[Article] - MU-MIMO Retest: Six Routers Compared

[System Error Message]

if you want bragging rights, always build your own. When it comes to the wifi side you could go with MU-MIMO capable mini PCIe cards and an OS and drivers that work. Sure it will not have the range of a wifi router but you could have more wifi bandwidth than the AC5300 for a lot less.

Hardware manufacturers do release drivers but router manufacturers need to adapt them to their routers because of the different CPU instruction sets, implementations and underlaying OS, even though they all may use the same or similar linux kernel even for the same brand one model to the next is very different. They have too many different hardwares to support.

If you want bragging rights buy developer hardware. It may not be cheap but it works better though requires just as much skill as setting up a linux router. broadcom and qualcomm both sell reference boards you can buy and install your own stuff instead of relying on the bad firmware the router manufacturers use. Even 3rd party firmware supports developer boards or you could easily port them yourself.

 

[pete y testing]

hi guys

so i got me a couple of asus pce-ac88 to try out this mu-mimo , unfortunately most of the mu-mimo routers i have here atm are broadcom based and the results are lets say anything but exciting and as stated in most cases i see no real improvement over having mu-mimo turned off , i tried out the orbi with i believe is qualcomm based and it to be honest was under whelming

mind you the asus adapters are also broadcom so they actually might not be working well in mu-mimo ether

sure the speeds of the asus pce-ac88 are impressive when used with a 4 x 4 2156M router in a 1 to 1 connection and seeing almost 100MB/s throughput wise from my nas

just will have to sit on my hands and wait for mu-mimo to catch up and work or fade away like 3d tv's have

pete

 

[sfx2000]

MU is going to be case-specific - many won't see an improvement, but at least, most won't see any downsides...

I've been fairly public about my thoughts on MU in any event...

 

[Ehud Kedar]

Hi Tim,

We are running the MU TCP tests, and we'd like to simulate your test results for comparison.

Can you state what values you use for the following configuration. can you provide the WML file or a screen shot:

"The test connects the STA, then runs a TCP Goodput test, with MSS, Window and Frame size set so the Gigabit link is fully loaded."

Much appreciated
EK

 

[thiggins]

so i got me a couple of asus pce-ac88 to try out this mu-mimo

Are the ASUS adapters running 4x4 MU-MIMO, or do they fall back to 1x1 or 2x2.

A 4x4 MU-MIMO STA used with a 4x4 MU-MIMO AP makes no sense.

 

[thiggins]

Hi Tim,
We are running the MU TCP tests, and we'd like to simulate your test results for comparison.

I replied via email.

 

[pete y testing]

or do they fall back to 1x1 or 2x2.

they can be set to run 2 x 2 , however i double check finding by using my second comp with the second pce-ac88 in it

 

[thiggins]

they can be set to run 2 x 2 , however i double check finding by using my second comp with the second pce-ac88 in it

When you set them to 2x2 and MU-MIMO is enabled on router and adapters, what link rate does the adapter report?

 

[pete y testing]

seems to lock it to 800Mbps sync , thats when connect to the synology rt2600ac

 

[thiggins]

seems to lock it to 800Mbps sync , thats when connect to the synology rt2600ac

What do you get when you connect to Broadcom MU-MIMO routers?

The MU results with Orbi wouldn't be impressive; 2x2 MU-MIMO provides no practical benefit. It's just for marketing purposes.

 

[pete y testing]

will do some further testing as i had given up on even testing mu because of the broadcom issue , im like with you though that the whole mu-mimo thing is of no real benefit to big wifi networked household with or without mu-mimo devices

 

[xeqw]

TP-Link published a new firmware on 22/06/16 that claims to 2.Improved the MU-MIMO performance. http://www.tp-link.com/us/download/Archer-C2600.html#Firmware

Since it is now a whole year after this article was first published, maybe a Retest Round 2 is in order?

 

[thiggins]

TP-Link published a new firmware on 22/06/16 that claims to 2.Improved the MU-MIMO performance. http://www.tp-link.com/us/download/Archer-C2600.html#Firmware

Since it is now a whole year after this article was first published, maybe a Retest Round 2 is in order?

I am rethinking our approach to MU-MIMO testing. In general, it has dropped in priority for testing.