Cable Modem Routers: Beamforming vs Band Steering vs MU-MIMO (2024)

FAQs

Which is better, MU-MIMO or beamforming? ›

Without beamforming, signals are sent in every possible direction. Beamforming and MU-MIMO work together. Since the signal is more efficiently used, MU-MIMO can help increase WiFi range and speed on a WiFi network.

MU-MIMO uses independent data streams. Beamforming uses identical data streams. Yes they work together (in fact you cannot enable MU-MIMO without enabling explicit beamforming), but they use each other's resources.

MU-MIMO is perfect for small business owners, public spaces, or very large households with a single internet access point. Keep in mind that it won't guarantee top internet speeds, only ensure that the connection doesn't slow down to a crawl or crash altogether when multiple devices connect to the same router.

MIMO technology allows the same signal to be sent from different antennas, which reduces interference and noise. But if it is complemented with Beamforming, the use of each antenna can be further optimized. Imagine a 4X4 MIMO, i.e. composed of four transmitting antennas and four receiving antennas.

Therefore, the disadvantages of using multiuser MIMO include increased hardware complexity, higher demand for computing power, more complex software, the need for frequent updates of channel matrices, and additional constraints such as limited receiver mobility.

OFDMA is useful in situations where multiple devices transmit small packets, while MU-MIMO is useful when multiple devices need high bandwidth at the same time. The advantage of OFDMA is to allocate an entire channel to one client device to serve multiple users simultaneously.

Beamforming can improve both the speed and range of your Wi-Fi connection. Tests have shown up to a 10% improvement in both aspects, which can be significant if you're trying to stream a video or conduct a video conference far from your router.

Depending on the age of your router or access point and the installed firmware version, MU-MIMO might or might not be enabled by default. We recommend enabling MU-MIMO unless you experience connection issues with it turned on. For more information, see How do I enable or disable MU-MIMO on my NETGEAR router?

MU-MIMO technology is now recognized as a major part of the Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) protocol, which emerged from the 802.11ac protocol. Standards older than 802.11ac (such as 802.11b, g and n) do not support MU-MIMO.

Beamforming can be divided into two categories depending on the signal bandwidth: narrowband beamforming and wideband beamforming. Narrowband beamforming is achieved by an instantaneous linear combination of the received array signals.

Why is MIMO preferred? ›

Using MIMO systems is an effective way to improve spectral efficiency. Multiple spatial streams can be sent and received simultaneously between the MIMO access point and the MIMO client. The channel capacity can increase linearly as the number of antennas increases.

Beamforming improves the network service by directing wireless signals to the receiving device, thus increasing transfer speed and decreasing interference. The advantage of multiple antennas create a stronger and more reliable connection amidst the signal-receiving device and the network.

What is the benefit of MU-MIMO? MU-MIMO is an innovative breakthrough that enables simultaneous communication to multiple devices, improving overall speed and enabling network multitasking.

MU-MIMO uses beamforming to make sure communication from the router is efficiently targeted to each connected client. Wi-Fi 6 also increased the number of antennas supported from four to eight, which improves data rates and extends the range for signals to specific clients.