802.11n Adapter roundup

[dkyeager]

Thanks Tim for this review.

1) The addition of the access points clouds the dual band USB adapter data. Given a 2 to 3 upload to download usage ratio and a 1 to 1 adapter lifetime 2.4 to 5ghz usage ratio using and average of the best and worst location scores, here is what I came up with for the USB adapters:

D-Link DWA-160 (B1) USB 23.61
NETGEAR WNDA3100 (v2) USB 22.78
Linksys / Cisco WUSB600N v2 USB 19.17

Applying the same logic, the PCI express mini card (Intel 5300) came up with a far better score, especially in the 5ghz band:

Intel WiFi Link 5300 PCIE mini card 29.79

Perhaps the vendors just run out of real estate on these USB adapters?

2) The lowest common denominator approach of this article servers those who use hotspots quite well, but I am not certain about home and corporate router purchasers. They will tend to look for the best overall performance for their environment. Your wndr3700 review article hinted at a far higher throughput for the wnda3100v2 adapter with the wndr3700. Even the Intel 5300 performance varies widely (using same method as above):

This article's Intel WiFi Link 5300 PCIe mini card 29.79
Original wndr3700 test - intel 5300 w/20mhz 42.39
Original wndr3700 test - intel 5300 w/40mhz 50.83

I would have expected the first 2 to be about the same. Perhaps this is due to different firmware on the wndr3700?

Outside of the Intel 5300 PCIe option, my gut feel is they would be best served by a matching adapter from the vendor for the router with both tuned for best performance.

3) I do wish that these dual adapters would factor in likely competition into their selection. 2.4 generally always get selected over 5.0 with the wnda3100 v2 even though the 2.4 is congested and the 5.0 is clear.

Thanks once again for your article. These comments would not have been possible without your highly consistent data.

 

[thiggins]

1) The addition of the access points clouds the dual band USB adapter data.

I'm sorry, but I don't understand this comment or your calculation.

Outside of the Intel 5300 PCIe option, my gut feel is they would be best served by a matching adapter from the vendor for the router with both tuned for best performance.

Perhaps. But "matching" is generally not practical with the wide variety of wireless clients.

3) I do wish that these dual adapters would factor in likely competition into their selection. [/quote]Again, I don't understand this comment.

 

[NetCHEIF]

Reason why Intel 5300 was ranked #1

It is no wonder that the Intel 5300 was such a top performer. The fact it is installed in a laptop that has a serious antenna around its screen, gives the card a real boost over USB adapters with their little antennas.

 

[thiggins]

It is no wonder that the Intel 5300 was such a top performer. The fact it is installed in a laptop that has a serious antenna around its screen, gives the card a real boost over USB adapters with their little antennas.

Really? The two laptop antennas are better performers than the three external antennas on the DAP-2553?

 

[kevinqian]

Here's the catch with the Intel 5300. It's very dependent on the antenna design of the OEM. Lenovo has ultraconnect 3x3 hooked to their 5300 and most OEM uses a 2x2 design. I have to think that there's some variation due to that.

 

[thiggins]

The third antenna for dual-stream operation just increases the probability of receiving uncorrelated signals and providing a bit more gain.

My test notebook uses two antennas.

 

[Aluminum]

If you can, try another PCI-e minicard. I changed some 5300s to ar9280s due to issues with my source (remarked/ES = windows doesn't care, linux does) and they are excellent as well.

I suspect laptops in general are somewhat favorable compared to dongle-style solutions, even glorified box-with-tacked-on-antenna dongles. Although I have also had excellent results with desktop designs, maybe pci-e vs usb latency etc has some influence.

Which reminds me to also ask: what laptop model exactly?

 

[kevinqian]

The third antenna for dual-stream operation just increases the probability of receiving uncorrelated signals and providing a bit more gain.

My test notebook uses two antennas.

In layman's terms, that means better reliability with greater range?

 

[thiggins]

In layman's terms, that means better reliability with greater range?

Not necessarily. It just means that there is a bit more gain for the receiver. Whether that translates into improved range, throughput or reliability depends on what the chipset does.

