What is Mu-Mimo Router Actually?
The technology is being much talked about these days and the term actually means Multiple Input Multiple Output technologies. Now here also, there are two types:
1. Su-Mimo
2. Mu-Mimo
The first one here is Single User- Multiple inputs multiple outputs
Mu-Mimi stands for Multiple User- Multiple inputs multiple outputs
How does the Mu-Mimo Router work?
We take an example of a waiter serving food at four tables at a restaurant one at a time. So, there are 4 tables but he is distributing dishes so fast that it looks like all 4 tables are being served simultaneously.
The same is the case with Su-Mimo that data streams are being supplied by the router to 4 devices at a time but at a faster speed that it looks like all 4. Machines are using internet data at the same time. However, the problem arises at the time of heavy data usage for example at the time of video streaming or uploading, etc. At this time, the speed slows down in Su-Mimo.
In such a case, the Mu-Mimo based routers come into play. The Mu-Mimo based routers come with a minimum 2 to maximum 8 antennas that help a lot in communicating with multiple devices simultaneously.
With single-user (SU-MIMO) routers, each device has to wait for its turn to send and receive data from the Internet and that’s something makes your internet speed slower but thanks fully the Mu-Mimo router makes it easy and also ensures that you get a seamlessly fast speed on all of your devices at the same time.
Evolution of the Mimo technology
It started with 802.11n wi-fi standard in 2007 and Su-MIMO technology-enabled single user- multiple inputs multiple output data distribution to Internet users. The Su- Mimi technology enabled users to r multiple devices like laptop, desktop, kindled, Baby monitors and tablets at the same time.
The drawbacks here was that routers could only send and receive data from one device at a time. Hence due to speed slowdown, there was a need for new technology and hence updated wi-fi standard 802.11ac was founded which came into the market in two stages wave 1 and wave 2.
The 802.11ac wave 1 and wave 2
The above-mentioned technology was launched in 2 stages due to certain risk factors. The 802.11ac brought improvements in internet speed through routers but all the advantages were not realized at the same time.
Wave 1 came in 2013 and only brought low-risk features such as the increase from 40 MHz to 80 MBPS channels and support for 256 QAM modulation.
The manufacturers, however, put the ac label on the routers in order to take advantage of the 802.11ac technology although it didn’t include complete specifications.
The wave 2 began in 2015 with harder to implement specification Mu-Mimo So folks, the important point here is that your 802.11ac router from before 2015 does not include the multiple user- multiple inputs multiple-output technology.
Does Mu-Mimo technology-enabled router technology actually increases your internet speed
Well, the answer is no but the router ensures that the speed does not break down. Taking the example of the waiter serving food at 4 tables, mu-Mimi is like the waiter has 4 arms and he can serve dishes to all tables at the same time and hence saving on time.
If you are watching a movie on youtube and your brother is using. Skype voice chat then Mu-Mimo ensures that your speed doesn’t drop.
However, there are a few minus points with the technology also. Mu-Mimo enabled routers comes in 2×2, 3×3 and 4×4 varieties which can serve undivided speed for up to 4 devices and which means if you are running the 5th device, then the router will serve that machine with single-user- multiple inputs multiple-output technology. Hence, the speed of that device will drop a few times.
Moreover, the Mu-Mimo signals can be decoded only by devices that can decode the 802.11ac protocol. Hence, the routers manufactured or purchased before 2015 are not able to understand the Mu-Mimo signals.
This problem will be solved in the future when there will be the abundance of Mu-Mimo enabled routers but the old routers could become useless because of this drawback.
Should You Buy
Hence, in spite of a few limitations, the Mu-Mimo enabled routers are a great advantage these days because of the growing use of the Internet whether it be home or office. We can analyze the need for the type of router required as per our work and then make a mind for changing our current device.
So, it’s definitely an ideal choice and worth buying the Mu-Mimo based routers for your home or office. You can also check out our top pick of Top 6 Best WiFi Routers in India You Can Buy.
