Wi-Fi System Roundup

[WiFiNemesis]

Thanks for the link. I will follow up with NETGEAR.

I checked with each manufacturer before the review to specifically ask about 11vkr support. The review reflects the answers I received.

Firmware version tested is found in the Finder. I will add it to the review.

Retest of Amplifi, Luma, Velop is a matter of priority vs. testing new products.

I have Lyra under test. Not impressed at all with performance, or the setup experience. Something seems definitely wonky with its DHCP server.

Thanks.

Referring back to that comment thread on Amazon, the initial review also noted Lyra's slowness. ASUS provided a firmware revision that apparently addressed that problem and added some features, but it's not been officially released. Just fyi...

 

[njweb]

Thanks for the link. I will follow up with NETGEAR.

I checked with each manufacturer before the review to specifically ask about 11vkr support. The review reflects the answers I received.

Firmware version tested is found in the Finder. I will add it to the review.

Retest of Amplifi, Luma, Velop is a matter of priority vs. testing new products.

I have Lyra under test. Not impressed at all with performance, or the setup experience. Something seems definitely wonky with its DHCP server.

Interesting Tim, thanks. Wonder if it is because of the current firmware issues.
On Amazon NorCalTechie has received an unofficial beta firmware from Asus which greatly improved throughput and addressed several issues.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/R355YWTSJL/?tag=snbforums-20

When you say not impressed with performance, are you referring to throughput, range or both?

I have not yet opened my Lyra still (another busy week at work). The new firmware is reportedly expected to come out in the next 1 -2 weeks (according to him).

My goal with the Lyra is to ensure my clients connect to 5 GHz as much as possible to get maximum speed.
My Dell XPS 13 9350 with Killer 1535 (I swapped out the wifi card) is connecting to 2.4 GHz lately not 5 GHz when using my RT-AC5300...
The laptop is on same floor as router, other side of house but very open front hallway / foyer and floor plan so there are no doors or obstructions to impede the wifi signal...

 

[thiggins]

Referring back to that comment thread on Amazon, the initial review also noted Lyra's slowness. ASUS provided a firmware revision that apparently addressed that problem and added some features, but it's not been officially released. Just fyi...

I'm in contact with ASUS, so know about firmware.

Product came with 3.0.0.4.382_11014-g32b9d2b, which is what I have tested. It did not automatically upgrade to 3.0.0.4.382_11142-g69060f9, which is the latest posted. Once I found that, I had to log into the web GUI and use that firmware upgrade process, which did find the new version and download it. I have not tested that version.

I am told new firmware will be available Monday that is supposed to improve performance. But I'm not sure if it will be beta or release. If it's beta, I won't use it for review, as is long-standing SNB policy.

 

[thiggins]

When you say not impressed with performance, are you referring to throughput, range or both?

Both. I do not have a range benchmark at this time because that's a complicated topic, considering how distributed Wi-Fi systems work. But a range proxy for the time being is to look at throughput at higher attenuation values on the RvR curves.

Once I determine whether the status of the Monday firmware, I'll do a retest with either it or the 3.0.0.4.382_11142.

If you want to ensure 5 GHz connection, better look into client settings for band preference.

 

[njweb]

Both. I do not have a range benchmark at this time because that's a complicated topic, considering how distributed Wi-Fi systems work. But a range proxy for the time being is to look at throughput at higher attenuation values on the RvR curves.

Once I determine whether the status of the Monday firmware, I'll do a retest with either it or the 3.0.0.4.382_11142.

If you want to ensure 5 GHz connection, better look into client settings for band preference.

Thanks.
I just changed the setting on the adapter to 5 GHz as preferred. Surprised this isn't standard (so long as it also checks RSSI and ensures it switches to 2.4 GHz if the signal strength is poor (would be nice to have a user-defined RSSI threshold option and Auto as default for less technical users).
May just return the Lyra, since I am not sure it will really buy me much performance benefit (I am lucky to have an open floor plan).
In my old home (despite being smaller than my current home) I would have likely benefited due to the closed floor plan in my last home.

 

[pete y testing]

or can I use less expensive routers as access points?

the usual recommendation is an ubiquiti edge router and separate ubiquiti unifi ac lite ap's

 

[termax14]

We finally have our new Wi-Fi System test process up and running and ran the latest products from NETGEAR, TP-Link and eero through it.

Read on SmallNetBuilder

Why is there no Plume Wifi system in this round-up ???

 

[termax14]

What about the Amped Wireless Ally ???

 

[ppilot]

Thanks for the link. I will follow up with NETGEAR.

I checked with each manufacturer before the review to specifically ask about 11vkr support. The review reflects the answers I received.

