Asus WL-106gM MIMO 240 WiFi Adapter - Review

[farhan]

Asus WL-106gM MIMO 240 WiFi Adapter

Introduction

The WL-106gM is a Wifi adapter which cleverly uses the MIMO (multiple-in, multiple-out) technology to provide (as claimed by Asus) faster transferring data than a wired 10/100 Ethernet network. Together with the Asus WL-566gM 240 MIMO router, WL-106gM utilizes 240 MIMO Technology to harness multiple signal transmission pathways, created as the transmitted signal reflects off and refracts around objects causing what was once considered interference.

With clever signal processing, the WL-566gM/106gM package manipulates that interference to boost a WLAN’s range and data transfer rate.

Features

It offers unique features like:

• 240 MIMO: Advanced MIMO technology, double speed than 108 MIMO, Data Rate: 240Mbps, Actual throughput: 100Mbps
  
  
• Faster than wire Ethernet: Boost wireless transfer speed up to 100Mbps
  
  
• Boost coverage area of 802.11g standard by 8X
  
  
• WMM (Wi-Fi Multimedia) - Enhance wireless transfers of audio/video content
  
  
• Data Security - WPA2, WPA-PSK, TKIP, WEP
  
  
• Support 802.11e
  
  
• Excellent Configuration Utility

240 MIMO - Boosts speed up to 100Mbps

The WL-106gM adopts new technology-240 MIMO, which uses advanced digital signal processing techniques to provide the highest speed, receiver sensitivity, and increasing signal coverage range.


Partner with 240 MIMO routers for maximum speed and range

The WL-106gM, with 240 MIMO technology, can achieve maximum speed and range extension through connection with 240 MIMO-capable wireless routers (WL-566gM).


WMM (Wi-Fi Multimedia)

WWM provides multimedia enhancements for Wi-Fi networks to improve sharing of audio, video, and voice contents.

Configuration Utility

The Asus WL-106gM comes with a suite of client applications. Most other cards come with client applications that do little more than duplicate the functions included in WinXP's Wireless Zero Configuration. Some even fall short by not allowing access to all the card properties that you may need to tweak.
ASUS' WLAN Control Center is by far the best wireless configuration utility I have seen to date. You feel in total control of the WiFi Adapter and can fiddle around with loads of different settings. It even provides a very useful signal strength monitor. The graph shows real-time signal strength and it goes up and down as you move closer or further from the router.

The Product

The Bundle

Here is what you get when you buy the Asus WL-100gE

• Asus WL-106gM WiFi Adapter
  
• Drivers/Configuration Utility CD-rom
  
• User Manual

Testing Environment

The adapter was tested using the Asus WL-566gM router on the server side.
Here are the signal strength results from different locations around the house.

Coverage
The router was setup in the upper story of my house and using laptop and a very neat software called Net Stumbler, I roamed around my house and measure the signal strength of the of the router. The results are shown in the screen shot below.

Within and nearby the room where the router was located. Radius <10m

Downstairs just below the room where the router was located. And the surrounding area of radius less than 15m

Again on the same floor as the router but a bit farther away. Radius was about 25m ( a couple of rooms away)

Data Transfer

The maximum theoretically possible transfer rate it offers is 240Mbps which comes to about 30MBps. This is more than double of what a 100Mbps LAN offers - a mere 12.5MBps. However we all know that theoretical speeds are never reached due to data overheads, type of network, and encryption, and this was also the case here

To gauge the real-world Ethernet and wireless performance of the WL-106gM, I connected two PCs to its 10/100 Ethernet ports of WL-566gM and used a notebook equipped with an WL-106gM Wifi adapter to conduct data transfer tests.

A 118MB file was transferred; first, over the 10/100 LAN ports at an average of 7.3MBps. This, in fact, is quite less than what theoretically is possible on LAN (12.5MBps).

Then the file was transferred over the wireless network with MIMO transfer rate set at 240. The laptop was less than 2 meters away from the router. The average transfer rate was about 5.95MBps.

So Asus’s claim that it is faster than wired network is a little doubtful. However, considering that this technology is still new and not yet been standardized by all the manufacturers it was still an admirable performance.

Note: Actual throughput will vary depending on the wireless environment and other parameters like data overhead and type of encryption. (I used WPA - TKIP)

Also 240 MIMO support is also required on the server side for maximum performance. I used Asus WL-566gM as a server.

Detailed Specs

Price

Since this product hasn’t been released here yet I cannot comment on its price. However, it is being retailed on Newegg for $80 so my guess for Pak rupees price would be Rs. 5500-6000. And since it requires 240 MIMO support on the server side for maximum performance you will need to get a MIMO enabled wireless router as well, which will only add to the cost.



Conclusion/Verdict

The WL-106gM (and WL-566gM) proved to be excellent for short-range high-speed data transfers. Though it claimed to match and beat the LAN transfer rates it wasn’t able to do so but it came very close and it was much faster than standard 802.11g. Overall the WL-106gM is an efficient device and its backward compatibility means it can be used with other Wifi Standards as well. I did not face any problems while using/testing this device and the bundled software was a treat to use. The EzSetup is a really nice feature for novices. Asus WL-106gM can be used on the go as well. Its small size means that storage isn’t a hassle.
Considering MIMO technology is still new and not yet standardized by many of the manufacturers, Asus, once again with this valiant effort, proved that it is one of the world leaders in wireless technology.

Rating

I give the WL-106gM a decent

8/10

Special Thanks to ASUS-PK for providing the sample for reviewing.



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