Product Listing

EnGenius ESR9855G Wireless-N Gaming Router - Game On

By Andy Sim - 4 Aug 2010
Launch SRP: S$189

Performance

Test Setup

To create a wireless network scenario, our routine test setup typically includes a desktop PC, the reviewed router, and a wireless client. The desktop system (with a Gigabit Ethernet port) is designed to simulate a host machine, while the router in question acts as the gateway. And lastly, a notebook plugged with a Wireless-N USB adapter fulfils the role of a wireless remote client.

To gauge the router's peak potential and to prevent any possibility of varying wireless standards used, the evaluated router is locked down at the 802.11n-only mode if its features allow us to do so. The QCheck application provides an indication of the wireless throughput (TCP) and streaming (UDP) finesse between the host and client endpoints. TCP throughputs are measured against a 1MB data packet, whilst any significant packet loss is registered with the UDP test. On the other hand, NetIQ's Chariot benchmark offers a more detailed account with average throughput and response time readings recorded over 30 seconds, based on a High Performance throughput script. Range is determined by the distance between the router and wireless client. Now, let's run through the results proper.

Chariot and QCheck Performance Testing

 

EnGenius ESR9855G Performance Results
Average Downlink Throughput (Mbps) - Chariot Average Uplink Throughput (Mbps) - Chariot Downlink TCP Throughput of 1MB (Mbps) Uplink TCP Throughput of 1MB (Mbps) UDP Streaming (kbps) Time to transfer 1GB Zip file
2m
50.780 41.347 40.609 25.641 995.655 (0.0% loss) 2 min 42 seconds
10m
25.657 10.967 22.599 17.094 998.530 (0.0% loss) 5 min 31 seconds
25m
26.140 10.834 23.529 7.929 995.553 (0.6% loss) N.A.
2m with WPA2-TKIP
22.450 28.450 21.622 11.817 996.942 (0.0% loss) N.A.

The ESR9855G's wireless performance was satisfactory, more so with its downlink numbers. At 2 meters, close proximity throughput results averaged at 50.780Mbps, which is mighty decent. Its numbers paled slightly, however, when compared to TRENDnet's TEW-673GRU with its 60.150Mbps delivery. However, the EnGenius device fared significantly better than the Linksys WRT160NL which only managed 34.905Mbps across the same range. Unfortunately, the router appeared to be hampered by the WPA2/TKIP protocol with TCP throughput rates dipping to 22.450Mbps (downlink) and 28.108Mbps (uplink) respectively. The results are effectively halved if you were to compare it to the non-secured pipeline.

Nonetheless, downstream results were slightly rosier at long range. At 25 meters, the ESR9855G clocked a stable downlink throughput of 26.140Mbps even though the Chariot's graphs do indicate a slightly erratic tendency. Upstream performance wasn't so wholesome though, with the router managing a middling result of 10.834Mbps. You might want to take note of this if you are gaming or using VoIP over the air since weak uplink results can have an adverse effect with such applications. On the contrary, the router's UDP streaming abilities were laudable given its negligible packet loss between 2 to 25 meters. Translating this to numbers, nearly the entire chunk of 1MB data file was received intact at the endpoint with only a recorded loss of 128 bytes. For data transfer, the router took a relatively speedy timing of 162 seconds to complete a 1GB file transfer at the 2-meter mark.

A summary of the Chariot benchmark's downstream data speeds measured at 2 meters (blue), 10 meters (red) and 25 meters (green). Identical results gathered between 10 and 25 meters is indicative of its long range reliability.

Likewise, upstream throughputs are highlighted in this graph with readings measured across 2m, 10m and 25m. As you can see, the ESR9855G's uplink finesse wasn't as burly as its downlink muscle, and throughput degradation started to show from 10m and beyond.
 

With WPA2/TKIP encryption - Securing the router did dent the router's performance significantly. Average downstream performance was almost half of a non-secured pipeline. Interestingly, uplink speeds (in red) were notably faster than the downlink rates (in blue) on the WPA2 security protocol.

 

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8.0
  • Design 8
  • Features 8
  • Performance 8.5
  • Value 8
The Good
Stable Downlink Throughput
Affordable
The Bad
Lacks USB port
Single-band
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