Going by the discussions I've had with chipset manufacturers, they generally try to goose speed, since that's what the equipment manfs ask for since that's what they say their customers (us) ask for.

 

[stevech]

It is no wonder that the Intel 5300 was such a top performer. The fact it is installed in a laptop that has a serious antenna around its screen, gives the card a real boost over USB adapters with their little antennas.

A USB adapter on an 8 ft. USB extension cable, and elevated to avoid furniture, people, etc. will usually well outperform the internal-WiFi of a laptop.

 

[stevech]

Not necessarily. It just means that there is a bit more gain for the receiver. Whether that translates into improved range, throughput or reliability depends on what the chipset does.

Going by the discussions I've had with chipset manufacturers, they generally try to goose speed, since that's what the equipment manfs ask for since that's what they say their customers (us) ask for.

Speed for any manufacturer is governed by
1) the IEEE standards (802.11a/b/g/n)
2) the signal strength, signal to noise ratio, multipath, for any mode like 11g. We all know that absent large interference, the speed improves as the signal conditions improve. This is called rate-adaptive. Antenna gain is the panacea.
3) MIMO is primarily for minimizing negative impacts of fading and multipath. If these impairments are serious, constant, etc., then MIMO can help mitigate and thus improve apparent speed. MIMO is mostly on the to-client, since the at-client antennas can't be spaced widely enough to get much effect.

 

[tipstir]

Lots of improvement now then prior years. Even these mini USB 802.11N pack a punch 1T/1R but the key is using the OEM drivers though and now Windows 7 versions. That's where you run into issues with them. Power management say on a Netbook or Laptop that doesn't have Mini-PCI or Mini-PCI-E for 802.11N would notice a decrease in battery life though.

 

[jalyst]

so does Intel make a usb adapter?
Or something in a PCI or PCIe form-factor?

I'm building a HEPC (ATX) and i'm thinking I may want to upgrade my old 802.11g dongle soon.

Thank-you.

 

[thiggins]

Intel doesn't make a USB adapter.

But you can get adapters. Check out this site. (Anyone have others?)

 

[jalyst]

Intriguing, so one can buy an Intel mPCIe card & essentially use it as a USB adapter.
Thanks for pointing that one out!

Hmm, but it'd prolly end-up being a lot more expensive all up....
Than just getting a USB adapter that doesn't perform quite as well as Intel's mPCIe adapter.

 

[Unregistered]

Results different from the wireless charts

I see throughput in this test (802.11n Adapter roundup) is much smaller than reported in the wireless charts with the same device, testing procedures and locations. Can anyone explain why?

Router: Netgear WNDR3700
Adapter: Intel Wi-Fi Link 5300
Test setting: 2.4G/20
Location: A

Results from this 802.11n Adapter roundup review
Uplink: 34.966
Downlink: 40.388

Results from wireless chart: http://www.smallnetbuilder.com/component/option,com_wireless/Itemid,200:
Uplink: 54.3
Downlink: 69.1

The difference also applied to other locations B-F

Any idea or I missed anything?

 

[thiggins]

The roundup testing ran simultaneous up and downlink tests. The WNDR3700 review ran uplink and downlink tests separately.

 

[Unregistered]

where to buy v2

Thanks for the explanation. Is it appropriate to ask where to buy the WNDA3100 V2? Large online stores such as amazon, newegg, dell, and netgear online seem to sell the one with model number -100XXX. Is this a v2 or v1? (the pic shown is v1). Thanks!

 

[thiggins]

Thanks for the explanation. Is it appropriate to ask where to buy the WNDA3100 V2? Large online stores such as amazon, newegg, dell, and netgear online seem to sell the one with model number -100XXX. Is this a v2 or v1? (the pic shown is v1). Thanks!

There is no way to tell as far as I know without looking at the serial number label on the product itself (not even the product box).

 

[jalyst]

@Tim,

I don't suppose there's any plans afoot for another adapter round-up soon?

I'm finally buying a 802.11n compatible one for my 610Nv1 (will upgrade to wndr3800 or E4200 later in the yr).
But I imagine the adapter/s you highlighted as the best, aren't necessarily so any more.

Just a thought, not an expectation of course