Wireless Performance - Competitive Comparison
For a competitive comparison, I pulled together the first "pseudo-N" router, the Linksys WRT110 and the other single-stream router that I've tested so far, the Belkin N150.
As I have seen with every other wireless router, Figure 22 shows that the WRT120N isn't the best performer in all test locations.
Figure 22: Wireless competitive comparison - 20MHz mode, down
So I'll once again turn to my trusty throughput summary tables (Tables 2 and 3) to perform a more comprehensive comparison.
The tables are generated by going through each six-location comparison plots and putting the throughput value in the product's box that had the highest throughput for each test. If throughput differs by 1 Mbps or less, then both products get the throughput entered.
Product | 2.4GHz /20 | 2.4GHz / 40 | ||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
A | B | C | D | E | F | A | B | C | D | E | F | |
Linksys WRT120N | 41.1 | 21.5 | 66.9 | 1.9 | 0.2 | |||||||
Linksys WRT110 | 37.6 | 35.1 | 2.3 | 0.4 | 48.2 | 59.1 | 25.1 | |||||
Belkin N150 |
Table 2: Best downlink throughput summary
Table 2 shows that the WRT120N and WRT110 are essentially tied for downlink performance both in 20 and 40 MHz modes. But Table 3 shows the WRT110 the clear winner for uplink and so the overall winner. Not surprisingly, the Belkin N150 is the poorest performer of the group.
Product | 2.4GHz /20 | 2.4GHz / 40 | ||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
A | B | C | D | E | F | A | B | C | D | E | F | |
Linksys WRT120N | 0.4 | 0.3 | 39.3 | 13.9 | 0.7 | 1.0 | ||||||
Linksys WRT110 | 42.4 | 38.9 | 38.2 | 25.5 | 0.8 | 0.9 | 63.3 | 38.9 | 52.4 | 14.0 | 0.5 | |
Belkin N150 |
Table 3: Best uplink throughput summary
But let's see what happens if you spend a bit more money for a certified draft 802.11n router. I chose the D-Link DIR-655 [A4] since it's a popular choice and good performer. I also wanted to include a draft 11n router that had also been tested with the Intel 5300AGN client, just to see if there was a pattern of bad performance using that adapter.
Figure 23 shows the four routers compared for 20 MHz mode downlink.
Figure 23: Wireless competitive comparison w/ DIR-655 [A4] - 20MHz mode, down
And once again, throughput comparison tables for down (Table 4) and uplink (Table 5).
Product | 2.4GHz /20 | 2.4GHz / 40 | ||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
A | B | C | D | E | F | A | B | C | D | E | F | |
Linksys WRT120N | 21.5 | 1.9 | 0.2 | |||||||||
Linksys WRT110 | 35.1 | 2.3 | 0.4 | 48.2 | 59.1 | 25.1 | ||||||
Belkin N150 | ||||||||||||
D-Link DIR-655 [A4] | 67.4 | 48.4 | 22.1 | 2.8 | 0.8 | 83.1 | 0.9 | 0.8 |
Table 4: Best downlink throughput summary - w/ DIR-655 [A4]
Table 4 shows that the downlink contest is between the DIR-655 [A4] and WRT110, with the 655 coming out ahead. Uplink is just no contest, with the 655 shutting out the other two products in all locations (except for a tie in Location F, 40 MHz mode).
Product | 2.4GHz /20 | 2.4GHz / 40 | ||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
A | B | C | D | E | F | A | B | C | D | E | F | |
Linksys WRT120N | 1.0 | |||||||||||
Linksys WRT110 | ||||||||||||
Belkin N150 | ||||||||||||
D-Link DIR-655 [A4] | 62.4 | 41.7 | 54.4 | 35.4 | 6.0 | 2.3 | 100.1 | 52.2 | 63.8 | 30.1 | 2.2 | 1.4 |
Table 5: Best uplink throughput summary - w/ DIR-655 [A4]
It's not surprising, to me at least, that the Certified draft 11n dual-stream router and card are the clear winners. But it's nice to have the data to back up the assumption.
Use the Wireless Charts to generate other comparisons.