The Test
802.11g wireless performance test results are presented in the table below:
Test Conditions:
- WEP encryption: DISABLED - Tx Rate: Automatic - Power Save: Disabled - Test Partner: Linksys WRT54G router |
Firmware/Driver Versions:
AP f/w: V2.04.4 Wireless client driver: WinXP 1.1.2.2 Wireless client f/w: No Info |
|||
Test
Description |
Transfer
Rate (Mbps) |
Response
Time (msec) |
UDP
stream |
|
Throughput
(kbps) |
Lost
data (%) |
|||
Client to AP -
|
21.2
|
1 (avg)
|
500 |
0 % |
[Details of how we test can be found here.]
Since I don't have a notebook with USB 2.0 interface, I had to skip my usual four location test and stay put for all my testing. So I concentrated instead on checking throughput for four security modes:
- No security
- WEP 128
- WPA-PSK TKIP
- WPA-PSK AES
Figure 5 shows that the RaLink chipset turns in very acceptable performance in all modes, with 21Mbps average throughput and only about 8% worst-case throughput degradation when using WPA TKIP. WPA AES actually had throughput faster than the no-security case, but I chalk this up to normal measurement variation and the built-in hardware encryption engine that the chipset has for supporting AES' beefier computation requirements.
Figure 5: Security mode throughput comparison
(click on the image for a larger view)
Figure 5 also shows nice even throughput with a few "dropouts" that are not unusual for 11g adapters. This is my first experience with the RaLink chipset and I have to say I'm impressed, at least from these close-range results. Note that all these results are for uplink tests. I ran one downlink test that clocked in at 22Mbps average and 23.9Mbps max.