Dhammaan router-yada wireless-ku waxay leeyihiin AC magacooda, oo ay ku xigto lambar. Tusaale ahaan, waxaad haysataa router kuwaas oo lagu magacaabo: Tenda AC9 AC1200 , TP-Link Archer C7 AC1750 , NETGEAR Nighthawk XR500 AC2500 , ama ASUS RT-AC88U AC3100 . Waa maxay macnaha AC-kan uu raacay nambarku? Lambarka soo socda AC ma kuu sheegaa xawaaraha routerku? AC1900 ma ka dheereeyaa router-ka AC1200 ? Aragti ahaan, soo-saarayaashu waxay yiraahdaan waa. Run ahaantii, runtu way ka duwan tahay. Waa tan sababta heshiiskan magacaabista AC uu u yahay suuqgeyn qiimo yar ugu fadhiya macaamiisha, iyo sida aadan naftaada u khiyaanayn marka aad iibsanayso router-ka wireless-ka:

Waa maxay AC1200 , AC1750 , AC1900 , AC2900 , AC3200 , iyo magacyo kale oo la mid ah marka ay timaado in router?

Markaad iibsato router-ka bilaa-waayirka ah, waxaad arkaysaa ereyga AC oo ay ku xigto nambar, meel magaciisa ku qoran. Moodooyinka cusubi^(Newer) waxay lahaan karaan ereyada AX oo ay ku xigto tiro ka sii weyn. AC waxay ka dhigan tahay in router-ku uu taageero u yahay ^{(AC means that the router has support for the)} 802.11ac (ama Wi-Fi 5) ^{(802.11ac (or Wi-Fi 5))} heerka isku xirka wireless^{(wireless networking standard)} , kaas oo bixiya isku xirka shabakada WiFi degdega ah ee inta jeer ee 5GHz. AX waxay ka dhigan tahay in router-ku uu taageero u leeyahay heerka isku xirka wireless 802.11ax (ama Wi-Fi 6 ).

Tirada ka danbeysa AC ama AX waxay ka dhigan tahay inta ugu badan ee fiqi ahaaneed^{(The number that comes after AC or AX represents the maximum THEORETICAL bandwidth)} ee router-ka. 1200 macnaheedu waa 1200 Mbps , 1900 macnaheedu waa 1900 Mbps , 3200 macnaheedu waa 3200 Mbps , iyo wixii la mid ah. Markaad ku akhrinayso AC2300 magaca router, waxay la macno^{(AC2300 in the name of a router, it means)} tahay inaad la macaamilayso router WiFi ah oo bixiya shabakad wireless ah adoo isticmaalaya heerka 802.11ac ( Wi-Fi 5 ), oo leh wadarta baaxadda ugu badan ee cabbirka aragtida 2300 Mbps.^{(a total maximum theoretical bandwidth of 2300 Mbps.)}

Waxaa laga yaabaa in aad isku daydo in aad rumaysato in AC3200 router uu bixiyo shabakad fiilo ah oo ka shaqeysa 3200 Mbps . Taasi waxay noqon doontaa cajiib, laakiin, nasiib daro, waa been. Xaqiiqdu waxay tahay in heshiiskan magac-bixintu aanu faa'iido u lahayn samaynta go'aanka wax iibsiga. Waa uun xeelad suuq-geyneed oo isku dayaya inay ku rumaysato in router-ku uu ka dhakhso badan yahay sida dhabta ah.

AC1200 , AC1750 , AC1900 iyo wixii la mid ah, waa wadarta dhammaan guutooyinka uu router ku sii daayo signalka WiFi , ma aha xawaaraha dhabta ah ee router.

Mid ka mid ah dhinacyada muhiimka ah ee xisaabinta ee ka dhalata magacaabista AC ama AX waa tirada xargaha ama inta jeer ee uu router ku sii daayo signalka wirelesska. Aan soo qaadano router casri ah oo caan ah tusaale ahaan: ASUS RT-AC86U AC2900 .

Router-kani waxa uu leeyahay laba qaybood, mid kasta oo iyaga ka mid ah ayaa leh xajmiga ugu sarreeya ee u gaar ah:

• Qeybta ugu horeysa (iyo kan ugu gaabis ah) waa band wireless 2.4 GHz . Waxay leedahay xadiga ugu badnaan aragtiyeed 750 Mbps .
• Qeybta labaad (iyo kan ugu dhaqsiyaha badan) waa band wireless 5 GHz . Waxa ay leedahay xadiga ugu badnaan aragti ahaan 2167 Mbps .

