4x4 2,4 Ghz increase coverage?

[sfx2000]

U can have a 2x2 antenna with good sensitivity or a 4x4 antennas with lousy sensitivity. The 2x2 can win the 4x4 anyday with a higher power design

Range and Performance is mostly dictated by the client, not the AP...

Just saying.

 

[Tech9]

Different radios produce different results. From experience - U6 Pro (Qualcomm 2x2 + 4x4) works better than U6 Long Range (MediaTek 4x4 + 4x4). As specs both are very similar, as price both are very similar, LR a bit better on paper, but in reality Pro performs better including on 2.4GHz band.

 

[sfx2000]

Different radios produce different results. From experience - U6 Pro (Qualcomm 2x2 + 4x4) works better than U6 Long Range (MediaTek 4x4 + 4x4). As specs both are very similar, as price both are very similar, LR a bit better on paper, but in reality Pro performs better including on 2.4GHz band.

Exactly...

I'll note however that things are moving targets - Filogic830/mt76 is getting much better as a lot of really smart folks over on the OpenWRT community are stepping in...

On the Qualcomm/Atheros side - ath11k is looking really good for WiFi6 - not as free/open as mediatek, but that is what it is...

As we go deeper into WiFi7 - Qualcomm and Mediatek have the advantage over Broadcom - most of this is due to lack of investment by Avago/Broadcom and the divesture of the critical client silicon - most of the Broadcom IP for clients is now outside...

 

[Metroguy]

Range and Performance is mostly dictated by the client, not the AP...

Just saying.

Thanks for the clarification as I got my answer from chatgpt which states that a 2x2 with higher tx power is better than 4x4 with lower tx power

 

[sfx2000]

Thanks for the clarification as I got my answer from chatgpt which states that a 2x2 with higher tx power is better than 4x4 with lower tx power

ChatGPT does not have 30 years of experience directly working with wireless...

 

[Tech9]

ChatGPT also doesn't know how much some companies invest in antenna array technologies development. Like CommScope with Ruckus products and BeamFlex client independent hardware beamforming resulting in weird structures like this:

 

[Metroguy]

Range and Performance is mostly dictated by the client, not the AP...

Just saying.

So what would U recommend if I want a good range route

ChatGPT also doesn't know how much some companies invest in antenna array technologies development. Like CommScope with Ruckus products and BeamFlex client independent hardware beamforming resulting in weird structures like this:

View attachment 62056

So what will U recommend if I want a good range and coverage router. My home is less than 2000 sqft

 

[Tech9]

My home is less than 2000 sqft

I can't recommend a router based on sqft alone. If your existing RT-AC88U is good enough to cover the area perhaps a new RT-AX88U Pro or RT-BE88U will be good enough as well. In terms of software support BE-class home All-In-One router will be perhaps better. I personally wouldn't touch any of those and get a Cloud Gateway Ultra with 2x U6 Pro access points instead even if one of the APs has to be in wireless mesh. Specs speed is not everything.

 

[Metroguy]

Wel

I would agree with degrub.

For my 2x2 ac devices I tested one 2x2 WiFi 7 router, the Deco BE11000, Hardware Version 2.6 (from Costco), and compared it to my current 4x4 WiFi 6 router, the Asus XD6. The Asus was much faster (30%-50%), despite having a 1.5Ghz 32bit tri-core CPU vs 2.2Ghz 64bit quad-core CPU, though during the speed tests I noticed the CPU utilization was about 0% for the Asus. Basically I found the 2x2 BE11000 was about the same in terms of speed as the 2x2 TP-Link AXE75 (WiFi 6E).

I think the quad core or ram doesn't matter since the hardware is mostly used for the other functions in the router like download master, FTP samba ect.

Btw have U ever compared 2 Asus of the same generation and identical parts to fully verify?

 

[collector930]

Wel

I think the quad core or ram doesn't matter since the hardware is mostly used for the other functions in the router like download master, FTP samba ect.

Btw have U ever compared 2 Asus of the same generation and identical parts to fully verify?

