Xiaomi AX1800 - Router performance test

Devices compliant with the WiFi 6 standard are slowly spreading on the market of network equipment, and their prices are becoming more and more affordable. One of the proposals from Xiaomi is the Xiaomi AX1800 router designed to support the IEEE 802.11ax standard in 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands. This simple model looks interesting - equipped with four 5dBi antennas, four independent amplifiers, a number of features derived from the standard and four GigabitEthernet ports, one for WAN and three LAN. Additionally, smooth operation is ensured by the 14nm quad-core Qualcoomm A53 1.2 Ghz CPU with an additional 1.5 Ghz NPU core and 256MB of RAM. The use of key mechanisms for Wi-Fi 6 devices such as beamforming, BSS coloring, new WPA3 encryption or MU-MIMO should generate the possibility of obtaining high throughput and secure connections. So how does this configuration translate into real performance?

Before we started testing, we had to take a look at Xiaomi AX1800 and perform initial configuration. The router doesn't deviate from current minimalist trends - it's a white box with rounded corners and four antennas distributed symmetrically - two at the back and two at the sides. No redundant elements, no ornaments. It is quite sizable, but thanks to that the heat generated by the systems is well dissipated, according to the manufacturer. Ethernet ports, reset button and power input are placed on the back, with status LEDs on the top of the device. The power supply included with the Xiaomi AX1800 router is in standard size.

The tested device has MiWiFi - Open-WRT based software in firmware version 3.0.34, which seems to have some disadvantages. Access is possible by using the web interface and a special Mi WiFi application for smartphones, available in Google Play store and Apple App Store. On the current version of the application there are some problems already, despite the Polish language being available there appear to be some untranslated fragments with Chinese characters. The web interface does not provide the Polish language, which, with a well-made and quite intuitive and readable webUI in English, should not be a major problem. Quick configuration can be done via an application in English, or step-by-step on the router's website. The device's manual and hints for the configured options make the task easier. The application provides the ability to send notifications about network events, such as connecting a new device. It also allows to implement simple parental control.







Despite the selection of the Poland region for WiFi frequencies, it is possible to set only channels 36, 40, 44, and 48. Probably due to underdeveloped elements of the software, this version for Poland lacks the whole 5470-5725 band, probably because of a lack of DFS support. However, this is only problematic in places heavily crowded with other WiFi networks, for home use it does not play a significant role. Manual configuration of the operating channel for WiFi is not necessary for the router to work, it is automatically selected by default. According to the tests, regardless of the selection, the device does not change the operating frequency range, so if there will be a lot of equipment used working in the 80MHz bandwidth, large interference may occur. The router itself, however, precisely transmits on the chosen channel, narrower on each side by about 1-1.5 MHz, so it does not generate unnecessary interference when other devices work on adjacent channels.



The router and app connect to the cloud, so accessing device information after authentication is quick and seamless. Xiaomi needs to refine the SSL certificates for servers, because they are not compatible with each other and cause problems reported by the security features on the computer or phone. When configuring the device for a longer period of time, there were also problems with stability - several times the AX1800 router stopped responding and needed a reset.

The AX1800 router defaults to WiFi 6 Mode, but for efficient networking with devices that support the earlier Wi-Fi 5 standard - IEEE 802.11ac, Wi-Fi Mode 5 compatibility should be enabled. This may also be necessary if a specific piece of equipment cannot connect to the router. If it's going to support more legacy devices, it's a good idea to enable MU-MIMO to ensure optimal simultaneous throughput for multiple clients.

We tested the Xiaomi AX1800 router in a two-story building with a basement, with the device itself placed on the ground floor, in the rightmost room. We used the AirSurvey software to map the signal, while the WiFiPerf application was used to conduct speed tests. The test server was iperf3 software. The plan shows the measurement points for the tests - with numbers from 1 to 6, as well as the location of the router with the use of graphics.



As you can see, the signal strength of Xiaomi's AX1800 router is quite heavily attenuated by walls or floors, which was to be expected with the given hardware configuration. However, the wave propagation seems acceptable when using the device in homes with smaller areas and finding its optimal placement, preferably in the central point of the house.

According to the manufacturer's specifications, compatible with the Wi-Fi 802.11ax standard, the Xiaomi AX1800 device can obtain throughputs at frequencies of 2.4Ghz up to 574 Mbps, while for 5Ghz up to 1201 Mbps. How did it perform in the tests? The results are presented in the summary below:

Measurement point	Download	Send
1	Click to enlarge!	Click to enlarge!
2	Click to enlarge!	Click to enlarge!
3	Click to enlarge!	Click to enlarge!
4	Click to enlarge!	Click to enlarge!
5	Click to enlarge!	Click to enlarge!
6	Click to enlarge!	Click to enlarge!

Themaximum throughput that was achieved was 600 Mbps both upload and download. As you can guess, it's available in a small distance from the device, at measurement point 1. For devices located behind a thin partition wall at point 2 the results are slightly worse and less stable, but still within the range of 400-600 Mbps in one direction. More distant points are much worse, and the difference between floors is significant. However, even for the measurement point 6 managed to get throughput of 90 Mbps for download and 40-60 Mbps for upload, which in most home applications seems sufficient. Besides, Xiaomi isn't offering the AX1800 router as a piece of hardware with a huge range, but rather good throughput, supporting one of the latest standards. Additionally, the software is supposed to allow it to work as part of a mesh system, which would greatly improve the capabilities of the networks created by the AX1800.

The Xiaomi AX1800 router model is one of the more basic devices from this manufacturer with support for WiFi 6 in its specifications. It provides connections at speeds higher than previous standards, as well as good interoperability if configured correctly. Its range and transmission capabilities at a distance, behind obstacles, leave a lot to be desired, but it does not come off badly in its price range and is able to meet the basic requirements of home users. It will successfully perform in small premises or homes where there are not many obstacles in the way of Wi-Fi signal. Still, if you want to ensure maximum throughput and link parameters, connecting via Ethernet cable for devices with Gigabit Ethernet network cards is a better solution. The inconvenience of English language operation is not a problem with the knowledge of basic concepts related to network configuration. Not completely refined software is likely to be quickly updated, the device independently checks the availability of updates. Therefore, the Xiaomi AX1800 router is worth considering when creating a home Wi-Fi network in the new sixth generation standard.