Comparison Xiaomi Router AX3200 vs TP-LINK Archer AX53

The maximum speed provided by the device when communicating wirelessly in the 2.4 GHz band.

This range is used in most modern Wi-Fi standards (see above) - as one of the available or even the only one. The theoretical maximum for it is 600 Mbit. In reality, Wi-Fi at a frequency of 2.4 GHz is used by a large number of client devices, from which congestion of data transmission channels emerges. Also, the number of antennas affects the speed performance of the equipment. It is possible to achieve the speed declared in the specification only in an ideal situation. In practice, it can be noticeably smaller (often by several times), especially with an abundance of wireless technology simultaneously connected to the equipment. The maximum speed at 2.4 GHz is specified in the characteristics of specific models to understand the real capabilities of Wi-Fi equipment. As for the numbers, according to the capabilities in the 2.4 GHz band, modern equipment is conditionally divided into models with speeds up to 500 Mbit inclusive and over 500 Mbit.

- 160 MHz. The presence of a bandwidth of 160 MHz increases the throughput for data transmission and allows it to approach the maximum theoretical speed.

- 320 MHz. The bandwidth of 320 MHz was introduced in the Wi-Fi 7 standard (see the corresponding paragraph). It provides a significant increase in the speed of data exchange - twice as much compared to the width of the wireless channel of 160 MHz.

In this case, LAN means standard network connectors (known as RJ-45) designed for wired connection of LAN devices — PCs, servers, additional access points, etc. The number of ports corresponds to the number of devices that can be directly connected to wired equipment. way.

In terms of speed, 100 Mbps (Fast Ethernet) and 1 Gbps (Gigabit Ethernet) are the most popular options today. At the same time, thanks to the development of technology, more and more gigabit devices are being produced, although in fact this speed is critical only when transferring large amounts of information. At the same time, some models, in addition to the standard speed of the main LAN ports, may have a 2.5 Gbps, 5 Gbps and even 10 Gbps LAN port with increased bandwidth.

The total number of antennas (of all types — see below) provided in the design of the device.

In modern Wi-Fi equipment, this indicator can be different: in addition to the simplest devices with 1 antenna, there are models where this number is 2, 3, 4 and even more. The point of using multiple antennas is twofold. Firstly, if there are several external devices per antenna, they have to share the bandwidth among themselves, and the actual communication speed for each subscriber drops accordingly. Secondly, such a design may also be required when communicating with one external device — to work with MU-MIMO technology (see below), which allows you to fully realize the capabilities of modern Wi-Fi standards.

Anyway, more antennas, usually, means a more advanced and functional device. On the other hand, this parameter significantly affects the cost; so specifically looking for equipment with numerous antennas makes sense mainly when the speed and stability of communication are critical.

Note that antennas intended for mobile communications may also be considered in this clause. So when choosing a model with support for mobile networks, it's ok to clarify this point.

The total number of antennas in the router that are responsible for communication in the 2.4 GHz band. For details about the number of antennas, see "Total antennas", about the range — "Frequency range".

The total number of antennas in the router that are responsible for communication in the 5 GHz band. For details about the number of antennas, see "Total antennas", about the range — "Frequency range".

The total number of antennas in the router that can operate on both 5 GHz and 2.4 GHz frequencies. For details about the number of antennas, see "Total antennas", about the range — "Frequency range".

Rated power of the Wi-Fi transmitter used in the device. If multiple bands are supported (see “Ranges of operation”) the power for different frequencies may be different, for such cases the maximum value is indicated here.

The total transmitting power provided by the device directly depends on this parameter. This power can be calculated by adding the transmitter power and the antenna gain (see above): for example, a 20 dBm transmitter coupled with a 5 dBi antenna results in a total power of 25 dBm (in the main antenna coverage area). For simple domestic use (for example, buying a router in a small apartment), such details are not required, but in the professional field it often becomes necessary to use wireless devices of a strictly defined power. Detailed recommendations on this matter for different situations can be found in special sources, but here we note that the total value of 26 dBm or more allows the device to be classified as equipment with a powerful transmitter. At the same time, such capabilities are not always required in fact: excessive power can create a lot of interference both for surrounding devices and for the transmitter itself (especially in urban and other similar conditions), as well as degrade the quality of the connection with low-power electronics. And for effective communication over a long distance, both the equipment itself and external devices must have the appropriate power (which is far from alway...s achievable). So, when choosing, you should not chase the maximum number of decibels, but take into account the recommendations for a particular case; in addition, a Wi-Fi amplifier or MESH system often turns out to be a good alternative to a powerful transmitter.

The model of the processor installed in the device. The processor is responsible for processing network traffic and running software. Knowing its name, you can get more detailed data on the speed capabilities of the equipment and understand how much such a powerful or, on the contrary, mediocre element is needed on board. In new models of Wi-Fi equipment, coprocessors or so-called NPU modules are often installed, which relieve the load from the main processor.

Most often, Wi-Fi equipment is equipped with processors from Broadcom, MediaTek, Realtek and Qualcomm.