2.4GHzWi-FiPerformanceTestReportofLeadingWi-FiRouters

November2017

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TableofContents

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Section Page

Introduction 3

TestProcedures 4

TestEnvironmentsDetail 5-7

SummaryResults 8-9

LargeHomeThroughputResults- MacBook 10-13

LargeHomeThroughputResults– iPhone6s 14-17

Multi-DwellingUnitThroughputResults- MacBook 18-21

Multi-DwellingUnitThroughputResults– iPhone6s 22-25

OpenFieldResults 26-28

AboutNetperian 29

IntroductionObjectiveCustomersliveinawiderangeofhomesanduseproductsindifferentcapacities,andthat’swhyNetperian’s primarygoalistomeasureproductperformanceintherealworld.TheobjectiveofthisreportistomeasuretheWi-FiperformanceofthreeleadingWi-Firouters.

Thisreportcapturesthetruecustomerexperienceofeachdeviceinmultiplelocationswithdifferentclientdevicesusing2.4GHz802.11nWi-Fi.5GHzwasnottested,sincethefocusofourtestingwasWi-Fiperformanceoverextendeddistancesorwhensurroundedbywirelessnoisefromneighbors,and2.4GHzgivesthebestperformanceforthesedifficultconditions.

Testingwasconductedina3,000squarefootsinglefamilyunit(LargeHome),a1,000squarefootapartment,(Multi-DwellingUnit)andanopenfieldataruralhome.ThelargehomewasusedtorepresentthetypicalNorthAmericanlargehome,theMulti-DwellingUnitwasusedtomeasuretherouters’abilitytohandlehighWi-Fiinterferencesituations,andtheopenfieldwasusedtomeasuremaximumreachcapabilitiesoutdoors.

Multipletestscenariowereusedtopaintaclearpictureofoverallproductperformanceofthedevicesundertestintherealworld.

AboutNetperianNetperian isanindependentorganizationwithexpertiseinreal-worldWi-Fiequipmenttesting. MajorbroadbandprovidersandwirelessequipmentmanufacturersrelyonNetperian’s testmethodologytoinsurestrongperformance.Pleaseseepage29fordetails,andalsoseehttp://www.netperian.com

TheWi-Firouterdevicesundertest(DUT):- NETGEARR6700NighthawkAC1750Wi-FiGigabitRouter- NETGEARR7000NighthawkAC1900Wi-FiGigabitRouter- MotorolaMR1700AC1700Wi-FiGigabitRouter

AllthreeweretestedwiththelatestfirmwareavailableinLateOctober2017.FortheNetgearR6700thiswasV1.1.042_1.0.1,forNetgear R7000:v1.0.9.12_1.2.23andforMotorola’sMR1700itwas1.0.Build20171023Rel 86583n

Conclusion:TheMotorolaMR1700performedbest,verystrongforalltests.TheNetgear R7000placedsecond,andtheNetgear R6700placedlast.

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TestProcedureTestingProcedures:• Testclients

• MacBookPro3x3DualBand• iPhone6s2x2dualband

• Uploadanddownloadthroughputteststoeachclientatmultiplelocations.• LargeHometestsincluded15locationscoveringthefourcornersofeachfloorandonecentrallocationperfloor.

• Multi-Dwellingunittestscovered8locationsthroughouttheapartment.• Openfieldtestsincludedmeasurementsat100and1,000feetfromtheDUT• (seepage5-7fortestlocationandenvironmentdetails)

• iPerf 3wasusedasthetrafficgeneratorwiththefollowingsettings:• Windowsizeof512K.(–w512k)• 10parallelstreams.(-P10)• Three60secondtestsperlocationanddirection.(-t60)• Theaverageresultofallthreetestswasselectedasthethroughputforthatlocation.

• Downloadanduploadtestsfocusedon2.4GHzperformanceonly.

• Channelchoiceandchannelbandwidthsettingwaslefttotheindividualmodem/router’sdefaultsetting.

• Defaultroutersettingswereusedtomeasurethetrue“outofthebox”customerexperience.

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LargeHomeTestEnvironmentSingleFamilyUnit(LargeHome)TestHome:Netperian offersseveraltestenvironmentsthatcoverawiderangeofrealworldsituations.FortheLargeHometest,Netperian’s 3,000squarefoot3-storyLargeHomewaschosentorepresentatypicallargeNorthAmericanhome.

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Multi-DwellingUnitTestEnvironment

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Multi-DwellingUnit(MDU):Thisunitisa1,000squarefootapartmentonthetopfloorofalowrisebuilding.ThisenvironmentisinadenselypopulatedneighbourhoodwithcompetingWi-Fisignalsfrombothresidentialandcommercialsources.It’sanidealenvironmenttotesttherouters’abilitytohandlehighWi-Fitrafficsituations.

