Hi,
With my previous gear (Mikrotik CAP ACs flashed with OpenWRT), I was able to get 500-550 Mbps on an ideal case on the 5 GHz band (80 MHz) on my Macbook, and 300 Mbps on my phone running iperf3 connected to a wired server on the same switch as the access point in download mode (-R).
Now with a Ruckus R710 on Unleashed, I get a little slower speed. The connection seems great and range is miles better but it seems odd I can't reach faster raw speed!
Clients specs and iperf3 results
Wired client:
- Plugged to the same switch as the R710, on gigabit connection
MacBook #1 wifi reported connection:
- Tx rate: 1,300 Mbps (3x3)
- Channel: 157 (5 GHz, 80 MHz)
- RSSI: -33 dBm
- Noise: -90 dBm
- MCS Index: 9
- NSS: 3
- Distance: 1m
- iperf3 (download) average: 402 Mbps (was able to reach 550 on Cap AC 2x2 running OpenWRT)
MacBook #2 wifi reported connection:
- Tx rate: 867 Mbps (2x2)
- Channel: 157 (5 GHz, 80 MHz)
- RSSI: -50 dBm
- Noise: -92 dBm
- MCS Index: 9
- NSS: 2
- Distance: 3m
- iperf3 (download) average: 315 Mbps (was able to reach 550 on Cap AC 2x2 running OpenWRT)
Samsung Phone:
- Tx/Rx rate: 433 Mbps
- Channel: 157 (5 GHz, 80 MHz)
- Distance: 2m
- iperf3 (download) average: 256 Mbps (was able to reach 300 on Cap AC 2x2)
AP specs
- Ruckus R710 running Unleashed 200.13.6.1.319
- Country Code: CA
- 5GHz Channel: 157 (80 MHz)
- Forced 802.3at mode (Using a genuine Ruckus PoE injector)
- Enabled 802.11r/802.11k
- Background scanning: 300 seconds
- Smart Roam: Enabled and set to 1
- 5GHz Reported Noise Floor: -108
- 5GHz Reported % Retries/% Drops: 0.000127/0.00
- 5GHz connected devices: 3
- 5GHz Reported TX Power: Full
- Everything else default
House spec
- Rural area, no other 5 GHz access points detected
- Wood walls
- Access point is on the floor facing up to simulate its final placement on the ceiling (mirroring the actual position, but on the floor)
- Computers and phones are elevated 1-2 meters from the floor in the same room, distance are given above for each client
Experiments / Overall impressions
The speed is consistent and great. I tried various other channels and country codes, sometimes the speed was lower, but never higher. I tried lowering the power too. I tried to swap the R710 with a R510 and I kind of got the same speeds.
Oddity
The phone roams great when going from the 5 GHz to the 2 GHz band, the iperf3 connection doesn't skip a beat, but when roaming back to the 5 GHz channel, the iperf3 test has 2-3 seconds of 0 mbps before going back full speed. At least the connection doesn't drop, but I find it odd. My old access point (Mikrotik running OpenWRT) wasn't doing that with the same phone.
Conclusion
As I said, my Mikrotik 2x2 access point was giving me higher raw speed and I read in numerous places that I should be able to get around 550 mbps running iperf3 with a 5 GHz (80 MHz) wifi5 access point in ideal scenarios...
Thanks for the help/pointers!