Sidaa darteed, AC2900 ma aha xadiga ugu badan ee aad ku hesho hal xadhig ama inta jeer ee wireless-ka, laakiin waa wadarta dhammaan xadhkaha fiilooyinka ee jira ama soo noqnoqoshada. Xawaaraha ugu badan ee aad heli karto waa kan ugu dhaqsiyaha badan - 2167 Mbps oo ku taal 5 GHz wireless band - kaliya xaaladaha shaybaarka, kaas oo aan ku sharixi doono dambe maqaalkan.

Si laguu siiyo faham xitaa ka sii wanaagsan, waa kuwan sida router-yada wireless-ku loo kala saaro marka ay timaaddo guutooyinka ama inta jeer:

• Hal-band oo ku sii daaya WiFi kaliya hal mar oo wireless ah^{(Single-band and emit WiFi only on one wireless frequency)} , taasoo la macno ah inay sii daayaan hal shabakad oo wireless ah. Inta badan, waxay ku sii daayaan inta jeer ee 2.4 GHz , waxayna ku hayaan ilaa AC1000 magacooda. Qaar ka mid ah warshadeeyayaasha ayaa joojiyay soo saarista router-yadaas. Waxay leeyihiin qiimo jaban oo cajiib ah, laakiin maaha doorashada saxda ah ee guryaha casriga ah ee casriga ah, sababtoo ah waa kuwo aan awood lahayn, waxayna isticmaalaan heerkii hore ee isku-xirka wireless-ka ee aan ku habboonayn baahinta filimada HD Full^{(Full HD)} , ciyaaraha internetka, iyo wixii la mid ah.
• Dual-band oo ku sii daaya WiFi laba jeer oo wireless ah:^{(Dual-band and emit WiFi on two wireless frequencies:)} 2.4 GHz (taas oo gaabis ah laakiin leh aag caymis oo weyn) iyo 5 GHz (taas oo dhakhso badan laakiin leh aag dabool yar). Waxaad arkaysaa laba shabakadood oo wireless ah oo la sii daayo, magacyo kala duwan wata. Waxa kale oo aad bedeli kartaa dejinta labada kooxood si ay u isticmaalaan magaca shabakad isku mid ah. Inta badan router-yada casriga ah waa dual-band. Siciradoodu aad bay u kala duwan yihiin, laakiin waxay u egtahay in ay heli karaan dadka intooda badan. Si kastaba ha ahaatee, hal indho-indheyn ayaa ah in hoos u dhaca tirada ka dib heshiiska magacaabista AC, uu hoos u dhaco qiimaha. Sidaa darteed^(Therefore) , router-ka wireless-ka AC1750 waa inuu ka jaban yahay AC2900 .
• Tri-band oo ku sii daaya saddex jeer oo fiilo-la'aan ah:^{(Tri-band and emit on three wireless frequencies:)} hal soo noqnoqda 2.4 GHz iyo laba jeer oo 5 GHz ah. Waxaad arkaysaa saddex shabakadood oo wireless ah oo la sii daayo, laakiin waxaa loo dejin karaa inay isticmaalaan magac isku mid ah. Router-yada wireless-ka ugu qaalisan waa tri-band, magacyadooduna waxay leeyihiin AC3200 ama in ka badan oo magacooda ah. Qaar ka mid ah router-yadii ugu dambeeyay xitaa waxay leeyihiin AC5400 magacooda, taasoo kaa dhigaysa inaad aaminsan tahay inay ku sii daayaan shabakadaha wireless-ka 5400 Mbps , taas oo ka fog runta.

Si aad u hubiso inaad fahantay tirada kooxaha iyo sida ay ula xidhiidhaan heshiiska magacaabista AC, aynu soo qaadano hal tusaale kama dambays ah: TP-Link Archer C5400X . Waa AC5400 router bilaa-waayirka ah oo leh saddex qaybood, iyagoo leh baaxaddooda aragtiyeed ee ugu badan ee loo kala qaybiyay sida garaafyada hoose:

• 1000 Mbps oo loogu talagalay 2.4 GHz band wireless
• 2167 Mbps mid kasta oo ka mid ah labada xargo ee 5 GHz

Xawaaraha ugu badan ee aad ka heli karto router-kan, xagga WiFi , waa 2167 Mbps mid kasta oo ka mid ah labadiisa xaraf ee 5 GHz , xaaladaha shaybaadhka.

Waa maxay sababta heshiiska magacaabista AC u marin habaabinayo?