OpenFieldTestEnvironment

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OpenFieldTestLocation:Totesttherouters’abilityforlongdistancereach,aruralfarmlocationwasselected.Testingwasconductedonthefarm’sfieldwhichisapproximately1,300feetend-to-endMeasurementstookplaceat100and1,000feetfromtherouter.

Top view Ground view

DUT

*

1,000Feet

1000Feet

*

100Feet

*

1000 feet100 feet

DUT

SummaryResults

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ResultsinMbps

NETGEARR6700NETGEARR7000MotorolaMR1700

NETGEARR6700NETGEARR7000MotorolaMR1700

NETGEARR6700NETGEARR7000MotorolaMR1700

NETGEARR6700NETGEARR7000MotorolaMR1700

NETGEARR6700NETGEARR7000MotorolaMR1700

Indicateshighestaveragethroughputforthecategory

* Multi-DwellingUnitfarlocationaveragesarenotshownduetolowvolumeoflocationsworsethan-60dBm

47 23 25 15

40 26 20 1045 28 19 18

OpenField-1,000FeetTestResults

MacBookPro iPhone6sDownload Upload Download Upload

133 108 87 81136 112 89 80

Download Upload Download Upload128 112 83 75

112 121 88 74

OpenField-100FeetTestResults

MacBookPro iPhone6s

89 117 34 59109 97 68 61

Multi-DwellingUnit-AverageResults*

MacBookPro iPhone6sDownload Upload Download Upload

83 86 51 4087 116 66 63

Download Upload Download Upload79 104 35 64

131 141 99 88

LargeHome-AverageResultsforFarTestLocations(Alltestlocationsworsethan-60dBm)

MacBookPro iPhone6s

119 137 38 87124 119 82 77

LargeHome-AverageResultsforAllTestLocations

MacBookPro iPhone6sDownload Upload Download Upload

AverageThroughput– AllClients&TestLocations

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Mbp

s

NETGEAR R6700

Arris Motorola Netgear Arris Motorola Netgear

NETGEAR R7000

MotorolaMR1700

NETGEAR R6700

NETGEAR R7000

MotorolaMR1700

LargeHomeThroughputResults

MacBookProClient

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AverageThroughput– LargeHome– MacBookPro

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Mbp

sMbp

s

* Far locations include all test results with RSSI readings worse than -60 dBm

NETGEAR R6700

NETGEAR R7000

MotorolaMR1700

NETGEAR R6700

NETGEAR R7000

MotorolaMR1700

NETGEAR R6700

NETGEAR R7000

MotorolaMR1700

NETGEAR R6700

NETGEAR R7000

MotorolaMR1700

Average RSSI: -51 dBm

Average Far RSSI: -65 dBmFar RSSI % of all locations: 33%

MacBook Pro Average Throughput – Large Home – All Locations

MacBook Pro Average Throughput – Large Home – Far Locations

2.4GHzThroughput- LargeHome- OrderofRoomTested

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Mbp

sMbp

s

2.4 GHz MacBook Pro Download – Large Home – Order of Room Tested

2.4 GHz MacBook Pro Upload – Large Home – Order of Room Tested

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Mbp

sMbp

s

RSSI

2.4GHzThroughput- LargeHome- OrderofSignalStrength

RSSI

2.4 GHz MacBook Pro Download – Large Home – Order of Signal Strength

2.4 GHz MacBook Pro Upload – Large Home – Order of Signal Strength

LargeHomeThroughputResults

iPhone6sClient

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AverageThroughput– LargeHome– iPhone6s

15

Mbp

sMbp

s

* Far locations include all test results with RSSI readings worse than -60 dBm

NETGEAR R6700

NETGEAR R7000

MotorolaMR1700

NETGEAR R6700

NETGEAR R7000

MotorolaMR1700

NETGEAR R6700

NETGEAR R7000

MotorolaMR1700

NETGEAR R6700

NETGEAR R7000

MotorolaMR1700

Average RSSI: -55 dBm

Average Far RSSI: -68 dBmFar RSSI % of all locations: 27%

iPhone 6s Average Throughput – Large Home – All Locations

iPhone 6s Average Throughput – Large Home – Far Locations

2.4GHzThroughput- LargeHome- OrderofRoomTested

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Mbp

sMbp

s

2.4 GHz iPhone 6s Download – Large Home – Order of Room Tested

2.4 GHz iPhone 6s Upload – Large Home – Order of Room Tested

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Mbp

sMbp

s

RSSI

2.4GHzThroughput- LargeHome- OrderofSignalStrength

RSSI

2.4 GHz iPhone 6s Download – Large Home – Order of Signal Strength

2.4 GHz iPhone 6s Upload – Large Home – Order of Signal Strength

Multi-DwellingUnitThroughputResults

MacBookProClient

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AverageThroughput– Multi-DwellingUnit– MacBookPro

