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Finally we get to the most important question – just how fast is WiFi 6? We tested the performance of NETGEAR Nighthawk AX12 in two ways. First, we wanted to assess the raw throughput across the three main WiFi standards it supports – 802.11ax aka WiFi 6, 802.11ac and 802.11n. We also tested the speed of the USB 3.0 port via 802.11ac and 802.11ax.
For the first test we used the open-source iPerf 3.1.3 software, and for the second test we used a 3.7GB file collection. Four Windows systems were used. One was an Armari AMD Threadripper workstation running Windows 10, the next a Dell Latitude 5490 notebook lent to us by NETGEAR (as it's one of the few systems with WiFi 6 so far available), then a MSI WS63 7RK (for 802.11ac) and finally an HP Folio 13 (802.11n only).
For all the wireless tests, the workstation was connected to the AX12's Multi-Gigabit Ethernet port using a USB-C adapter (to maximise WiFi 6 throughput), and the notebooks via WiFi connections (apart from the wired test, which used Gigabit Ethernet). The notebooks were then placed in four different locations – within 1m of the router, approximately 5m away with a wall in between, 10m away and on a lower floor (with multiple walls and a floor in between), and then 15m away on a lower floor. We tested all four distances with the two WiFi standards, but only the 1m distance with the file copy.
With each WiFi standard and distance, we took 60 readings of throughput at one second intervals and calculated the average (iPerf does this automatically). For these tests, we are also comparing the AX12’s performance with the NETGEAR Nighthawk XR700, NETGEAR Nighthawk XR500, Linksys WRT 3200 ACM, NETGEAR Nighthawk X10 R9000, and Synology RT2600ac.
802.11ac and 802.11ax 5GHz
As we have no other 802.11ax comparisons just yet, we've grouped the WiFi 6 testing alongside the 802.11ac results so you can see just how much faster it is.
At a close 1m range, the AX12's 802.11ac speed of 588 Mbits/sec is exceptional, but its 802.11ax result of 723 Mbits/sec is beyond anything we have seen before. In fact, it's more than twice what most regular 802.11ac routers can deliver.
Moving out to 5m tells a similar story. The 802.11ac speed of 428 Mbits/sec is amazing, but again the 802.11ax throughput of 611 Mbits/sec is twice what most regular 802.11ac routers are capable of.
At 10m, the AX12's 802.11ac speed has settled down to be merely amongst the best at 121 Mbits/sec. But the 802.11ax speed of 252 Mbit/sec is still twice as fast as most 802.11ac options.
The AX12 can't reach 15m with a 802.11ac client, but with the 802.11ax Dell notebook, it's still managing a very usable 36.4M bits/sec, way beyond any other standalone router we have tested, showing the extra ability of the new WiFi 6 system.
802.11n 2.4GHz
Although WiFi 6 will be your main reason for getting the AX12, you also want your legacy 802.11n devices to perform well, and the good news is that this is an accomplished router here too. At a close 1m range performance is amongst the best at 82.2 Mbits/sec, and this ability continues to 5m, with the throughput of 75.9 Mbits/sec the second fastest we have seen at this range for a non-mesh system.
The abilities continue to 10m, with the speed of 56.3 Mbits/sec only bettered by NETGEAR's own Nighthawk XR700. At 15m range, you're still getting 26.1 Mbits/sec, which is faster than most 802.11ac routers at this range and almost as fast as the AX12 manages with 802.11ax.
USB 3.0 File Copy
For this test, we hooked up a 32GB SanDisk Ultra USB 3.0 Flash Memory key to one of the AX12's USB 3.0 ports and configured it via the ReadyShare interface as network storage. We then copied the 3.7GB Windows 10 installer ISO (unpacked into individual files) to the MSI notebook via 802.11ac and the Dell notebook via 802.11ax, with both at a 1m range. We also used the MSI notebook's Gigabit Ethernet port as a comparison.
Strangely, performance here with 802.11ac was a few seconds faster than 802.11ax, but both were phenomenally quick. This shows the performance of the USB 3.0 port on the AX12 as well as its WiFi abilities. You're getting as close to Gigabit Ethernet wire speed over WiFi with this router as we have ever seen, whether using 802.11ac or 802.11ax.
Overall, the AX12 showcases the abilities of the new WiFi 6 standard. It really is in a different league to the previous WiFi generation for performance and range. In 802.11ax mode with a compatible client, the NETGEAR Nighthawk AX12 is twice as fast as 802.11ac at most ranges, and it's the fastest router we've tested with 802.11ac too.
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