Performance Benchmarks

We now know everything there is to know about features, technical specifications and setup. But what about actual performance? I must admit that this is my first Wi-Fi router review. But I did my best to create meaningful and scientific tests.

Benchmark: Single client

Close range test

This first test is designed to see how close the device can get to the theoretical maximum performance.  It will demonstrate if the Wi-Fi router is functioning properly or not.

The D-Link DIR-842 shows great close range results, it even outperforms the more expensive R7000. If you need  fast file transfers while you are close then your router then you clearly cannot go wrong here.

Medium range

But what happens when we add some range? At 8m we were getting about -49 dBM and the uplink was varying between 390 and 433 mbps. So far so good, but what about bandwith?

At medium range we see a significant performance drop for the DIR-842 on the 5 Ghz band. However with 168/106 Mbps the speeds are still plenty fast for most of us.

Concrete floor

For the final test we will be increasing the difficulty. The Dir-842 is placed on the first floor. Now performance is measured one floor up. In between is 20 cm of concrete. All doors are closed so the signal will have to penetrate door, walls or the concrete floor.

It looks like the Netgear R7000’s smart beam technology is really working. The Dir-842 clearly lacks the power to punch through the concrete floor. Performance is limited to an unacceptable 19 Mbps. At this point you are much better off switching to the 2.4 Ghz band. At the same spot we measured about 50 Mbps.

Benchmark Summary

The It looks like the D-Link Dir-842 has great short and good medium range performance. However 5 Ghz performance through concrete floors is really bad. If you purchase this product then you will have to accept that in that scenario you will have to revert to 2.4 Ghz and be limited to about 50 Mbps.