Xeerka magacaabista AC ee ay adeegsadaan soosaarayaasha router-ka wireless-ku waa marin habaabin, sababtoo ah waxay soo koobaysaa xajmiga ugu badan ee aragtiyaha guud ee dhammaan xargaha wireless-ka ee uu baahiyo router-ka wireless-ka. Taasi waa sida aan ku dhammeyno tirooyinka waalan sida AC5400 . Xaqiiqda, ma heleysid 5400 Mbps WiFi , markaad isticmaalayso AC5400 router wireless, sababtoo ah aaladaha shabakadu waxay isku xiri karaan hal koox oo keliya markiiba, maahan dhammaan guutooyinka hal mar. Si aad si fiican u fahamto, fiiri sawirka hoose. Waxaa jira saddex qalab oo shabakadeed (iPhone, Surface Pro , iyo Xbox One ), mid kastaa wuxuu ku xiran yahay koox kale oo WiFi ah, laga bilaabo seddexda ay diyaariyeen TP-Link Archer C5400Xrouter.

Xawaaraha ay aaladahani helayaan marna kama weyna aragtida ugu badan ee xawliga xadhiga wirelesska ee ay ku xidhan yihiin. Sidaa darteed, iPhone ma heli doono xawaare ka sarreeya 1000 Mbps , halka labada qalab ee kale ma heli doonaan xawaare ka sarreeya 2167 Mbps .

Sidee baa loo cabbiraa xadhkaha xadhkaha fiilo ee ugu badan ee shaybaadhka soo saaraha?

Horaan waxaan u siinay tusaale ah router tri-band oo aan sharaxnay in magacaabista sida AC5400 aysan macnaheedu ahayn inay bixiso shabakad wireless ah 5400 Mbps . Waxaad u qaadan kartaa in xawaaraha ugu sarreeya ee aad ku hesho WiFi uu yahay 2167 Mbps - baaxadda baaxadda aragtida ugu badan ee labada qaybood ee 5 GHz ee uu bixiyo router. Nasiib darro, tani sidoo kale waa been. Tani waa sababta oo ah DHAMMAAN^(ALL) kuwa soo saara qalabka isku xirka sida WiFirouter-yada, ha isticmaalin jawiga nolosha dhabta ah, sida guryaha iyo guryaha dadka. Waxay cabbirkooda ku sameeyaan shaybaadhka khaaska ah si ay u sheegan karaan xawaaraha ugu badan ee suurtogalka ah. Waa kuwan waxa soo-saareyaasha router-ka ay u muuqdaan inay sameeyaan, si ay u xisaabiyaan wadarta guud ee xawaaraha bandwidth:

