Range of RT-N66u vs RT-AC68U for N only devices

[speedbump]

I have googled and can not find the answer.

I am trying to find if there is any difference in range between the RT-N66u vs RT-AC68U BUT for N ONLY clients.

Thanks

 

[Fraoch]

It's difficult to define and it also depends on which band you're talking about - 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz?

At 2.4 GHz, ac is equivalent to n - I'm sure someone will correct me if I'm wrong. So the 2.4 GHz comparisons here should work:

http://www.smallnetbuilder.com/lanw...113-asus-rtn66u-dark-knight/1235-asus-rtac68u

http://www.smallnetbuilder.com/lanw...113-asus-rtn66u-dark-knight/1235-asus-rtac68u

which shows the N66U ahead, especially in uplink.

You won't be able to compare 5 GHz results head-to-head though, as the N66U can't use the higher ac rates. What you want to see is both routers tested using n clients on 5 GHz - this data would be quite hard to find.

 

[speedbump]

It's difficult to define and it also depends on which band you're talking about - 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz?

At 2.4 GHz, ac is equivalent to n - I'm sure someone will correct me if I'm wrong. So the 2.4 GHz comparisons here should work:

http://www.smallnetbuilder.com/lanw...113-asus-rtn66u-dark-knight/1235-asus-rtac68u

http://www.smallnetbuilder.com/lanw...113-asus-rtn66u-dark-knight/1235-asus-rtac68u

which shows the N66U ahead, especially in uplink.

You won't be able to compare 5 GHz results head-to-head though, as the N66U can't use the higher ac rates. What you want to see is both routers tested using n clients on 5 GHz - this data would be quite hard to find.

Thanks, I could not find this comparison...
I wonder if it is just the firmware or actual hw.

Would be nice also to see the 5ghz comparison, but oh well.

Thanks again.

 

[RMerlin]

The latest N66U firmware reduces the range compared to the AC66U/AC68U. This is something Asus is aware of and will be looking into in the future.

 

[speedbump]

The latest N66U firmware reduces the range compared to the AC66U/AC68U. This is something Asus is aware of and will be looking into in the future.

Is it by a significant amount....something like 20% ?

 

[RMerlin]

Is it by a significant amount....something like 20% ?

Around 10 dB when I did a few tests with it compared to the old N66 firmware. No idea how it compares to the AC68U output, I didn't compare them at the time.

 

[RogerSC]

Note that you can ameliorate the loss of range from Asus's stock firmware by using RMerlin's "experimental" SDK5 firmware versions for the RT-N66U. They have the same range and throughput that the .27x firmware had, which is great. And you get all the stock firmware features plus more, like an IPv6 firewall, more bug fixes, etc. This firmware has been nice and stable for me.

 

[speedbump]

Around 10 dB when I did a few tests with it compared to the old N66 firmware. No idea how it compares to the AC68U output, I didn't compare them at the time.

That's a quite significant, considering that I have decent coverage right now on your 3.0.0.4.374.33 (3-Oct-2013) firmware, I look forward to the fixed drivers mentioned by RogerSC (SDK5 firmware versions)....any chance that will happen still in 2013 ?

Thanks

 

[RMerlin]

That's a quite significant, considering that I have decent coverage right now on your 3.0.0.4.374.33 (3-Oct-2013) firmware, I look forward to the fixed drivers mentioned by RogerSC (SDK5 firmware versions)....any chance that will happen still in 2013 ?

Thanks

If using my firmware you can just switch to the sdk5 version and everything will be fine. If you are using my regular 374.33 build, then the coverage it gives you *is* the reduced one, which means it would still be sufficient for your needs.

No idea what are Asus's plans - they are currently busy stabilising the newly released AC68U, as well as dealing with the new features they recently introduced. All I know is this is something that's still on their radar at this time.

 

[speedbump]

If using my firmware you can just switch to the sdk5 version and everything will be fine. If you are using my regular 374.33 build, then the coverage it gives you *is* the reduced one, which means it would still be sufficient for your needs.

No idea what are Asus's plans - they are currently busy stabilising the newly released AC68U, as well as dealing with the new features they recently introduced. All I know is this is something that's still on their radar at this time.

great thanks for the info.