Firmware version tested is found in the Finder. I will add it to the review.

Retest of Amplifi, Luma, Velop is a matter of priority vs. testing new products.

I have Lyra under test. Not impressed at all with performance, or the setup experience. Something seems definitely wonky with its DHCP server.

That amazon comment fits exactly with what I have been dealing with, the commentary I've gotten from Netgear, and the feedback I've seen at various message boards/forums.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[thiggins]

I could not test everything in one article. As other products are tested, they will be added to the Wi-Fi System Chart and Ranker and you can do whatever comparisons you want.

 

[Chipmuck]

Thanks Tim for the great work.

Just a minor question on eero 2.4GHz stream number? Is it two streams? It seems the test number exceeds 300Mbps that is 2-stream physical rate for 11n...

 

[tannebil]

I’m not sure that Plume is a good candidate to include in these types of comparisons. It works great for me as an AP “mesh” but it’s not a complete solution. For example, the “pods” only have a single wired port so you really have to have a separate router and run Plume in bridge mode unless you run a wireless-only network (wired devices are OK but they will end up running across wireless links). Also, because Plume is based on more, lower power access points, it’s going to need its own arrangement of access points and needs time (24 hours is their standard recommendation) to optimize the mesh after every change. Plus, since it takes more units to cover the same amount of area, there are many more configurations to test. I make all those issues go away by using wired backhaul, but Tim focuses on wireless backhaul in his testing (which makes perfect sense as it’s the typical use case).

Plume is a great product for particular needs in specific situations. Plume is well aware of the issues and I expect to see new products that fix them but, for the moment, I don’t think it’s worth Tim’s time to test the current product as a direct competitor to these products. I don’t think he should ignore it but I think it’s more useful to be looked at as an interesting alternative that’s works well in some situations today. But, of course, it’s up to him to decide if it’s interesting enough to his audience to be worth the time and treasure required to do the work. There are lots of other interesting things going on in the networking world that he might well prioritize above it.

 

[thiggins]

Thanks Tim for the great work.

Just a minor question on eero 2.4GHz stream number? Is it two streams? It seems the test number exceeds 300Mbps that is 2-stream physical rate for 11n...

All are 2x2 systems. All except GWiFi are AC1300 radios that support 256-QAM on both bands. This raises maximum link rate to 400 Mbps.

 

[thiggins]

I may test Plume, mainly because they have not sent product for review despite multiple requests.

 

[sfx2000]

I may test Plume, mainly because they have not sent product for review despite multiple requests.

Worst case - like the Apple Airports, one might have to acquire a set directly if the vendor doesn't want to play...

I think Plume is probably a bit reluctant to play the review scene based on a bad report from a certain website that doesn't really do wireless reviews.

As with any multiple point/distributed wireless platform - one needs to let it settle a bit to learn the topology of the network - and node placement is key, as a badly placed node can impact performance across the entire WLAN.

The plume stuff - it's pretty advanced compared to the others perhaps - they're touching on stuff that others have not even considered - like others mentioned, there's opportunity for improvement, but the technology they have developed is sound.

 

[sm00thpapa]

I would skip all these 1 gen systems. As we all know the next wave will be much more powerful and faster.

 

[pege63]

I would only use WIFI on my mobilephones, tablets, laptops and the rest i would use cable.

 

[pete y testing]

I would only use WIFI on my mobilephones, tablets, laptops

but for the majority thats just about all they have these days along with a few IoT devices

i can understand the need to test these devices the moment they come out but the manufactures should know this and ensure at least some form of QA and perhaps beta testing before they release to the wild , its prob why the orbi systems are on top of the list atm as they have a big beta test community that spend time with the units before they are released to the wild and exposed to reviews

 

[Lenny90]

Hi all, first time poster so go easy on me if I don't make sense =)

How well would the Netgear Orbi system work if the satellites are behind a door or wall? I read that 5Ghz signal don't penetrate walls well, so would this make the Orbi not ideal? I need to extend my Wifi signal and don't have ethernet ports in the walls.

Edit for spell.

 

[thiggins]

How well would the Netgear Orbi system work if the satellites are behind a door or wall? I read that 5Ghz signal don't penetrate walls well, so would this make the Orbi not ideal? I need to extend my Wifi signal and don't have ethernet ports in the walls.

5 GHz signals are reduced more than 2.4 GHz when traveling through walls, ceilings, etc. But they do go through.

Orbi has always done the best in our testing. If you are concerned about wall penetration, get the Original RBK50 Orbi, which uses a 4x4 backhaul radio vs. the 2x2 in the newer, less expensive RBK40 and RBK30.