I compared an Asus RT-AX5400 against an Asus XD6. They have same the CPU and WiFi chipset, but the former has 4 external antennas and the latter has 6 internal antennas. They were pretty much identical in terms of speed.

 

[Tech9]

would U recommend

will U recommend

have U ever

How much time do you save by typing U instead of you?
I'm going to skip the U posts going further and regardless of what ChatGPT says about it.

 

[Metroguy]

How much time do you save by typing U instead of you?
I'm going to skip the U posts going further and regardless of what ChatGPT says about it.

Yeah it's my keyboard doing that

Anyway a question I want to ask


If I have all WiFi 5 ac clients,

Router 1 - quad core CPU and 1gb ram and 2x2

Router 2 - quad core CPU and 512mb ram 4x4

Anyway the routers are and tuf be6500 and tuf ax6000

Which better to get ?

My home has bedrooms at the far end of the house , no walls except bedroom Walls ( meaning 1 wall in between the router and the inside of the bedroom

Currently using RT-AC ac88u the the weakest corners have around -80 to -72 dBm.

Main usage are main website browsing YouTube , media server function to smart TVs and occasional torrenting

 

[Metroguy]

I can't recommend a router based on sqft alone. If your existing RT-AC88U is good enough to cover the area perhaps a new RT-AX88U Pro or RT-BE88U will be good enough as well. In terms of software support BE-class home All-In-One router will be perhaps better. I personally wouldn't touch any of those and get a Cloud Gateway Ultra with 2x U6 Pro access points instead even if one of the APs has to be in wireless mesh. Specs speed is not everything.

Could I have more information about the products.

In my country the likes of Asus and tplink seems to be more common. I am more open to ideas though.

I think I need only a mesh system with a usb port for file sharing.

 

[Tech9]

Which better to get ?

Get one of the popular around RT-AX88U Pro, plug it in where your RT-AC88U was, set it up and live your life as before. You buying a home router for $250 and not a private jet for $25 million. What is so hard to make a decision when even the model number suggests your upgrade path? If you want to spend $100 more get RT-BE88U, it will probably have somewhat longer firmware support.

 

[Tech9]

Could I have more information about the products.

Yes.

Cloud Gateway Ultra - Ubiquiti Store

Compact Cloud Gateway with 30+ UniFi device / 300+ client support, 1 Gbps IPS routing, and multi-WAN load balancing.

store.ui.com

Access Point U6 Mesh - Ubiquiti Store

Sleek, indoor/outdoor WiFi 6 AP with 6 spatial streams designed for mesh applications.

store.ui.com

The two above make complete UniFi system with Gateway, Controller, Switch and Access Point.
For your under 2000sqft home most likely 2x access points positioned in right places will be plenty.

Replaced U6 Pro with the same specs U6 Mesh because it looks better in home environment, both have the same specs and are based on the same Qualcomm hardware. U6 Mesh comes with PoE injector and mounting hardware. Can be used on a shelf or mounted on the wall, user preference.

 

[Metroguy]

Yes.

Cloud Gateway Ultra - Ubiquiti Store

Compact Cloud Gateway with 30+ UniFi device / 300+ client support, 1 Gbps IPS routing, and multi-WAN load balancing.

store.ui.com

Access Point U6 Mesh - Ubiquiti Store

Sleek, indoor/outdoor WiFi 6 AP with 6 spatial streams designed for mesh applications.

store.ui.com

The two above make complete UniFi system with Gateway, Controller, Switch and Access Point.
For your under 2000sqft home most likely 2x access points positioned in right places will be plenty.

Sorry for being noob , how is this better than Asus mesh system ?

 

[Tech9]

Sorry for being noob , how is this better than Asus mesh system ?

Higher quality Qualcomm hardware with much better software, support and expandability. The build quality of the devices is better as well. If your goal is wireless mesh - better look at consumer tri-band options with dedicated wireless uplink radio and hope for the best. UniFi is wired first system, wireless mesh as plan B only. The available UniFi APs have no dedicated wireless uplink option, only shared with the clients.