WiFi 6 PCIE card solution
WiFi 6 PCIE card solution
You're considering upgrading your PCIe M.2 adapter to match a new chip. The first option seems straightforward, while the second suggests a more comprehensive change. Regarding the antenna compatibility, most external antennas support MIMU, but differences can exist between models—check the specific product details for confirmation.
They remain superior to typical laptops because most laptops simply position the antenna along the screen frame. MIMU refers to the requirement of three separate antennas, which isn’t found in any desktop or laptop design since all M2 style cards are identical. In a laptop you typically find two or three antenna sets—one for WiFi/Bluetooth and another for LTE modem, even without a modem—and one for NFC if available. The WiFi card is limited to just two connections.
It seems you're exploring desktop options with MIMU arrays beyond your current setup. With an Archer C7 and plans for gigabit internet, upgrading to the Gigabyte AX200 is a solid choice. Are there any other alternatives you've come across that might offer even better performance?
You probably won't find a 3x3+ MU-MIMO desktop adapter, as pretty much all WiFi cards with two antenna's are the same as what you have. The 3x3 to 8x8 MU-MIMO stuff is pretty much routers only, you might see them with 8 antennas. What you get in desktop adapters are 2x2. The important part is in the router as the router basically creates 4 separate zones (with 8 antennas) so it can service 4 devices without overlapping. 2x2 MIMU is the same as what we've all been using since Wireless B. This is an example of a 4x4 PCIe card: https://www.asus.com/ca-en/Networking/PCE-AC88/ Note that's an AC, not AX card.
Great question. The cards you mentioned do offer 3 and 4 antenna arrays, but they’re priced high and don’t meet AX standards. The Gigabyte AX200 is advertised as supporting MU-MIMO even with a single antenna setup. You should be able to proceed confidently—no major concerns there.
Keep in mind that WiFi and Gigabit might not fully work together right now. AX is still a brand new standard, and it's unclear if the complete version is ready for release. These are early products hitting the market. You should be cautious about adopting AX until second generation devices arrive or until current benchmarks show progress. When choosing Gigabit internet, focus on your LAN to WAN speed—many routers have gigabit ports but few support full Gigabit NAT. That’s usually the main issue. WiFi is a close second, which explains why some users with gigabit connections install a firewall like pfSense. Just because there aren’t many routers that can fully use gigabit isn’t the end of the world.
802.11b didn't include MIMO functionality; it was added in 802.11n. Before that, dual antennas were only employed in situations where the best signal was available, or one antenna handled transmission and the other reception. MIMO technology allows simultaneous use of both antennas to boost speed significantly, especially with more antennas.
The focus wasn't on the m2 card's antenna setup. It was about the maximum number of connections allowed. Some older mini-PCI models had three. If you thought I suggested MIMO for A/B/G, that's not what I meant—I meant only two antennas. MIMO came with Wireless-N, and MU-MIMO with AC. To get AX, they'll need an AX router or access point too.