AC1750 and AC1900 mid-end routers offer only 3×3 802.11ac, whereas the AC2000 router offers 4×4 11ac including MU MIMO, improving the 5GHz WiFi performance. For existing 1×1 and 2×2 clients, the device also optimises the 802.11n WiFi. Using one or two RGMIIs, the modular reference design connects the Lantiq GRX300 to the Quantenna QSR1000.
The router’s 802.11ac offloading capabilities remove the 802.11ac throughput bottle necks of today’s WiFi products, while Lantiq’s AnyClient beamforming technology actively extends the 11n WiFi reach and improves data rates throughout the homes. The integration of 2×2 WiFi 11n into the Lantiq Network processor, which optimises the support of all existing 1×1 and 2×2 WiFi clients, enables cost and footprint optimisation.
“We are the only company able to offer a 4×4 802.11ac solution for the retail router market. We are excited that, together with Lantiq, we could create a new AC2000 router category and bring our high-end solution with WiFi link rates of 1,700Mb/s into the mid-range Ethernet router segment,” said Lionel Bonnot, Senior Vice President, Business Development, Quantenna.
“The Ethernet retail router market today requires highest performance 11ac technology, while there is still the need to serve existing 1×1 and 2×2 11n clients well. Through this strategic partnership with Quantenna we are able to address these market requirements with a single platform. By combining Quantenna’s 4×4 11ac and Lantiq’s 11n technology we are offering an extremely attractive solution for the Ethernet retail router market,” commented Matthias Kindler, Director of Marketing, Residential Gateway Solutions, Lantiq.
The AC2000 router will be available from mid-2015.