What Computer Repair Techs Need to Know About 802.11ac Wi-Fi

It seems like we are barely dipping our toes into the 802.11n territory these days, and another new wireless standard is about to crack us on the nose. While widespread adoption for a new 802.11ac standard has not been finalized, the IEEE hopes to have approval set for 802.11ac by 2013 sometime. A long way down the road some may say, but the bigger issue is this: pre-802.11ac devices are already hitting the market. And as computer repair techs, our customers always depend on us for opinion and support on new technology.

So what’s the big deal about 802.11ac anyway? Wasn’t 802.11n supposed to be the godsend of Wi-Fi standards, churning out solutions for all of the weaknesses of 802.11g? It almost feels like we are heading down the same “promised” path of yesteryear. With a grain of salt, I will say that 802.11ac does have potential. Here are the down and dirty basics that every computer repair tech should know.

What exactly is 802.11ac?

In plain terms, it’s no more than the technical name that will represent the 5th major revision of the standard we commonly call “Wi-Fi”. Just like Wireless N promised us faster speeds at increased distances (with real-life results not being as stellar as we hoped), 802.11ac will up the ante once again and provide some significant bumps in coverage and speed, as Qualcomm is already hyping with promises.

What benefits does it bring to the table?

A lot, actually. First and foremost, the standard (once adopted) will bring an end to the usage of the crowded and overused 2.4GHz spectrum because all new 802.11ac devices will be on the 5GHz range. The only other Wi-Fi standard that uses this same range are 802.11a devices, but those were plagued with distance problems and other compatibility issues.

The standard also promises up to 8 spatial MIMO (Multiple In – Multiple Out) streams which in plain terms determines how many paths a wireless signal has to and from the router and client device. Beamforming, as it is called, which made an appearance in some N devices will likely be standard on all 802.11ac devices. Because of the difficulty with pushing signal over the 5GHz realm, this will allow for devices to receive excellent broadcasts no matter where they may be in the coverage zone for an 802.11ac signal. And the part that most consumers will love is the speed bump up to a theoretical 1.3Gbps in the highest end devices. Faster than wired gigabit LAN, you say? Possibly!

When will 802.11ac devices become available?

The first device that represents an unfinished spec of the standard launched on May 14, 2012. Buffalo is first to market with their AirStation WZR-D1800H router and media bridge companion WLI-H4-D1300 devices. Both retail for $179.99 USD and are ready for purchase.

Be wary of recommending this to customers, as we’ve been down a similar path before when N started to show up before it was ratified by the IEEE. These first generation devices may not be entirely compatible with final 802.11ac products. I’d consider these first releases as more “technical preview” than “final product” ready for primetime.

In the end, just use best judgement with this new standard. Get familiar with the benefits that this spec brings to the table, and inform your customers appropriately. Don’t dismiss this as just another wireless war, either, as tech research firm ABI has already released a study claiming that AC will be the predominant standard by as soon as 2014. That’s effectively merely right around the corner.

G and N devices will be here to stay for the forseeable future, but just like the B devices we now rarely encounter, they will start to fade into the darkness once AC devices become commonplace. Oh and the best part about the AC standard? It will be fully backwards compatible with all prior standards. A small sigh of relief.