Well, MU-MIMO is smart, and will decide what is the most efficient. For example, a 3000 with 5 clients in 40 Mhz mode… you’ll likely never see any MU-MIMO, because it can handle the data needs of every request handily, without ever needing to MU, so it’ll use SU mode, and “won’t break a sweat” to deliver the data needed.
So MU-MIMO will only kick in when the AP starts to get stressed. Basically - you can think of the 3000 like this… as long as a 2x2 3000L could handle the traffic, then the 3000 will basically NOT have to go into MU-MIMO mode. And at the point where the 3000L would start to be congested… the 4x4 3000 will ‘kick in MU-MIMO’ at around that point.
As I mentioned earlier – for me, the two main reasons for Cambium vs other brands are:
- MU-MIMO, and
- Backwards/Forwards compatibility
When the 4000 arrives, it’ll be 8x8 MU-MIMO, and if we see 465 Megabit aggregate throughput in 40Mhz channel now on our 3000 MU-MIMO, imagine what the 4000 will be capable of with 1024-QAM and 8x8 MU-MIMO! And – when that arrives, we don’t have to figure out how to do an entire sector forklift, like many other brands.
As for ‘whats the point’ of higher modulations… in our example, the AP might be able to deliver that clients data at 1024QAM and then go service two other 256-QAM client in MU-MIMO. The faster the clients are, the quicker they can get on and off the air too.
Anyway - to answer your core question - I guess I would say this. We can only control what we can control. I think the 3000 MU-MIMO is miraculous (when I see 465 Mbit!!!) and the 4000 will be to - but we can only control the part that’s under our control, so ALWAYS get the best modulation you can, Period. Never connect a Force 300-16 unless it’s solid MCS9/MCS9 anyway. Never connect someone at a -69 if they can be a -59. ‘Good enough’, isn’t good enough. Every client which isn’t a MCS9 is leaving money on the table, and leaving bandwidth/airtime wasted.
Obviously that’s not always possible - but the point is never to do the ‘-67 is good enough’ or ‘MCS7 is good enough’ if it’s possible for that to be a -57 and a MCS9. As long as we do that – then the 3000 MU-MIMO and the 4000 MU-MIMO will deliver their part.