AiMesh reports a PHY rate of 1000+ Mbps, while iperf3 gets only 350 Mbps?

[toaruScar]

I have installed ZenWiFi XT8s on Merlin firmware. The AiMesh pages indicate that the wireless backhaul has a PHY rate of 1441 Mbps. However, when I run iperf3 between these two routers, it achieves only 350 Mbps. On the wireless log page, the utilization jumps to 80% during the iperf3 session.

With wired backhaul, iperf3 reports 900+ Mbps speed.

Is this normal?

 

[bbunge]

Is this normal?

All depends. Which 5 GHz do you use for wireless backhaul? Do you connect the test client to the other 5 GHz or the one used for backhaul? A GB WIFI will not have the same performance as a GB Ethernet. Just the way things are.

Keep in mind that the AiMesh wireless backhaul was. designed to extend the WIFI range. There is no promise that it will carry full bandwidth as there are a lot of environmental factors involved. Use Ethernet backhaul if you can.

 

[toaruScar]

Which 5 GHz do you use for wireless backhaul? Do you connect the test client to the other 5 GHz or the one used for backhaul?

Thanks for the tips! I checked again, and they are indeed on recommended 5GHz-2 that's reserved for backhaul.

 

[Tech9]

Test with larger size file transfer between clients attached to different routers in wireless and wired configuration. If happy with the results - this is what matters for your user experience, ignore the test numbers. Don't play too much with XT8 settings and if you don't really need any of Asuswrt-Merlin extra features - run stock Asuswrt on all units.

 

[bbunge]

Thanks for the tips! I checked again, and they are indeed on recommended 5GHz-2 that's reserved for backhaul.

The 5 GHz-2 has 4x4 radios while the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz-1 have 2x2 radios. Most of your clients will do just fine on the 2x2 radios. I would also use the 80 MHz bandwidth on 5 GHz as you will get better range.

 

[Tech9]

Actually, this XT8 model doesn't have 160MHz support on 5GHz-1 radio and may not have enough available channels for 160MHz on 5GHz-2 radio in many locations, region specific. It's kind of weird and the user has to know some local specifics.