BT8 or stick with XT8?

[someuser08]

One of my XT8s has just died after many years in rock solid configuration without issues (2 nodes, AP mode, wireless backhaul, US version with UNII-4 enabled) and I'm considering what to do.

Option 1 is to find another US version of XT8 (I'm in europe) and continue with the current set up (with a risk of second unit dying at some point and not longer beign able to source a replacement and have to find another setup anyway).

Option 2 is to switch to somethign like BT8s (which is top of my budget anyway). I just ordered a pair of BT8s to try to set it up and can see that real throughput is not that much different from what I used to have and often even less. I used to have 300-400mbps on XT8s with 5-2 band. Now with BT8s on just band 6 I get only real life speed of 200-300mbps (as signal strength is lower on band 6 that I used to have on 5, probably expected), with MLO on all 3 bands enabled for backhaul, it jumps up to 400-500 sometimes, but can still be as slow as 200 because obviously the bands are shared between backhaul and clients in this scenario.

So specifically for this use case (maximum stable wireless backhaul speed) - what do you guys think?

 

[degrub]

How do the maximum tx power levels allowed affect your existing US certified equipment while operating in the EU ? Did you have to change the country code or re-flash ?

 

[someuser08]

How do the maximum tx power levels allowed affect your existing US certified equipment while operating in the EU ? Did you have to change the country code or re-flash ?

I have not done anything specific, just used stock Asus firmware on US-purchased units. I previously had EU version of XT8 and it was not holding to 160mhz bandwidth, so I got US versiopn to have access to UNII-4 frequencies (only for backhaul).

 

[degrub]

depending on which country, your tx power levels may be too high

Maximum wifi transmission power per country

w.wol.ph

 

[someuser08]

So you are saying its not a fair comparison and I should get US version of BT8 instead, because the difference could be down to power level restrictions?

 

[degrub]

No, if the US Tx power levels are higher than what is allowed in the country you are running the equipment in, it is a no no to operate US regulated radios there. .

 

[someuser08]

I'm not saying its right or suggest others doing it, but since I'm not in an urban area. at least I'm not affecting others.

Anyway, is my assumption that backhaul on 6Ghz will never be as good as on 5Ghz and I should stick to that until I can?