• Cabbirrada waxaa lagu sameeyaa shaybaarro aan lahayn darbiyo qaro weyn kuwaas oo nuugaya calaamadda wireless-ka, iyo iyadoo leh khad toos ah oo muuqaal ah oo u dhexeeya router iyo macaamiisha shabakadda ee loo isticmaalo xisaabinta.
• Waxay dhigaan aaladaha ay u adeegsadaan cabbiraadda xadhkaha xadhkaha goosashada masaafo aad u wanaagsan oo ah laba ilaa saddex mitir (6 ilaa 10 cagood). Wax dan ah uma hayaan inay cabbiraan xadhkaha xadhkaha goosha ee cidhifka fog ee guri ama aqal, ama qol ka soocay router-ka oo gidaar qaro leh.
• Marar badan, waxay isticmaalaan laba ama saddex router isku mid ah oo isku xiran si ay u cabbiraan xajmiga ugu sarreeya marka xogta dhexdooda la wareejinayo. Shirkaduhu ma isticmaalaan kombuyuutarrada caadiga ah ama taleefannada casriga ah, sida isticmaalayaashu isticmaalaan, sababtoo ah router-yaashooda ayaa taageero ka fiican u leh teknoolojiyadda wireless-ka marka loo eego kaararka shabakadda ee ku jira PC-yada, Laptop-yada, tablet-yada ama taleefannada casriga ah. Natiijo ahaan, wareejintooda ayaa ka dhaqso badan marka la isticmaalayo laptop-ka, tusaale ahaan.
• Marka ay soo-saarayaashu u isticmaalaan kombuyuutarrada cabbirka xawaaraha ugu sarreeya, waxay isticmaalaan PC-yo qaali ah oo heer sare ah, oo leh processor-ka ugu macquulsan, RAM , iyo kaarka shabakadda ugu dhaqsaha badan ee heerarka shabakadda ee ay ku isticmaalayaan routerkooda. Isticmaalayaasha badankoodu ma haystaan ​​miisaaniyad isku mid ah oo ay ku maalgeliyaan kombuyuutarrada heerka sare ah ee la midka ah. Ma iibsan lahayd kaadhka shabakada bilaa-dhamaadka sare leh sida ASUS PCE-AC88 ? Dadka intiisa badan ma aysan yeelin.
• Shirkadaha isku xidhka ayaa cabbira xadhkaha xadhkaha xadhkaha goosha iyaga oo isticmaalaya software khaas ah oo isku xidhka iyo wadayaasha, kuwaas oo loo habeeyay inay la shaqeeyaan heerarkii ugu dambeeyay iyo teknoolajiyada WiFi . Kumbiyuutarro iyo qalabyo badan ayaa inta badan isticmaala software iyo nidaamyada hawlgalka, kuwaas oo aan si fiican u shaqaynayn tiknoolajiyada isku-xirka WiFi ee casriga ah. ^(WiFi)Inta badan^(Often) , darawaladu sidoo kale waa duugoobay, gaar ahaan kuwa kaararka shabakada ee inta badan kumbuyuutarrada macaamiisha ah.
• Soo-saareyaashu waxay ku xidhaan tirada ugu yar ee suurtogalka ah ee aaladaha baahinta WiFi ee ay adeegsadaan router-yaashooda, si ay u cabbiraan xawaaraha ugu badan. Gurigaaga ama goobta shaqada, waxaad ku xidhaysaa qalab aad u badan oo ka badan inta ay sameeyaan, isla markaa, taas oo keenaysa inay ku dagaalamaan xadhkaha xadhkaha goosha ee la heli karo.
• Waxay dhigaan anteenooyinka router-ka meel dammaanad qaadaysa soo-saarka wireless-ka ugu badan. Gurigaaga, waxay u badan tahay inaad u dhigto router-ka iyo anteenooyinka si ka yar, si aad u hubiso in router-ku aanu jidkaaga ku jirin ama aanu si sahlan carruurtu ku gaadhin.
• Shirkaduhu waxay hagaajiyaan habayntooda firmware xawaaraha ugu badan. Tusaale ahaan, qaar ka mid ah jiheeyayaasha WiFi , dekedda ^(WiFi)USB , iyadoo ku xiran booskeeda iyo goobaha caadiga ah, waxay hoos u dhigi kartaa ugu badnaan wax soo saarka wireless. Sidaa darteed, shirkadaha isku-xidhka ahi waxay beddelaan goobaha firmware-ka si ay hoos ugu dhigaan wax-soo-saarka USB-ga^(USB) oo ay yareeyaan faragelinta, iyagoo cabbiraya xawaaraha wireless-ka. Waxa kale oo laga yaabaa inay joojiyaan sifooyinka amniga ee yareeya xawaaraha WiFi , sida iskaanka-ka-hortagga ka-hortagga wakhtiga-dhabta ah ama xakamaynta waalidka.

Intee ayuu weyn yahay farqiga u dhexeeya heshiisyada magacaabista AC iyo xaqiiqada?

Farqiga u dhexeeya heshiisyada magacaabista AC iyo xawaaraha aad ku hesho nolosha dhabta ah waxay noqon kartaa mid niyad jab leh. Waxay sidoo kale u kala duwan yihiin si duurjoog ah, iyo, marar badan, router-yada leh nambarada sare ee magaca AC-ga maahan inay ka dhaqso badan yihiin kuwa kale ee leh nambarada hoose. Si aan ku siiyo aragti wanaagsan, aan ka wada hadalno tusaalayaal:

AC1200 router la awoodi karo sida Tenda AC9 , wuxuu bixiyaa xawaaraha ugu badan ee la soo degsado ee 224.09 Mbps , ee band 5 GHz , marka la isticmaalayo caadiga ah Windows 10 laptop. Xadhiggeeda ugu badnaan aragtiyeed ee bandkaas waa 867 Mbps . Xawaaraha nolosha dhabta ah ee aad hesho ayaa 2.86 jeer ka hooseeya xayaysiiskiisa xadka ugu sarreeya.

AC1900 router wireless sida Linksys EA7500 v2 wuxuu leeyahay xajmiga ugu sarreeya ee aragtida 1300 Mbps ee band 5 GHz . Markaad isticmaasho Windows 10 laptop caadi ah, waxaad helaysaa xawaaraha ugu badnaan ee 539.86 Mbps . Xawaaraha nolosha dhabta ah ee aad hesho ayaa 2.4 jeer ka hooseeya xawaarihiisa xayaysiisyada ugu badan.

