Performance
I used the open-air test method described here to test the WET6's performance. It was paired with a Linksys WRT400N, mainly because I had one handy, having just reviewed it. The 400N had the latest 1.0.01 B19 firmware and I left all factory default settings in place, except to set channel 1 for the 2.4 GHz mode tests and channel 36 for the 5 GHz tests and to switch between 20 and 40 MHz wide channel modes as needed. The WET6 was loaded with its factory-fresh 1.0.00 build 1050 firmware with its default WMM and Advanced Wireless defaults.
Figure 4 shows a composite of downlink throughput tests made at the six test locations in four wireless modes: 2.4 GHz, 20 MHz channel; 2.4 GHz, 40 MHz channel; 5 GHz, 20 MHz channel; and 5 GHz, 40 MHz channel. Each column represents the average throughput from a one minute test. Best case downlink throughput of 60.8 Mbps was measured at Location A using a 40 MHz channel in the 5 GHz band.
Figure 4: WET610N six location downlink summary
As with most draft 11n products, I wasn't able to connect in Locations E and F in 5 GHz using either a 20 or 40 MHz channel. At Location F in 2.4 GHz, I was actually able to connect to the 400N with a 40 MHz channel, but not run a test.
Figure 5 shows a composite of the actual IxChariot test results running downlink 2.4 GHz w/ 20 MHz channel. Throughput variation is very low, lower even than measured with the WRT400N (open the plot).
Figure 5: Six location wireless throughput - 2.4 GHz, 20 MHz channel, downlink
Because the 400N's throughput variation was low to start with, I can't say for sure whether any of the WET6's WMM or FEC magic was really a help. But either way, the combination of WRT400N and WET610N produced the steadiest throughput that I have seen since the NETGEAR WNHDE111.
Figure 6 shows a six location plot for the uplink direction, which generally shows slightly lower speeds than downlink. Best case uplink throughput of 55.2 Mbps was again measured using a 40 MHz channel in the 5 GHz band at Location A. The IxChariot uplink plot looks very similar to the downlink, with overall low variation.
Contest #29 Results 
