system has grown by leaps and bounds, with Ubiquity really pulling out all the stops in their firmware upgrades (from performance to routing, QoS, native IPv6 and on). To me, the HD system has also been much more device friendly than the Orbi which a number of devices still have issues with....

In any case, great test, thank you!

 

[brossyg]

OK ... so how to evaluate the benefits of a mesh system replacing a standard router with two hard-wired A/Ps in a large house? I know if it ain't broke... but I am not sure if the mesh category is better than my existing system.

Right now, I have a large house with an ASUS RT-AC88U in the center as the router and at each end of the house I have an RT-AC68U acting as A/Ps. All SSIDs are the same.

It works perfectly with no noticeable weak areas and no hand-off issues.

Is a mesh system better than that?

Thx.

 

[pete y testing]

OK ... so how to evaluate the benefits of a mesh system replacing a standard router with two hard-wired A/Ps in a large house? I know if it ain't broke... but I am not sure if the mesh category is better than my existing system.

its not , mesh / dw are not a replacement for the standard router / ap setup where structured ethernet is in place

mesh / dw is an improvement on what a single big honking router can achieve wifi coverage wise

Right now, I have a large house with an ASUS RT-AC88U in the center as the router and at each end of the house I have an RT-AC68U acting as A/Ps. All SSIDs are the same.

then you gain nothing even thinking of moving from this setup to the mesh/dw systems even though they claim to have band and ap steering because in the end at this stage the client device decides when it wants to roam and will do the same in your case anyway

It works perfectly with no noticeable weak areas and no hand-off issues.

Is a mesh system better than that?

nope

----------------------------

again these mesh / dw systems arnt really meant for places that have structured ethernet cabling in place and tbh its a waste of money buying one if you already have a working solution in place as you have

you can really class these mesh/dw systems along side the likes of powerline adapters and or extenders / repeaters with fast lane

mesh/dw is a compromise as all the above are as nothing now or ever will beat ethernet , and if you buy these having ethernet in place you are wasting money on a rather expensive solution that could and can be achieved cheaper doing what you are already doing

 

[WiFiNemesis]

Hello Tim,

Thanks for this review; I've long benefited from your efforts, and I appreciate your work.

I too was hoping you'd take a new look at the current Amplifi HD product. It's come up a few times at an interesting Amazon comment thread about the new ASUS Lyra (https://tinyurl.com/y7r6nz3b evaluation), which I very much hope is also on your review agenda. The fellow who started the thread seems to know what he's talking about, and also noted a few things about your Orbi evaluation that you might find interesting.

Finally, just curious as to why Amplifi is not a player in your view.

Thanks again.

 

[StephenBB81]

I'll be moving into a new home in September 3 stories, 2500sqft or so, I was very much thinking I'd go Mesh, but after reading this "show down" and the response to Brossyg I'm thinking I need to run ethernet and just get myself a good router and get some ap's for it.

 

[pete y testing]

I'm thinking I need to run ethernet and just get myself a good router and get some ap's for it.

if you can run ethernet it always has been and always be the best course of action

see tims post from quite a few years back

https://www.smallnetbuilder.com/bas...best-way-to-get-whole-house-wireless-coverage

and my own below

Extending your LAN / WLAN
https://forums.whirlpool.net.au/forum-replies.cfm?t=1802277

 

[mokodi]

Tim great work on the thorough testing but I think allowing the systems to utilize 40 MHz on the 2.4 ghz band might make the results unrealistic in real world usage.

I know you touched on it in the review and we see it quite clearly in the graphs for 2.4 especially compared to google WiFi but doesn’t it impact the other test results as well? These Eero and tplink systems look like they’re using 2.4ghz at 40mhz for the back haul and google WiFi isn’t. This puts google at a disadvantage which may not be true in real world usage where 40mhz can’t be used.

 

[thiggins]

OK ... so how to evaluate the benefits of a mesh system replacing a standard router with two hard-wired A/Ps in a large house? I know if it ain't broke... but I am not sure if the mesh category is better than my existing system.

Right now, I have a large house with an ASUS RT-AC88U in the center as the router and at each end of the house I have an RT-AC68U acting as A/Ps. All SSIDs are the same.

It works perfectly with no noticeable weak areas and no hand-off issues.

Is a mesh system better than that?

No. APs connected via Ethernet will always outperform mesh or router/extender systems, as long as the APs are equivalent, i.e. 2x2 AC. No Wi-Fi technology can deliver solid 1000 Mbps (closer to 940 with TCP/IP overhead) bandwidth at 100m.

 

[thiggins]

Tim great work on the thorough testing but I think allowing the systems to utilize 40 MHz on the 2.4 ghz band might make the results unrealistic in real world usage.

I know you touched on it in the review and we see it quite clearly in the graphs for 2.4 especially compared to google WiFi but doesn’t it impact the other test results as well? These Eero and tplink systems look like they’re using 2.4ghz at 40mhz for the back haul and google WiFi isn’t. This puts google at a disadvantage which may not be true in real world usage where 40mhz can’t be used.

Depends on how much a product is using 2.4 GHz for backhaul. But yes, 40 MHz bandwidth would be used for backhaul, too, which should result in higher numbers.

 

[thiggins]

I too was hoping you'd take a new look at the current Amplifi HD product. It's come up a few times at an interesting Amazon comment thread about the new ASUS Lyra (https://tinyurl.com/y7r6nz3b evaluation), which I very much hope is also on your review agenda. The fellow who started the thread seems to know what he's talking about, and also noted a few things about your Orbi evaluation that you might find interesting.

Finally, just curious as to why Amplifi is not a player in your view.

Thanks for the link. I will follow up with NETGEAR.

I checked with each manufacturer before the review to specifically ask about 11vkr support. The review reflects the answers I received.

Firmware version tested is found in the Finder. I will add it to the review.

Retest of Amplifi, Luma, Velop is a matter of priority vs. testing new products.

I have Lyra under test. Not impressed at all with performance, or the setup experience. Something seems definitely wonky with its DHCP server.

 

[StephenBB81]

if you can run ethernet it always has been and always be the best course of action

see tims post from quite a few years back

https://www.smallnetbuilder.com/bas...best-way-to-get-whole-house-wireless-coverage

and my own below

Extending your LAN / WLAN
https://forums.whirlpool.net.au/forum-replies.cfm?t=1802277

Thank you for these.

The lay out of the house will result in the AP's and router not being optimally placed if they are wired together which was why I was looking to a meshnod solution Large open areas on 2 of the floors, all finished so no fishing wires, but a closet/staircase stack 30% into the home will allow me to run a wire to each floor and mount an AP, I'll have to look and see if there is a way to then go across through the attic and do a drop to the middle floor.

Is it best practice to match my Routers? I currently have an Asus AC66u. should I buy 3 more of them, or can I use less expensive routers as access points?