Marka xigta, aan eegno AC2900 router wireless, sida ASUS ROG Rapture GT-AC2900 , oo leh xajmiga ugu sarreeya ee 2167 Mbps ee band 5 GHz . Nolosha dhabta ah, waxaad gaari kartaa 701.60 Mbps xawaaraha soo dejinta, kaliya qolka meesha router la dhigo, adoo isticmaalaya kaarka shabakad qaali ah sida ASUS PCE-AC88 . Taasi saddex jeer ayay ka hoosaysaa xayaysiiskeeda ugu badnaan xayaysiisyada.

Ku noqoshada AC1900 router, sida ASUS Blue Cave . Isla kaadhka shabakada qaaliga ah, waxay heshay xawaarihii soo dejinta xitaa sare: 741.54 Mbps . Waxyaabaha xiisaha leh ayaa ah in router-kani uu leeyahay xajmiga ugu sarreeya ee 1734 Mbps ee band 5 GHz , kaas oo ka hooseeya kan ka qaalisan AC2900 wireless router. Xitaa sidaas oo ay tahay, xawaaraha nolosha dhabta ahi waa 2.33 ka hooseeya xayaysiiskiisa ugu sarreeya ee xayaysiinta.

Xogtan oo dhami waxay caddaynaysaa in heshiisyada magacaabista AC ee loo isticmaalo router-yada bilaa-waayirka ah ay yihiin qiyaaso aan dhab ahayn, taas oo aan macno lahayn marka aad dooranayso routerkaaga xiga. Shuruudaha kale ayaa aad uga muhiimsan: 8 shay oo ay tahay in la tixgeliyo marka la iibsanayo router-ka bilaa-waayirka ah ( kuwa bilowga ah)^{(8 things to consider when buying a wireless router (for beginners))}

Haddii aad rabto inaad ogaato xawaaraha nolosha dhabta ah ee aad ka hesho router wireless, ka hor intaadan iibsan, waa inaad akhridaa faallooyin qotodheer oo online ah. Websaydhyo badan, sida Digital Citizen , waxay waqti badan ku qaataan tijaabinta jiheeyayaasha wireless-ka waxayna muujinayaan waxa aad ku hesho xaaladaha caadiga ah, xaaladaha maalinlaha ah, iyada oo aan lahayn qalab shaybaar qaali ah.

Sideen u fasiri karaa heshiiskan magacaabista AC, marka ay timaado router-ka wireless-ka?

Xeerka magacaabista AC kuma sheegayo xawaaraha nolosha dhabta ah ee shabakada wireless-ka ee aad hesho markaad iibsanayso hal router ama mid kale. Xeerkan magac-bixintu waxa uu kuu sheegayaa waxyaabo kale sida:

• Haddii router-ku qaali yahay ama la awoodi karo. ^{(Whether the router is expensive or affordable.)}Jidadka bilaa -wireless-ka ah ilaa AC1750 iyo mararka qaarkood xitaa AC1900 , waxay u muuqdaan kuwo la awoodi karo dadka intooda badan. Routers ka sarreeya AC3200 had iyo jeer waa moodallo qaali ah oo aad lacag badan ku bixiso.
• Haddii router-ku yahay hal-band, dual-band ama tri-band:^{(Whether the router is single band, dual-band or tri-band:)} router-yada ilaa AC1000 had iyo jeer waa hal koox, waxayna sii daayaan signalkooda WiFi si tartiib tartiib ah 2.4 GHz . AC1200 router ilaa AC3200 waa dual-band router kuwaas oo sii daaya calaamadahooda labadaba 2.4 GHz iyo 5 GHz . Routers oo leh heshiis magaceed oo ka sarreeya AC3200 waa ruuter-yada wireless-ka ee tri-band.
• Tilmaamaha aad hesho:^{(The features you get:)} router-yada ilaa AC1750 waxay u muuqdaan kuwo la awoodi karo, waxayna leeyihiin kaliya sifooyinka aasaasiga ah ee dadku u baahan yihiin. Mareegaha sare ee u janjeera inay bixiyaan astaamo aad iyo aad u horumarsan, sida ilaalinta fayraska lagu daray, kontaroolada waalidka horumarsan, ama adeegyada ciyaaraha ku jihaysan.
• Intee in le'eg ayay qalabkoodu awood u leeyahay:^{(How powerful their hardware is:)} router-yada ilaa AC1750 waxay leeyihiin soo-saareyaal hal-core ah, oo leh agab hardware xaddidan. Markaad kor u kacdo AC3200^(AC3200) , waxaad helaysaa processor-yada dual-core iyo RAM badan iyo meel lagu kaydiyo router kaaga. Ku dhawaad ​​​​AC5400 , waxaad helaysaa processor-ka quad-core iyo RAM badan . Hal sharci oo la xasuusan karo ayaa ah in sida ugu wanaagsan ee qalabka routerkaaga, ay u badan tahay macaamiisha shabakadu u adeegi karto, tayo iyo xawaare fiican leh.

