EnGenius Now Shipping Its 4x4 Wi-Fi 6 AP for SMBs

[Julio Urquidi]

As a follow-up to its 2x2 EWS357AP, EnGenius’ new low-profile 4x4 EWS377AP Wi-Fi 6 access point is built for small and medium-sized businesses.

It sports Qualcomm’s 2.0 GHz quad-core ARM Cortex A53s processor and a 4x4 antenna design, helping non-enterprise customers cross over to the 802.11ax standard. The EWS377AP delivers maximum link rates of 1,148 Mbps at 2.4 GHz and 2,400 Mbps at 5 GHz and uses WPA3 and WPA2-EAS security. Power options for the EWS377AP include 12V DC (adapter not included) and PoE via a built-in RJ-45 port.

Available now, the EnGenius EWS377AP is priced at $339 MSRP.

 

[David Arnstein]

Where are the Wi-Fi 6 devices that this thing will connect with?

 

[thiggins]

Samsung S10 is about it for now.
Not that it matters. OFDMA isn't working in any of the routers you can buy and probably won't be for awhile.

 

[Balance]

Where are the Wi-Fi 6 devices that this thing will connect with?

You can upgrade your laptop (or desktop) with a Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX200 network adapter, that offers 802.11ax on both 2.4 and 5 GHz (2x2 MIMO, 160 MHz). It's available in most countries for about €15-€20.

 

[Krisbi]

The EWS377AP seems to be the "cheapest" (280$) 802.11ax (sub enterprise?) access point with PoE+ which promises upload MU-MIMO aswell. It would be great if you could test it some day within this year perhaps with some Intel AX200 cards in laptops. I really want to see whether OFDMA works as advertised. Also MU-MIMO tests would be great.

 

[thiggins]

The EWS377AP seems to be the "cheapest" (280$) 802.11ax (sub enterprise?) access point with PoE+ which promises upload MU-MIMO aswell. It would be great if you could test it some day within this year perhaps with some Intel AX200 cards in laptops. I really want to see whether OFDMA works as advertised. Also MU-MIMO tests would be great.

I have run initial tests on the 2x2 version of this AP. OFDMA definitely does not work. Trigger frames are being sent, but they make no sense.

I have not looked at MU-MIMO. But, according to my sources, if it works, it is likely only the AC version of MU-MIMO. Downlink AX MU-MIMO is likely not enabled and uplink AX MU-MIMO is not supported by any of the current generation AX chipsets.

 

[Krisbi]

Wow, that would actually be sad. Engenius promises a lot within the datasheet:

• Uplink & downlink of OFDMA for more efficient channel use
• 1024 QAM for 25% increase in throughput
• BSS Coloring for tagging packets with “color” to differentiate data
• Spatial reuse for simultaneous tranmissions on same channel
• Uplink & downlink of MU-MIMO for optimal signal & reception reliability

So some only exists on paper, disappointing.

 

[thiggins]

EnGenius is not alone in not delivering what's in the spec sheet. None of the consumer AX routers currently have OFDMA or downlink AX MU-MIMO enabled.

About the only AX thing being supported is the higher link rates, with AX devices.

 

[Krisbi]

What abut naming ans shaming those vendors? Publish a list with access points with promised and broken features in order to make them implement the features...

 

[sd70mac]

What abut naming ans shaming those vendors? Publish a list with access points with promised and broken features in order to make them implement the features...

That's a good idea! If they claim support, but don't deliver it, that's dishonest of them.

 

[schonzen]

If they claim support, but don't deliver it, that's dishonest of them.

It's also illegal so I hope someone has reported this behavior and the FTC is feeling froggy!

 

[thiggins]

It's also illegal so I hope someone has reported this behavior and the FTC is feeling froggy!

FTC actions like this are sometimes started by one company dropping a dime on another.

But when everyone is playing the same game (and they are), no one is going to break rank.

 

[lifespeed]

Good info, thanks. As always seems to be the case, early versions don't support the features that make the new tech appealing. Probably have to wait at least a year for fully-functional 802.11ax in a ceiling-mount form factor.

 

[Krisbi]

So, according to the FCC images, the EWS377AP uses the Qualcomm IPQ8072 chipset. Does this chipset even support Uplink OFDMA? There´s no information on the chipset´s homepage...

 

[thiggins]

So, according to the FCC images, the EWS377AP uses the Qualcomm IPQ8072 chipset. Does this chipset even support Uplink OFDMA? There´s no information on the chipset´s homepage...

The information I have says that when OFDMA is supported, both up and downlink will be supported.

 

[Krisbi]

Looking at the product page of the EWS377AP there is a section with "customer questions". Engenius itself answered the question. They persist to support certain features:

- Uplink OFDMA
- Using "26 subcarriers" (== 37 concurrent clients on 80 MHz)

How can we falsify those statements?

 

[thiggins]

How can we falsify those statements?

You mean verify? It's not easy. First, you'd need 37 devices that support OFDMA.....

 

[keenanj]

I just did throughput testing on the EWS377AP with a Wi-Fi 5 client it is very interesting vs a 4x4 802.11ac AP in a good way. More info here https://www.keenansystems.com/wordp...s-perform-better-with-a-wi-fi-6-access-point/

 

[schonzen]

I just did throughput testing on the EWS377AP with a Wi-Fi 5 client it is very interesting vs a 4x4 802.11ac AP in a good way. More info here https://www.keenansystems.com/wordp...s-perform-better-with-a-wi-fi-6-access-point/

This I why I miss SNB reviews, which "4×4 Wi-Fi 5 AP" did you use? Those results seem too good to be true. What's going on here?

 

[keenanj]

This I why I miss SNB reviews, which "4×4 Wi-Fi 5 AP" did you use? Those results seem too good to be true. What's going on here?

I used a ruckus R720 4x4 11ac AP for my testing the results even surprised me. I also tested against a R730 11ax AP in 4x4 mode and got similar numbers to the EWS377AP. Now for some testing with a actual Wi-Fi 6 client.