TP-LINK AC3150 Wireless MU-MIMO Gigabit Router Reviewed

[thiggins]

it says that the MU-MIMO barely works.

Broadcom does not have its act together on MU-MIMO. But do you have devices that support it? You need at least two and strong to medium signal levels to see any benefit.

I would not use MU-MIMO as a buying criteria.

 

[eikido]

Thanks for respons sir

I thought MU-MIMO was a big thing lately.
Sure i don't have any MU-MIMO clients yet but i'm planning to get something like the new MS Surface Laptop or something similar that probably has.
Isn't MU-MIMO good if you have for example 4 SU-MIMO clients connected to it?

 

[microchip]

if you want working MU-MIMO, look at Qualcomm-based devices. It's the best you can get right now

 

[thiggins]

I thought MU-MIMO was a big thing lately.
Sure i don't have any MU-MIMO clients yet but i'm planning to get something like the new MS Surface Laptop or something similar that probably has.
Isn't MU-MIMO good if you have for example 4 SU-MIMO clients connected to it?

MU-MIMO helps only MU-MIMO clients. It does nothing to improve performance of non MU-MIMO devices.

If you look at the Router Ranker, you will see 4x4 (AC2600 class and higher) routers are rated more highly. This is because the extra antennas can improve receive gain and provide moderate range improvement for typical client devices that are 1x1 or 2x2. This is without MU-MIMO.

 

[eikido]

Appreciate it a lot guys. thanks.

I honestly don't know if i want MU-MIMO or not. I thought it was a very nice bonus
It does sound by you guys that it is more marketing hype. If it is, can i read more about it somewhere?
There are plenty of sites describing MU-MIMO, but i need articles that criticizes it more

 

[thiggins]

Start with this.

Retest article.

2017 router buying guide.

 

[eikido]

Thank you very much thiggins! Exactly what i needed!!!!

I also noticed something interesting.
We all know that a new version of C3150 is released known as V2.
For V1, according to their website:
http://www.tp-link.com/us/products/details/cat-5506_Archer-C3150.html#overview

It says:

• Multiple Reliable Connections — MU-MIMO Ready technology lets the router run several devices at the same time to achieve speeds up to 4X faster than standard AC routers.*

where * means
* MU-MIMO feature requires free firmware upgrade to enable, currently not available. Once available, firmware upgrade may be found on http://www.tp-link.us/download/Archer-C3150.html#Firmware. MU-MIMO capability requires both router and client device to support MU-MIMO. Two or more MU-MIMO enabled devices must be connected to achieve faster performance.

But their V2 don't have this "ready" stamp:
http://www.tp-link.com/us/products/details/cat-5506_Archer-C3150-V2.html

Is this a mistake by them or is it really ready now?

Edit:
Seems i'm mistaken as TP-link have promised since 2016-07-08 that MU-MIMO is supported with that FW Fix but obviously not

 

[thiggins]

The first round of Broadcom-based 4x4 routers (AC3100, AC3150, AC5300, AC5300) shipped without working MU-MIMO. That was the reason for the "MU-MIMO ready".

Since then, various companies have issued firmware updates enabling MU-MIMO, with varying degrees of success. Our tests showed they barely worked, if at all.

It also turns out Broadcom's 4x4 radio chip has problems with MU-MIMO. So manfs quietly phased in a newer version along the way.

The status today is you need both the newer device and new firmware to allegedly have decently working MU-MIMO. The exact combination needed, however, varies from manf to manf and isn't disclosed.

The FCC Class 2 Permissive Change letter attached, shows the first change as:
". Updating Chip model to BCM4366 C0 (MU-MIMO) from BCM4366 B1 (SU-MIMO)."

All that being said, if you want working MU-MIMO, get a QCA based product (AC2600 class). You will also need at least two devices that have proper MU-MIMO support. That isn't guaranteed either, as you will see in an article I will publish soon.

 

[occamsrazor]

The first round of Broadcom-based 4x4 routers (AC3100, AC3150, AC5300, AC5300) shipped without working MU-MIMO. That was the reason for the "MU-MIMO ready".

Do you happen to know anything about TP-Link C5400 v1 vs v2 hardware in this scenario?

 

[thiggins]

There is no TE7C5400v2 listed in the FCC ID database

 

[occamsrazor]

There is no TE7C5400v2 listed in the FCC ID database

The TP-Link page lists two hardware versions and corresponding firmware:

http://www.tp-link.com/us/download/Archer-C5400.html

I found this, maybe it's intelligible to you...

https://apps.fcc.gov/eas/GetApplicationAttachment.html?id=3086248

For what it's worth my c5400 v1 has the MU-MIMO option in firmware, though I don't have any such clients so haven't used.

 

[thiggins]

The FCC Link won't open a page.

It does not appear that the C5400v2 required an FCC change. Either that or they used a new FCCID

 

[occamsrazor]

The FCC Link won't open a page.

You're right, strange. It's the "Class II change letter" linked here:

https://apps.fcc.gov/oetcf/eas/repo...n_id=Wu/hSxbOHMPPtuo2D+CMLw==&fcc_id=TE7C5400

Also attached.

 

[eikido]

The first round of Broadcom-based 4x4 routers (AC3100, AC3150, AC5300, AC5300) shipped without working MU-MIMO. That was the reason for the "MU-MIMO ready".

Since then, various companies have issued firmware updates enabling MU-MIMO, with varying degrees of success. Our tests showed they barely worked, if at all.

It also turns out Broadcom's 4x4 radio chip has problems with MU-MIMO. So manfs quietly phased in a newer version along the way.

The status today is you need both the newer device and new firmware to allegedly have decently working MU-MIMO. The exact combination needed, however, varies from manf to manf and isn't disclosed.

The FCC Class 2 Permissive Change letter attached, shows the first change as:
". Updating Chip model to BCM4366 C0 (MU-MIMO) from BCM4366 B1 (SU-MIMO)."

All that being said, if you want working MU-MIMO, get a QCA based product (AC2600 class). You will also need at least two devices that have proper MU-MIMO support. That isn't guaranteed either, as you will see in an article I will publish soon.

Super! Thanks!
It looks like by the document that the C3150 V1 isn't MU-MIMO ready at all. It's only SU-MIMO. That's a nice lie from them

 

[gp-se]

Any idea if the C3150 V2 is MU-MIMO, since the V1 isn't.

 

[pete y testing]

Any idea if the C3150 V2 is MU-MIMO, since the V1 isn't.

broadcom havnt introduced any updates to mu-mimo yet so i doubt it

 

[RMerlin]

broadcom havnt introduced any updates to mu-mimo yet so i doubt it

BCM4366E is supposed to be providing working MU-MIMO, as opposed to the dud BCM4366.

 

[sfx2000]

BCM4366E is supposed to be providing working MU-MIMO, as opposed to the dud BCM4366.

4366 had working mu-mimo - just not working so well perhaps... mu is hard stuff, and it's all in the wifi chipset...

the bump on the 4366e made it work better

 

[RMerlin]

the bump on the 4366e made it work better

I'd still like for someone to actually test it tho, so far all we have is Broadcom's word on it.

 

[pete y testing]

I'd still like for someone to actually test it tho, so far all we have is Broadcom's word on it.

well thats it isnt it , without on the ground testing all we have is speculation as to if it actually does perform and is it as good as the other manufactures