Atheros vs Broadcom

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meshme
DD-WRT User


Joined: 14 Feb 2007
Posts: 79

PostPosted: Tue Mar 20, 2007 23:20    Post subject: Atheros vs Broadcom Reply with quote
Just a quick question, I don't want to start a flame war.

Is the atheros radio (inside the WHR-HP-AG108) better than the Broadcom found in the WHR-HP-G54 and the other WRT routers ?

And how does the AG108 compares with a minipci CM9 or a Compex radio?

I'm trying to understand if it's worth the effort to get a few AG108 for testing or not.

Thank you !
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Sycho
DD-WRT User


Joined: 07 Nov 2006
Posts: 58

PostPosted: Tue Mar 20, 2007 23:51    Post subject: Reply with quote
RF speaking, Atheros is much better than Broadcom, they have higher sensivity.
Just did a simple test, i have both Fonera (Atheros) and WRT54GL (Broadcom) set in client mode. Check site survey and:
Atheros "see" networks from -98dBm, there are a lot here from -98 to -95dBm. Broadcom starts arround -90. The difference in detected networks is 20 versus 3 !
Next is to do some real throughput tests (to be done).

By the way, i found a rf bug in Fonera.
With a microwave rf power meter sensor attached to fonera's rp-sma:
Antenna gain to 0, so max power is at +18dBm by default. Power meter stay at +16dBm (that's ok because of time integration of signal, the ap is not transmitting continuously, was only sending beacons).
Now change txpower to +17dBm (iwconfig eth0 txpower). Real output goes 1dB down instantaneously.
Change rfpower to +16dBm, it goes 1dB down.

Now try to go up again... change to +17dBm and you get real 1dB increment, but changing to +18dBm makes no difference! It don't matter what you do, you can't get back to +18dBm without restarting. Tried going up and down, sweeping from 0 to +18... nothing.

I don't know if this is a ddwrt bug or an Atheros itself. But it's interesting xD

Next to come is rf output measurements of WRT54GL, maybe i get another surprise? xD


Last edited by Sycho on Wed Mar 21, 2007 7:59; edited 1 time in total
joksi
DD-WRT Guru


Joined: 16 Jan 2007
Posts: 1240

PostPosted: Wed Mar 21, 2007 7:51    Post subject: Reply with quote
I have noticed some issues with throughput when connecting Fonera routers as clients to my WRT54G.

Before i got the WRT54G, the Foneras were connected to each other wirelessly in WDS AP/Station mode, which in later firmware release worked perfectly.
There was a a floor separating the routers, though the bandwitdh test was still showin 24-25Mbps througput at most.

But, then I replaced one Fonera with the WRT54G, and made both Foneras clients to it onstead. What happened?
Well, no matter if I setup client mode, or client bridge mode (without routing that is) the trouhgput between the Foneras and the WRT54G is awful...

At the most top 13-14Mbps, more likely average 10Mbps.

Really strange! Dont know if its due to some new modifications in later firmwares for both router models, or if the WRT54G jut has a poor WLAN.
eeff11
DD-WRT User


Joined: 23 Jan 2013
Posts: 116

PostPosted: Sat Mar 16, 2013 9:03    Post subject: Reply with quote
Sycho wrote:
RF speaking, Atheros is much better than Broadcom, they have higher sensivity.
Just did a simple test,


Did the same test, quite the same.
That's why I moved from Broadcom based routers to Atheros based.

Still wondering why such huge difference, DD should be better suitable for Broadcom, so it's REALLY the hardware difference?
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