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Mbp

s

NETGEAR R6700

NETGEAR R7000

MotorolaMR1700

NETGEAR R6700

NETGEAR R7000

MotorolaMR1700

MacBook Pro Average Throughput – Multi-Dwelling Unit – All Locations

2.4GHzThroughputMulti-DwellingUnitOrderofRoomTested

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Mbp

sMbp

s

2.4 GHz MacBook Pro Download – Multi-Dwelling Unit– Order of Room Tested

2.4 GHz MacBook Pro Upload – Large Home – Order of Room Tested2.4 GHz MacBook Pro Upload – Multi-Dwelling Unit– Order of Room Tested

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Mbp

sMbp

s

RSSI

2.4GHzThroughputMulti-DwellingUnitOrderofSignalStrength

RSSI

2.4 GHz MacBook Pro Download – Multi-Dwelling Unit– Order of Signal Strength

2.4 GHz MacBook Pro Upload – Multi-Dwelling Unit– Order of Signal Strength

Multi-DwellingUnitThroughputResults

iPhone6sClient

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AverageThroughput– Multi-DwellingUnit– iPhone6s

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Mbp

s

NETGEAR R6700

NETGEAR R7000

MotorolaMR1700

NETGEAR R6700

NETGEAR R7000

MotorolaMR1700

NETGEAR R6700

NETGEAR R7000

MotorolaMR1700

NETGEAR R6700

NETGEAR R7000

MotorolaMR1700

iPhone 6s Average Throughput – Multi-Dwelling Unit – All Locations

2.4GHzThroughputMulti-DwellingUnitOrderofRoomTested

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Mbp

sMbp

s

2.4 GHz iPhone 6s Download – Multi-Dwelling Unit– Order of Room Tested

2.4 GHz iPhone 6s Upload – Multi-Dwelling Unit– Order of Room Tested

25

Mbp

sMbp

s

RSSI

2.4GHzThroughputMulti-DwellingUnitOrderofSignalStrength

RSSI

2.4 GHz iPhone 6s Download – Multi-Dwelling Unit– Order of Signal Strength

2.4 GHz iPhone 6s Upload – Multi-Dwelling Unit– Order of Signal Strength

OpenFieldThroughputResults

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2.4GHzThroughput– MacBookClient– OpenField

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Mbp

sMbp

s

NETGEAR R6700

NETGEAR R7000

MotorolaMR1700

NETGEAR R6700

NETGEAR R7000

MotorolaMR1700

NETGEAR R6700

NETGEAR R7000

MotorolaMR1700

NETGEAR R6700

NETGEAR R7000

MotorolaMR1700

2.4GHzThroughput– iPhone6sClient– OpenField

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Mbp

sMbp

s

NETGEAR R6700

NETGEAR R7000

MotorolaMR1700

NETGEAR R6700

NETGEAR R7000

MotorolaMR1700

NETGEAR R6700

NETGEAR R7000

MotorolaMR1700

NETGEAR R6700

NETGEAR R7000

MotorolaMR1700

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Netperian isanindependent,internationallyrecognizedorganizationspecializinginreal-worldCustomerPremiseEquipmenttesting.Netperian isapioneerinleveragingawidevarietyofrealworldenvironmentsforWi-Fitestingtoaccuratelycapturethetruecustomerexperience. Netperian believesrealwordWi-Fitestingistheonlywaytotrulyassessandcomparewirelessperformanceacrossdevices.Netperian’s testproceduresandenvironmentsaredesignedtohelpcustomersvalidateproductWi-Fiperformancewithlab-liketestproceduresinmultiplereal-worldlocations.

Netperian istrustedbymajorindustryplayersincludingRogersCommunications,BellCanada,Xplornet Communications,SigmaDesigns,SmartRG,DLink CanadaandSagemcom BroadbandSAS.

Netperian isheadedbyPeterVandenengel. Peterisatelecommunicationexecutivewithmorethan18yearsofexperienceandaproventrackrecordofleadingedgeCPEproductdevelopmentandoperationsmanagement. PriortoNetperian,PeterwaswithBellCanadawhereheledhardwareproductdevelopmentandoperations,overseeingthelargestCPEportfolioofanyCanadianTelco. Thisincludedmanagementanddevelopmentofanationwideequipmentbaseofmorethan10millionin-serviceCPE;launchingNorthAmerica’sfirsta4x4wirelesssettopbox;andlaunchingthefirst5GHz802.11acgatewayinCanada.

FormoreinformationaboutNetperian,pleaseseehttp://www.netperian.com

AboutNetperian

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