NTA3000 Performance

Overview

This document provides information on the expected wired and wireless performance for different traffic profiles on the NTA3000. Users should expect to achieve performance numbers no worse than what is published here when testing devices with the NTA3000 in similar environments with the same configuration options. All performance numbers are presented in Megabits per Second (Mbps) and were generated using the following versions of QA Cafe software:

  • CDRouter version: 14.5
  • NTA3000 golden image version: 9.3.0

Wired

The wired performance numbers were measured using a Category 6 Ethernet cable connected between CDRouter’s LAN and WAN interfaces with the following test configuration options:

Measured performance

WAN Mode TCP Download TCP Upload UDP Download UDP Upload
Static IPv4 or IPv6 9000 9000 9000 9000
Static IPv4 or IPv6 w/VLAN 9000 9000 9000 9000
Static IPv4 or IPv6 w/QinQ 8000 8000 8000 8000
DHCP or DHCPv6 9000 9000 9000 9000
DHCP or DHCPv6 w/VLAN 9000 9000 9000 9000
DHCP or DHCPv6 w/QinQ 8000 8000 8000 8000
PPPoE IPv4 or IPv6 7000 7000 7000 7000
PPPoE IPv4 or IPv6 w/VLAN 5000 5000 5000 5000
PPPoE IPv4 or IPv6 w/QinQ 6000 6000 6000 6000

Caveats

  • Running high-speed (10 Gbps) performance tests in parallel may cause temporary reductions in the performance of other running packages during startup.

Wireless

Detailed hardware specifications for the NTA3000 and its wireless interfaces can be found here:

Expected performance

Maximum physical layer data rates for each card and band, along with the expected throughput (goodput) based on 65% efficiency, are provided in the table below.

Interface Band Capabilities Max Phy Rates Expected Goodput
Intel Wi-Fi 7 BE200 2.4 2x2, EHT40, MCS13 585 - 688.2 380 - 447
Intel Wi-Fi 7 BE200 5 2x2, EHT160, MCS13 2450 - 2882.4 1593 - 1874
Intel Wi-Fi 7 BE200 6 2x2, EHT320, MCS13 4900 - 5764.7 3185 - 3747
AsiaRF AW7916-NPD 2.4 2x2, HE40, MCS11 390 - 573.5 254 - 373
AsiaRF AW7916-NPD 5 2x2, HE160, MCS11 2041.7 - 2402 1327 - 1561
AsiaRF AW7916-NPD 6 2x2, HE160, MCS11 2041.7 - 2402 1327 - 1561

The wireless performance of two off-the-shelf Wi-Fi gateways was measured using the following test configuration options:

  • Number of streams: 4, testvar perfStreams
  • UDP length: auto, testvar perfUdpLen
  • Omitted TCP seconds: 3, testvar perfOmit
  • Wi-Fi settings: Optimized for maximum performance on the DUT
  • Environment: All testing performed inside a shielded RF test chamber
  • Security mode: WPA3-Personal
  • VLANs: None
  • WAN mode: DHCP, DHCPv6
  • Attenuation: 10 dB flat attenuators installed on all channels
  • DUT radio power level: Auto
  • Efficiency percentage: 65%

The performance of these two gateways is provided in the tables below. These numbers represent the range of measured performance (min - max) values across 20 CDRouter runs with the low and high outliers removed from the data set.

Measured performance for DUT 1

Interface Band TCP Download TCP Upload UDP Download UDP Upload
Intel Wi-Fi 7 BE200 2.4 280 - 478 445 - 482 471 - 540 510 - 527
Intel Wi-Fi 7 BE200 5 875 - 2066 1449 - 1610 2483 - 2541 1944 - 1981
Intel Wi-Fi 7 BE200 6 2193 - 2886 1500 - 1614 3471 - 4070 1943 - 2048
AsiaRF AW7916-NPD 2.4 400 - 441 415 - 433 453 - 478 454 - 473
AsiaRF AW7916-NPD 5 1864 - 1890 1724 - 1774 2036 - 2043 2042 - 2049
AsiaRF AW7916-NPD 6 1745 - 1827 1720 - 1783 1875 - 1974 2016 - 2072

Measured performance for DUT 2

Interface Band TCP Download TCP Upload UDP Download UDP Upload
Intel Wi-Fi 7 BE200 2.4 398 - 406 415 - 430 458 - 460 427 - 450
Intel Wi-Fi 7 BE200 5 1473 - 1703 1607 - 1718 2074 - 2112 1709 - 1746
Intel Wi-Fi 7 BE200 6 1608 - 2168 1717 - 2070 2298 - 2356 2025 - 2259
AsiaRF AW7916-NPD 2.4 413 - 417 424 - 428 455 - 460 448 - 450
AsiaRF AW7916-NPD 5 1896 - 1919 1634 - 1856 2138 - 2140 1758 - 2046
AsiaRF AW7916-NPD 6 1844 - 1918 1605 - 1869 1936 - 2153 1711 - 2059

Caveats

  • MLO capability on the Intel Wi-Fi 7 card is not currently supported. QA Cafe is monitoring developments in the open-source community for MLO support in the Linux kernel and firmware and drivers for this card.
  • The Intel Wi-Fi 7 card currently has lower than expected measured performance for TCP in all bands against DUTs 1 and 2 using the settings and environment listed above. QA Cafe is actively investigating this issue and monitoring developments in the Linux kernel, firmware, and drivers for this card. As new kernels, firmware, and drivers improve the performance of this card, QA Cafe will periodically update CDRouter and the NTA3000 golden image to take advantage of these improvements.
  • Running high-speed (10 Gbps) performance tests in parallel may cause temporary reductions in the performance of other running packages during start up.
  • DUT 1 has a 10G WAN port and is not Wi-Fi 7 certified.
  • DUT 2 has a 2.5G WAN port which limits the maximum performance numbers for certain bands. DUT 2 is Wi-Fi 7 certified.