Why Real Wi-Fi Speeds Are Lower Than Expected
The speeds shown in the MCS index table for different modes and MCS values are much higher than what we actually get in real life. In real life, the actual speed is lower because of:
- Extra data like MAC headers and acknowledgment
- Wait times between transmissions (like DIFS and SIFS)
- Time lost due to other devices using the channel (contention and backoff)
- Protocol overhead, like TCP needing response
All these factors reduce the speed from the theoretical value.
Continue reading to see how to calculate the real world throughput for the below pre-requisite: 