Netgear 3DHD Wireless Home Theatre Networking Kit
by Cameron Butterfield on February 25, 2011 7:20 PM EST- Posted in
- Networking
- Home Theater
- NetGear
Real World File Copy Testing:
While IxChariot is good for measuring some characteristics of performance, we also performed some additional tests. First, a series of files totaling 6GB was transferred and timed over each of the device pairs. The numbers here reflect real world data transfers. We skipped the "ideal" 5 feet scenario this time as that didn't seem to be very important.
The interesting thing is that even though the Ixia Endpoint testing showed the WUSB600N performing much faster during the theoretical benchmark tests, here in the file copy test it only just outperforms the 3DHD device. Both of the leading devices at the one room testing range are transfering data at what equates to 83 Mbps. At location three, full house testing, we see some clear results. While the NETGEAR 3DHD pair is boasting around 69 Mbps, the other two devices have slowed to 32 Mbps.
5GHz Coexistence:
NETGEAR is marketing the 3DHD as a solution that can be added to existing wireless networks. Since the majority of wireless networks are based on the 2.4GHz range and this device operates on the 5GHz spectrum, the NETGEAR devices should not impact the existing 2.4GHz network. However, some users are utilizing 5GHz wireless routers already. Testing was performed to see if the performance of the NETGEAR 3DHD was impacted when using other 5GHz network devices at the same time.
In both the downlink and uplink tests, comparing when other 5GHz devices are present and when they are not present, there is minimal variation. This minimal impact may be due in part to the spacial beamforming features of the 4x4 MIMO technology that NETGEAR has implemented.
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phuzi0n - Monday, February 28, 2011 - link
WNR3500L's are 2x2 MIMO 2.4GHz wireless routers (that can be used as bridges) whereas these are 4x4 MIMO 5 GHz wireless bridges. The WNR3500L has a 480MHz CPU so it should have better throughput at close range, and higher maximum range because it's on the 2.4GHz band, but worse performance at mid-range than these.The 4x4 MIMO on these should give much better throughput than the tests showed but I believe that these have a slow CPU that is inhibiting them as I explained above.
Shadowmaster625 - Monday, February 28, 2011 - link
Why would anyone pay $220 when a cable costs $3? I guess that's a rhetorical question... the real question is why would you want to pay $220 for yet another carcinogenic box. Just go down to the corner store and buy a pack of smokes. I feel sorry for the children of the yuppies who buy crap like this. To be born and raised in a microwave laden world...Quidam67 - Monday, February 28, 2011 - link
Because logistcs often precludes the use of a cable. but you would already know that if you bothered reading the article. As for microwaves, why don't you just strand yourself on a desert island and eat bananas and talk to coconuts rather than trolling the internet? rhetorical.shamans33 - Monday, February 28, 2011 - link
I've always enjoyed Anandtech for the reason that it has articles on interesting new products or topics (unlike the article about Apple upgrading their MBP line).I have a few comments though:
1) What about distances more than 1 house apart?
2) You need comparative pricing on the other products you mentioned.
3) You need a percentile minimum throughput chart. (ie. the throughput was at least 5.3 mbps 40% of the time).
4) You need to run the interference test on the other products mentioned.
5) Some comments about the difficulty of setup on the other products mentioned would be nice.
Discombobulated28 - Friday, March 4, 2011 - link
For 3 months last year I went through a dozen routers trying to be able to perfectly stream and playback high bitrate blu-ray and mkv files (30GB + files)... I think I'm on my Local Fry's Electronics watch list now due to all the returns...because I have yet been able to sustain 30Mbps + streaming using wireless-N streaming to my media players to playback on my HDTV...valhar2000 - Monday, March 21, 2011 - link
Can these devices be connected in something other than pairs? Could I have three of them, one connected to the ADSL modem and the other two on different floors and all connected to each other, or would I need to buy two pairs and use them in pairs?kcc651 - Thursday, June 23, 2011 - link
The wireless 3DHD seems like an interesting concept. I wonder if it's something I could try out in my home theater system. I wonder if it will interfere with the system I had installed by a <a href="http://www.creativesound.info/audio-video.html&quo... video company phoenix</a>. I don't know the intricacies of the system they put in.