Recommendation for U6 Pro, U7 Pro, or XG – Medium network setup
Recommendation for U6 Pro, U7 Pro, or XG – Medium network setup
Hello everyone,
After reviewing numerous articles and conversations about the U6 Pro, U7 Pro, and U7 Pro XG models, I remain uncertain because of several considerations.
In Belgium, especially in rural or smaller towns, network performance is typically low no matter which ISP you choose. I recently connected via DSL using a telephone line, which caps my speed at 30–40 Mbps (per Speedtest). My neighbor, who uses a different provider with a coaxial network, achieves up to 400 Mbps. However, these speeds won’t improve much until fiber optic service arrives, which isn’t expected for another 4–5 years in my area.
I don’t intend to pay for speeds exceeding 1 Gbps, as the costs are very high. I currently pay €35 (about $38) for a theoretical 100 Mbps, which translates to around 40 Mbps in practice. Fiber options here range from €80 to €100 (about $87–$109) for speeds of 1 to 2 Gbps, which is the maximum available for residential customers.
If my ISP delivers 400 Mbps, I intend to set up:
- 5–6 cameras (PoE and Wi-Fi)
- Multiple smart TVs
- Smart speakers and voice assistants
- Smartphones
- An alarm system
- Connected home appliances (oven, washing machine, robotic vacuum, etc.)
My home spans two floors with reinforced concrete between them, covering roughly 25 × 20 m (~82 × 66 ft) including the terrace.
Here are the prices I can find in Belgium:
U6 Pro: €125 (~$136)
U7 Pro: €142 (~$155)
U7 Pro XG: €179 (~$195)
Which model would you suggest in this situation?
Each 4K video stream needs 30Mbps of bandwidth. Determine how many devices can stream simultaneously. Motion detection in security cameras activates them only when movement is detected and recording begins, using significantly less bandwidth than 30Mbps. Smart appliances require minimal data usage. Two U6 Pro units (one per level) should suffice. The network supports various standards: 802.11n (WiFi 4) from 6.5 Mbps to 600 Mbps, 802.11ac (WiFi 5) from 6.5 Mbps to 3.4 Gbps, and 802.11ax (WiFi 6) from 7.3 Mbps to 4.8 Gbps, plus up to 1Gbps uplink. Bandwidth should remain stable without saturation.
When discussing wifi, remember that your end devices make up half of the connection. If they lack support for advanced features, a more costly router won’t be worthwhile. If your gadgets don’t actually support wifi7, that feature won’t be used.
Most devices only have two antennas, so even a high-performance 4x4 MIMO offers no real benefit.
The application you’re using is generally low bandwidth, so speed isn’t a major concern. Only in situations like downloading large files or using a local NAS would fast wifi be necessary. In such cases, it’s better to start with Ethernet.
You probably don’t need the more expensive models listed.
Be cautious of marketers; Wi-Fi coverage inside a home is unpredictable. Wi-Fi7 only extends beyond Wi-Fi 5 or 6, and in some areas—especially those using 6GHz bands—it may not cover at all.
Setting up will likely involve trial and error regarding placement and the number of access points. It mostly depends on where your Ethernet cables are available for connection. Some users can manage with a single central wifi source. The main challenge isn’t signal range, but interference from neighboring signals.
Your internet speed doesn’t directly determine your wifi requirements. For instance, keeping security camera footage local instead of sending it to the cloud can save bandwidth.