A device supporting WiFi 5 can take advantage of a WiFi 6 router.
A device supporting WiFi 5 can take advantage of a WiFi 6 router.
Due to the growing number of Zoom classes, my ISP's router struggles with bandwidth and keeps failing. Removing the cover and adding a fan helped temporarily but crashes still happen. I found an affordable router online that claims it handles heavy traffic well, offering low latency and high speed. The link provided is https://www.tp-link.com/us/home-networki...cher-ax10/. Most devices on the network use WiFi 5, which differs from the router's capabilities. This might improve stability or reduce crashes, but I'm unsure if it will fully resolve the issue. Consider checking your current device specs and see what details to mention.
The crash shouldn't occur even when under heavy load, which suggests a fresh user installation might resolve the issue. AX won't assist with AC devices; it will operate in a mode suitable for them.
Wouldn't optimizing help? Focus on reducing latency or other factors? A good AC router should match the performance of an AX router technically. With around 6-7 devices running nonstop and up to 10 connected at once in a large home, the current setup might need improvement. The router's specs suggest more cores and speed than a budget AC model, so it could actually boost performance rather than hurt it.
All the latest advanced features in the router won't be applied since both the client and AP need to support them. Other router functions can still work well, but for everyday home use, your main focus should be on Wi-Fi coverage rather than routing speed. What bandwidth are we aiming for?
Latency seems unlikely. Bandwidth might be limited by your CPU load. Some AC routers perform poorly under high speeds, even slowing down your connection because the CPU reaches its limit. Many AC routers only offer 80Mhz channels, whereas AX routers typically support 160Mhz, allowing more data throughput—though this depends on interference and signal quality. I usually see speeds between 400Mbit and 700Mbit on a 160Mhz channel. I won’t go into MU-MIMO details since it doesn’t seem to matter unless you have a very advanced, beamforming-equipped device.
MU-MIMO needs at least two compatible devices to unlock any advantages, though these gains are generally limited. Many current MU-MIMO setups fall short, such as older router models using the BCM4366—replacing it with the BCM4366E offers a more robust processor. Clients for MU-MIMO are still rare. To reach 160 MHz you must have a supported device and be in an area permitting DFS channels; otherwise spectrum constraints limit performance. I’ve achieved around 900 Mbps at 160 MHz (slightly under 900 Mbps with my Huawei P30). My laptop with an Intel AX200 can overwhelm a NAS’s 1 Gbps link, mainly because of the AX hardware. For AC clients using an AX router, the real perks come from upgraded components—better antennas, filters, and processing—that can slightly boost range and speed. Don’t expect massive leaps.
I understood, I used two laptops with AX200 clients, even relocated them across the nanoHD, but performance remained half of what a single client could achieve. Since it’s a 4x4 MU-MIMO device capable of dual-2x2 operation, the marketing claims suggest it should have handled full speed—though the only port was Gigabit LAN, which would cap it at around 700Mbit. It might be another faulty setup, but that’s exactly what makes it unworthy of the price for a feature that likely doesn’t function properly.
MU-MIMO isn't something you need to stress over when choosing an AP or a client. Early evaluations on OFDMA suggest it won't deliver much real-world benefit beyond what's already available. Tim Higgins at SmallNetBuilder has run quite a few tests with OFDMA, and the outcomes were not very promising.
I usually keep an eye on SmallNetBuilder, but I've noticed his tests show lower performance compared to what I'm getting on the same hardware. It's tough because firmware keeps changing. I'm hoping he's mistaken about OFDMA, especially since it's also used in LTE and tends to perform poorly when the tower is busy.
The answer is switching to a good AC router. It handles speeds like 300Mbps download and 100Mbps upload, but with limits.