Wireless Performance
The WRT3200ACM was tested with our Revision 9 wireless test process with 1.0.5.175944 version firmware loaded. Channel 6 and 20 MHz B/W mode was set for 2.4 GHz and Channel 40 and 80 MHz B/W mode was set for 5 GHz. The router was positioned in the test chamber as shown in the photo below.
WRT3200ACM in test chamber
As I said in the introduction, the WRT3200ACM will behave as an AC1900 class router unless you pair it with another WRT3200ACM. So I plotted it with three other AC1900 products tested with the Version 9 process, the venerable NETGEAR R7000 and ASUS RT-AC68U and D-Link's no-frills DIR-879.
The average 2.4 GHz throughput over all points measured is better on downlink (63 Mbps) than uplink (52 Mbps). This puts it behind the ASUS and NETGEAR on downlink, but tied for #1 with the ASUS on uplink.
2.4 GHz average throughput comparison
5 GHz averages downlink places the Linksys at the bottom of the heap, while uplink is much better, ranking in second place.
5 GHz average throughput comparison
The throughput vs. attenuation plots show the details behind the averages. The 2.4 GHz downlink plot shows the Linksys running below the ASUS and NETGEAR, but then tracking above the NETGEAR after the 18 dB point. The ASUS, however, starts higher and stays there until it joins the Linksys at 30 dB.
2.4 GHz Downlink Throughput vs. Attenuation
The Linksys does much better on 2.4 GHz uplink, tracking the ASUS through most of the test run.
2.4 GHz Uplink Throughput vs. Attenuation
The 5 GHz downlink plot shows a lot of jockeying for position out to the 27 dB point. The WRT3200ACM starts out lower than the ASUS and D-Link, but soon overtakes both and stays above them out to 27 dB. After that, the D-Link takes the lead and is the only product to complete the run out to 45 dB.
5 GHz Downlink Throughput vs. Attenuation
The WRT3200ACM starts out on top for 5 GHz uplink. but falls off faster than the ASUS and then the NETGEAR. All four cluster pretty tightly at the 30 dB point we use for our 5 GHz range ranking, with the ASUS on top and Linksys in third place.
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