Si aan u soo koobno ​​gabagabadayada, waxaanu samaynay sawirka hoose, si aanu kaaga caawino inaad xasuusato sida loo isticmaalo heshiiska magacaabista AC.

Ma^(Are) jiraan su'aalo kale oo aan laga jawaabin?

Anaga hadaanu nahay Muwaadin Dijital ah^{(Digital Citizen)} waxaanu tijaabinay router badan oo wireless ka soo saarayaal badan: ASUS , TP-Link , Netgear , Tenda , D-Link , Linksys , Synology , iyo kuwa kale. Maqaalkan waxaa la sameeyay iyadoo lagu salaynayo sanado laga soo shaqeeyay goobtan. Waxaan rajeyneynaa inaan cadeyneyno xaqiiqda dhabta ah ee warshadahan iyo inaad hadda wax badan ka ogtahay heshiiskan magacaabista iyo sida loo isticmaalo. Haddii aad hayso wax su'aalo ah oo aan laga jawaabin, faallooyinka hoose ka dhiibo oo aan ka wada hadalno.

What does AC1200, AC1750, AC1900 or more, mean and what's the difference?

All wireless routers have AC in their name, followed by a number. For example, you have routers that are called: Tenda AC9 AC1200, TР-Link Archer C7 AC1750, NETGEAR Nighthawk XR500 ΑC2500, or ASUS RT-AC88U AC3100. What does this AC followed by a number mean? Does thе number following AC tell you how fаst the router is? Is an AC1900 router faster than an AC1200 router? In theory, manυfaсturers sаy that it is. In reality, the truth is different. Here is why this AС naming cоnvention is marketing wіth little value for consumers, and how not to fool yоurself when purсhasing a wireless router:

What does AC1200, AC1750, AC1900, AC2900, AC3200, and other similar naming means, when it comes to routers?

When you purchase a wireless router, you see the term AC followed by a number, somewhere in its name. Newer models may have the terms AX followed by an even larger number. AC means that the router has support for the 802.11ac (or Wi-Fi 5) wireless networking standard, which offers fast WiFi network connections on the 5GHz frequency. AX means that the router has support for the 802.11ax (or Wi-Fi 6) wireless networking standard.

The number that comes after AC or AX represents the maximum THEORETICAL bandwidth of the router. 1200 means 1200 Mbps, 1900 means 1900 Mbps, 3200 means 3200 Mbps, and so on. When reading AC2300 in the name of a router, it means that you are dealing with a WiFi router that offers a wireless network using the 802.11ac (Wi-Fi 5) standard, with a total maximum theoretical bandwidth of 2300 Mbps.

You might be tempted to believe that an AC3200 router provides a wireless network that works at 3200 Mbps. That would be amazing, but, unfortunately, it is false. The truth is that this naming convention is not useful for making a purchasing decision. It is just a marketing tactic that tries to make you believe that a router is faster than it really is.

AC1200, AC1750, AC1900 and so on, is a sum of all the bands on which the router emits WiFi signal, not the real speed of the router

One key aspect of the calculation that results in an AC or AX naming is the number of bands or frequencies on which the router emits the wireless signal. Let's take a modern and popular router as an example: ASUS RT-AC86U AC2900.

This router has two bands, each of them with its own maximum theoretical bandwidth:

• The first band (and the slowest) is the 2.4 GHz wireless band. It has a maximum theoretical bandwidth of 750 Mbps.
• The second band (and the fastest) is the 5 GHz wireless band. It has a maximum theoretical bandwidth of 2167 Mbps.

Therefore, AC2900 is not the maximum bandwidth you get on one wireless band or frequency, but the sum of all the available wireless bands or frequencies. The maximum speed you could get is that of the fastest band - 2167 Mbps on the 5 GHz wireless band - only in laboratory conditions, which we are going to explain later in this article.

