Do You Need an 'AC' Router?

Home networks used to be something that only a few people set up.  However, with game consoles, streaming TV gadgets, tablets, smartphones, and computers all competing for internet access, a home network is a must-have for almost every home.  At the center of your network is your router.

Your router is the device that takes your incoming internet traffic and sends it to the right place.  Otherwise, you might find your son's email showing up on your TV screen where your Netflix movie was supposed to be.

If you go to a store to buy a new router, the salesperson will likely try to impress you with information about letters and speeds.  "If you buy THIS 'ac' router, you can get speeds up to 1.75 Gigabits..."  But what does all that really mean?

The Institute for Electrical and Electronics Engineers designates code numbers for various topics.  For Wi-Fi, the code is 802.11.  If you look carefully, you will see this on almost every box for a wireless router.  As the standards for Wi-Fi communication have been revised, they have been given letters that follow the 802.11.  The initial standards were 802.11a, then it was revised to 802.11b, etc.  With each revision came improvements in speed, security, and other features.

Most of these revisions are not readily available.  Some are experimental, and some just fail to catch on.  Until last year, the most common revisions were 802.11b, 802.11g, and 802.11n.  However, the 802.11ac standard was released last year (since there have now been more than 26 revisions, we are now using two-letter codes.)  This standard promises much faster internet, allowing for speeds even faster than wired ethernet.

However, this does not mean you should go out right now and buy a new 'ac' router.  In order to communicate at the faster speeds, both your router and your devices need to support the new standard.  If the majority of your devices are over two years old, they certainly will not support this new standard.  Even many devices produced within the last year still do not support this standard.  There is certainly no point in buying a new router, only to find out that your devices cannot communicate at the fast speed you were expecting, unless you are planning to upgrade most of your devices within the next year or two.

If you are unsure what types of Wi-Fi your devices support, check the documentation in print or online.  Look for that 802.11 number and see what letters follow it.  (It is often written as 802.11b/g/n, meaning that it supports the b, g, and n standards.)  Then, if you are in the market for a new router, buy one that communicates at the fastest speed your devices support, unless you are planning to upgrade devices soon.

Eventually, the 'ac' standard will become as common as the 'g' or 'n' standards.  However, until it does, you are wasting your money unless you know that your devices, or the devices you plan to buy soon, support that standard.