That said, I don’t think there’s a big rush to upgrade to a Wi-Fi 6 network. For most networks the performance the AP11 offers is enough, and deploying a few of those would cover most typical home or small business network needs. If you want the extra performance, you’ll have to spend almost twice as much to step up to the AP22. If you need or want LAN ports, the AP11D is the only option. The range difference between the AP22/U6-Lite and the U6-LR is big enough that it could be the difference between needing one or two APs to cover an area. In some situations one U6-LR is better, in others one or two U6-Lite/AP22s may be better. It’s hard to make general conclusions. Today, that is changing as Aruba introduces a new Wi-Fi 6 (802.11 ax) Access Point (AP) designed specifically with the needs of smaller organizations in mind. The materials and construction of the AP22U Bosch Wipers are quite outstanding. Bosch wipers are far more durable than their inferior equivalents, giving them an incredible value. Features & Benefits: All Aruba Instant On access points have an installed TPM for secure storage of credentials, keys, and boot codes. Basic Service Set Coloring (BSS COLORING)

Hospitality: Whether it’s a small B&B or the hottest boutique hotel in town, fast, secure, and reliable network access is the key to delivering an exceptional experience to guests and employees. The Aruba Instant On AP11D, AP12, AP22 and AP17 are great for spaces that require seamless indoor and outdoor access and coverage that provides a smooth in-room Wi-Fi experience. Enables a 25% data increase over 256 QAM, improving throughput in your access points and devices. Trusted Platform Module (TPM) In all the speed test charts that follow, the numbers I’m showing are throughput in Mbps, averaged over five or more minute-long local iPerf TCP tests. I went over these numbers multiple times, and I tried to make them as accurate as possible. You won’t necessarily see the same results on your network with your devices, but it should give you a general idea of expected performance. Keep in mind that these numbers represent averages rather than exact measurements. I cover my testing setup at the end of the article if you’re interested in more details about how and why I test this way. UniFi offers more in-depth settings and statistics, but has more software instability and bugs. If you’re not familiar with Ubiquiti’s software standards, lets just say they aren’t enterprise grade. Aruba has an edge when it comes to offering a hassle-free experience, but RF nerds like me always want more knobs to tweak. The Instant On portal and mobile app do an OK job at exposing the basic settings you need, but I would like to see the software mature and expand the number of settings offered. If you want more settings from your Aruba APs, consider one of the enterprise-level Instant APs instead. You’ll also have to consider licenses and possibly an Aruba WLAN controller. Small businesses come in all shapes and sizes. Aruba Instant On has right-sized solutions for a range of small business environments, such as:The AP22 clearly offers the best 2.4 GHz performance. 5 GHz performance depends on a lot of factors, but the U6-LR and the AC-HD performed the best overall. The AC-Pro, AP12, and AP15 all struggled with 80 MHz channels to a single client. I don’t have a reliable way to test multi-client performance yet, but they should offer more performance in multi-client tests and realistic use. Manufactured to the same high quality standards as those fitted by vehicle manufacturers as original equipment

Beyond Wi-Fi 6, there’s also the promise of Wi-Fi 6E on the horizon, which is a more meaningful upgrade than the 10-20% speed improvement you can expect from upgrading from a good Wi-Fi 5 AP. Wi-Fi 6 and 6E are only relevant when you have clients that support them. Wi-Fi 6E devices are just starting to roll out in 2021, and it will be a while until it’s common for most home users. When further away, you can also see the impact of beamforming from the AC-HD and U6-LR. They are able to compensate by directing transmissions towards the distant client, and the U6-LR performed the best at the furthest location. This is where the U6-LR shows it’s biggest advantage over the AP22. The U6-LR’s high transmit power and beamforming allow it to reach further than the AP22, U6-Lite, or any of the other models I tested. A few extra dBm is enough to allow the U6-LR to effectively cover a larger area, or punch through one more wall. If you’re setting up a new network, a Wi-Fi 6 network is your best option. Wi-Fi 6 delivers consistently fast speeds and strong signals when many devices are competing for bandwidth at the same time. It also allows for power conservation, so device batteries last longer. Beyond Wi-Fi 6, there’s also the promise of Wi-Fi 6E on the horizon, which is a more meaningful upgrade than the 10-20% speed improvement you can expect from upgrading from a good Wi-Fi 5 AP. Wi-Fi 6 and 6E are only relevant when you have clients that support them. Wi-Fi 6E devices are just starting to roll out in 2021, and it will be a while until it’s common for most home users. If you are happy with your Wi-Fi network, it could be a good idea to hold off on upgrading. If you’re looking for an upgrade now, the AP11 and AP22 are great options.If you’re considering a new Instant On network, I have no issues recommending the AP22 over the AP11. I didn’t test the higher spatial stream AP12 or AP15, but those will have similar advantages that the AC-HD or U6-LR has. More spatial streams mean better multi-client performance, and usually better beamforming. The AP12 or AP15 should be better than the AP22 for high-density networks and in some scenarios, but I can’t say for sure. When their Wi-Fi 6 replacements arrive I’ll definitely be testing those. The first few tests cover an ideal scenario, with a nearby client on a clean channel. In typical use you’ll see less throughput. This is a test of the APs capability in an ideal scenario, and how much data they can deliver to a single client. For the next test, I switched over to my MacBook Pro and it’s 3 spatial stream Wi-Fi 5 radio. This is an interesting test because it shows the impact of an additional spatial stream, and removes the highest-end modulation (1024-QAM) and longer symbol duration of Wi-Fi 6. This is a more even playing field, and a chance for the 3x3 and 4x4 APs to show their strength.