To give you an even better understanding, here's how wireless routers are categorized when it comes to bands or frequencies:

• Single-band and emit WiFi only on one wireless frequency, meaning that they emit only one wireless network. In most cases, they emit on the 2.4 GHz frequency, and they have up to AC1000 in their name. Some manufacturers have stopped producing such routers. They have incredibly low prices, but are not the right choice for modern smart homes, because they are underpowered, and use an old wireless networking standard that is not suitable for Full HD movie streaming, online gaming, and so on.
• Dual-band and emit WiFi on two wireless frequencies: 2.4 GHz (which is slower but with a larger coverage area) and 5 GHz (which is faster but with a smaller coverage area). You see two wireless networks being broadcast, with different names. You can also change the settings for both bands to use the same network name. The majority of modern routers are dual-band. Their pricing varies a lot, but it tends to be accessible for most people. However, one observation is that the lower the number after the AC naming convention, the lower the price. Therefore, an AC1750 wireless router should be cheaper than an AC2900 wireless router.
• Tri-band and emit on three wireless frequencies: one 2.4 GHz frequency and two 5 GHz frequencies. You see three wireless networks being broadcast, but they can be set to use the same name. The most expensive wireless routers are tri-band, and their names have AC3200 or more in their name. Some of the latest routers even have AC5400 in their name, making you believe that they emit wireless networks at 5400 Mbps, which is far from the truth.

To make sure that you understand the number of bands and how they are related to the AC naming convention, let's take one final example: TP-Link Archer C5400X. It is an AC5400 wireless router with three bands, having their maximum theoretical bandwidth split like in the graphic below:

• 1000 Mbps for the 2.4 GHz wireless band
• 2167 Mbps for each of the two 5 GHz wireless bands

The maximum speed you could get from this router, on WiFi, is 2167 Mbps on each of its two 5 GHz wireless bands, in laboratory conditions.

Why is the AC naming convention misleading?

The AC naming convention used by wireless router manufacturers is misleading, because it sums up the maximum theoretical bandwidth of all the wireless bands that are broadcast by the wireless router. That's how we end-up with crazy numbers like AC5400. In reality, you do not get 5400 Mbps on WiFi, when using an AC5400 wireless router, because network devices can connect to only one band at a time, not all bands at once. To better understand, look at the picture below. There are three network devices (an iPhone, a Surface Pro, and an Xbox One), each connected to a different WiFi band, from the three made available by the TP-Link Archer C5400X router.

The speed these devices get is never bigger than the theoretical maximum bandwidth of the wireless band that they are connected to. Therefore, the iPhone won't get a speed that is higher than 1000 Mbps, while the other two devices won't get a speed that is higher than 2167 Mbps.

How is the maximum wireless bandwidth measured in manufacturer's labs?

Earlier we gave an example of a tri-band router and explained that a naming like AC5400 did not mean that it offers a wireless network at 5400 Mbps. You could assume that the top speed you get on WiFi is 2167 Mbps - the maximum theoretical bandwidth for the two 5 GHz bands offered by the router. Unfortunately, this is also false. This is because ALL manufacturers of networking equipment such as WiFi routers, do not use real-life measuring environments, like people's homes and apartments. They do their measurements in specialized labs so that they can claim the maximum possible speed. Here is what router manufacturers tend to do, to calculate the total maximum bandwidth:

• The measurements are made in labs without thick walls that absorb the wireless signal, and with a direct line of sight between the router and the network clients used to make the calculations.
• They place the devices that they use for measuring the bandwidth at an optimal distance of two to three meters (6 to 10 feet). They have no interest in measuring the bandwidth in the far corner of a home or apartment, or in a room separated from the router by a thick wall.
• Many times, they use two or three identical routers connected to each other to measure the maximum bandwidth when transferring data between them. Companies do not use regular computers or smartphones, like users do, because their routers have better support for wireless technologies than the network cards included in PCs, laptops, tablets or smartphones. As a result, their transfers are faster than when using a laptop, for example.
• When manufacturers use computers for measuring the maximum bandwidth, they use expensive high-end PCs, with the best possible processor, RAM, and the fastest network card for the network standards that they are using on their routers. Most users do not have the same budget to invest in similar high-end computers. Would you buy a high-end wireless network card like ASUS PCE-AC88? Most people would not.
• Networking companies measure the wireless bandwidth using specialized networking software and drivers, that are optimized to work with the latest standards and WiFi technologies. Many computers and devices often use older software and operating systems, that do not work as well with modern WiFi networking technologies. Often, drivers are also outdated, especially those of the network cards on most consumer laptops.
• Manufacturers connect the smallest possible number of devices to the WiFi broadcast by their routers, so that they measure its maximum bandwidth. In your home or workplace, you connect a lot more devices than they do, at the same time, causing them to fight over the available wireless bandwidth.
• They place the router's antennas in a position that guarantees the maximum wireless throughput. In your home, you are likely to place the router and its antennas in a less optimal way, to make sure the router is not in your way or easily reached by children.
• Companies optimize their firmware settings for maximum speed. For example, on some WiFi routers, the USB port, depending on its positioning and default settings, can lower the maximum wireless throughput. Therefore, networking companies change the firmware settings to lower the USB throughput and minimize interference, while measuring the wireless bandwidth. They may also disable security features that reduce the WiFi speed, like real-time antivirus scanning or parental controls.

