Understanding MU-MIMO Wireless

If you're in charge of your company's IT infrastructure and network monitoring

Multiuser Multiple Input/Multiple OutputMU-MIMO). But for those who aren't networking experts, especially if you've got those experts asking you to spend some bucks on it, it's worth understanding MU-MIMO because not only can it radically speed up your wireless networking throughput, but it can potentially decrease the number of routers and access points you need. Put simply, MU-MIMO technology enables the simultaneous transfer and receipt of network data across multiple devices. In this piece, I'll explain what MU-MIMO is, how it works, and how it benefits you—and I'll try to put it in terms that don't require an advanced degree from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Traditional routers, which operated with "Single User Multiple Input/Multiple Output

Here's another way to look at it: Rather than sending data to devices in bursts (otherwise known as "packets"), MU-MIMO-enabled devices send a steady stream of content to multiple devices within your network, without pause or delay. Each device (up to four devices) receives its own independent stream so it's not sharing bandwidth with other devices on the network.

With traditional SU-MIMU routers, multiple machines receive packets in shifts, which works well enough when bandwidth requirements are low. But, similar to the I Love Lucy episode in which Lucy and Ethel unsuccessfully gather chocolate balls

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How MU-MIMO Impacts You
MU-MIMO routers and access points distribute bandwidth into separate, steady streams that give each device the priority it needs to properly function. MU-MIMO routers offer 2x2, 3x3, or 4x4 stream varieties, which means you can run two, three, or four different streams for four separate devices without suffering any bandwidth congestion.

If your home or office uses the 802.11ac

Two-thirds of households with three or more persons have at least five devices simultaneously connecting to the internet, according to an IDC report

IDC estimates that MU-MIMO routers can improve performance by 300 percent for all of the devices on your network, even if you're running more than 2, 3, or 4 devices. That's because each of the devices is receiving data simultaneously rather than waiting for individual packets to arrive. So, even though they're not receiving individual bursts of data, they're never not receiving data from the router.

What's Next for MU-MIMO?
Today's MU-MIMO routers don't allow downlink connections so you'll only see a difference in network performance when you're receiving data from the internet as opposed to network uploads. In the future, you'll likely see standards developed that allow MU-MIMO routers to, at the very least, aid in the upload process to improve uplink speed.

Additionally, MU-MIMO works better on devices such as TVs, desktops, and gaming consoles. That's because movement befuddles MU-MIMO devices. Your smartphones and smartwatches will likely be relegated to SU-MIMO technology if you're too active within the network's boundaries. Don't be too alarmed by this as most smart devices that have been built since the beginning of 2016 support MU-MIMO, so it's likely that this issue will be resolved in short order.

This article originally appeared PCMag.com