r/UNIFI • u/EHerlitz • 3h ago
Wireless UniFi AirWire – Initial performance results compared to Intel Wi-Fi 7 BE202
I've been testing the new UniFi AirWire, and so far the results have been a bit underwhelming compared to my existing Wi-Fi setup.
My setup:
- Access point: UniFi U6 Enterprise with a 2.5 GbE uplink
- Distance: Approximately 15 meters (50 ft) from the AP
- Obstacles: Thick stone walls and two doors between my PC and the AP
- Existing Wi-Fi adapter: Intel Wi-Fi 7 BE202 with an external antenna
- Testing: iPerf3 throughput measurements
Here are my results:
| Configuration | Throughput |
|---|---|
| Intel Wi-Fi 7 BE202, external antenna | ~400+ Mbps |
| AirWire, same location as existing antenna | ~135 Mbps |
| AirWire, moved closer to a doorway | ~295 Mbps |
| AirWire, enhanced mode with external power | ~305 Mbps |
Moving the AirWire closer to a doorway made a huge difference, nearly doubling the throughput. However, even with enhanced mode enabled and external power connected, it still falls short of my existing Intel Wi-Fi adapter.
One thing worth mentioning is that I haven't tried relocating the Intel Wi-Fi antenna closer to the doorway. I don't currently have the necessary extension cables, but that would probably be a more apples-to-apples comparison.
I wasn't necessarily expecting miracles given the thick stone walls, but I was hoping the AirWire would at least match or outperform my existing setup.
Has anyone else tested the AirWire against a decent PCIe Wi-Fi adapter with external antennas? I'd be interested to hear how it performs in similar challenging environments.