How big is the difference between AC naming conventions and reality?

The differences between AC naming conventions and the speeds you get in real life can be depressingly high. They also vary wildly, and, many times, routers with high numbers in their AC naming are not necessarily faster than others with lower numbers. To give you a better perspective, let's discuss some examples:

An affordable AC1200 router like Tenda AC9, delivers a maximum download speed of 224.09 Mbps, on the 5 GHz band, when using a regular Windows 10 laptop. Its theoretical maximum bandwidth for that band is of 867 Mbps. The real-life speed you get is 2.86 times lower than its advertised maximum bandwidth.

An AC1900 wireless router like Linksys EA7500 v2 has a maximum theoretical bandwidth of 1300 Mbps for the 5 GHz band. When you use a normal Windows 10 laptop, you get a maximum download speed of 539.86 Mbps. The real-life speed you get is 2.4 times lower than its advertised maximum bandwidth.

Next, let's look at an AC2900 wireless router, like ASUS ROG Rapture GT-AC2900, with a theoretical maximum bandwidth of 2167 Mbps for the 5 GHz band. In real life, you can reach 701.60 Mbps for the download speed, only in the room where the router is placed, using an expensive network card like ASUS PCE-AC88. That's three times lower than its advertised maximum bandwidth.

Getting back to an AC1900 router, like ASUS Blue Cave. With the same expensive network card, it obtained an even higher download speed: 741.54 Mbps. The fun bit is that this router has a maximum theoretical bandwidth of 1734 Mbps for the 5 GHz band, which is lower than that of the more expensive AC2900 wireless router. Even so, the real-life speed is 2.33 lower than its advertised maximum bandwidth.

All this data proves that the AC naming conventions used for wireless routers are unrealistic estimations, that should not matter when you choose your next router. Other criteria are a lot more important: 8 things to consider when buying a wireless router (for beginners)

If you want to know the real-life speed you get from a wireless router, before purchasing it, you should read in-depth reviews online. Many websites, like Digital Citizen, spend a lot of time testing wireless routers and showing what you get in normal, day-to-day situations, without expensive lab equipment.

How should I interpret this AC naming convention, when it comes to wireless routers?

The AC naming convention does not tell you the real-life speed of the wireless network that you get when buying one router or another. This naming convention tells you other things like:

• Whether the router is expensive or affordable. Wireless routers up to AC1750 and sometimes even AC1900, tend to be affordable for most people. Routers above AC3200 are always premium models for which you pay a lot of money.
• Whether the router is single band, dual-band or tri-band: routers up to AC1000 are always single band, and emit their WiFi signal on the slow 2.4 GHz frequency. AC1200 routers up to AC3200 are dual-band routers that emit their signal both on the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz frequencies. Routers with a naming convention above AC3200 are tri-band wireless routers.
• The features you get: routers up to AC1750 tend to be affordable, and they only have the basic features people need. Routers above that tend to offer more and more advanced features, like included antivirus protection, advanced parental controls, or gaming-oriented services.
• How powerful their hardware is: routers up to AC1750 have single-core processors, with limited hardware resources. When you go up to AC3200, you get dual-core processors and more RAM and storage space on your router. Going close to AC5400, you get quad-core processors and lots of RAM. One rule to remember is that the better the hardware of your router, the more network clients it can serve, with better quality and speed.

To summarize our conclusions, we created the illustration below, to help you remember how the AC naming convention is used.

Are there any other questions left unanswered?

We at Digital Citizen have tested many wireless routers from many manufacturers: ASUS, TP-Link, Netgear, Tenda, D-Link, Linksys, Synology, and others. This article was made based on years of working in this field. We hope that we clarified the realities of this industry and that you now know a lot more about this naming convention and how it is used. If you have any questions left unanswered, comment below and let's discuss.

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