Do AC clients benefit from an AX router?

[Justinh]

I have AC clients (4 simultaneously active at any given time) and 1 Ethernet device connected to an RT-AC68U. Wi-Fi coverage and performance are mostly acceptable in my 1,200 sq. ft home. Would an AX router give me any wireless benefit? Would Wi-Fi be any more responsive or consistent or anything?

Since the AC clients can still use only AC technology, I don't know if just having new router hardware would make much difference. If it does, I'll consider the RT-AX86U Pro.

 

[Tech9]

Coming from RT-AC68U - yes. AX-class routers support AC Wave 2. Your router has 10+ years old BCM4360 radios, first Gen AC Wave 1. Coming from RT-AC86U though with BCM4366E radios AC Wave 2, for example - no. It may outperform some entry-level AX-class routers to AC clients.

RT-AX86U Pro will be night and day difference in speed and responsiveness plus about 20-30% better range on 5GHz band, plus it will deal better with interference from nearby networks, plus it will have much longer firmware support. RT-AC68U is approaching End-of-Life like other AC-class routers.

 

[sfx2000]

Generally yes - some efficiency on the radio chipsets, and also the main router SoC.

That being said - the AC clients won't be any faster on a single client basis.

 

[Tech9]

That being said - the AC clients won't be any faster on a single client basis.

In the same room common 2-stream AC client will keep 866/866 link speeds and there will be no noticeable difference, but when you move behind 1-2 walls the older AC68U drops the links to 325Mbps and much newer AC86U and AX86U keep going with 520-650Mbps. The difference is quite noticeable at lower signal levels. I had all three AC68U, AC86U and AX86U at some point for direct comparison to the same AC clients. AC68U falls fast behind.

 

[bbunge]

Well, it sure can't hurt going to a new router! I have mostly AC clients (and one G WIFI cam). Two AX laptops and one AX phone. Two of my AC clients are 160 MHz capable and get great WIFI transfers. However, I would wait for the AX86U Pro to go on sale again (Black Friday is not that far away).

Keep the AC68U for a backup just-in-case (I still have an AC66U_B1 stored).

 

[Justinh]

This is good info to know. Thanks much!

 

[L&LD]

Here is what the AC class 'king' of routers fared against a quality, but entry-level (good for ~600Mbps speeds or less) AX class router. And to make this clear; it was 2x RT-AC86Us vs. a single RT-AX68U.

[ 386.4 alpha Build(s) ] Testing available build(s)

There are some odd regressions being discussed on the dnsmasq-discuss list from the PiHole guy (Dominik). https://lists.thekelleys.org.uk/pipermail/dnsmasq-discuss/2021q3/015598.html https://lists.thekelleys.org.uk/pipermail/dnsmasq-discuss/2021q3/015596.html I see Merlin is testing 2.86 out...

www.snbforums.com

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