The IEEE 802.11 are the transmission standards of the Wireless networks and the type of standard of each device with wifi connection is clearly indicated in the specifications of the same. The most common standards are precisely 802.11n and 802.11ac, which is that of the most modern routers and which ensures a faster connection.
The problem with these standards is that they do not communicate with each other, meaning that an 802.11n device does not transmit data at the speed of 802.11ac.
When you go to buy a wifi router, you can then choose whether to spend more on an 802.11ac or spend less by buying an 802.11n one .
The main difference between the two standards is the transmission speed which, 802.11n, has a theoretical maximum transfer point of 450Mbits / s, i.e. about 56 megabytes per second.
If this speed point can only be reached in laboratory environments, a router of this type can safely support the viewing of streaming video and online play without any slowdown.
However, the difference is clear with an 802.11ac router, approved by the IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) in 2014.
Its theoretical maximum speed is even 1.3Gbits per second (or 162.5 MB / s).
Furthermore, unlike 802.11n, 802.11ac works exclusively on the 5Ghz frequency spectrum, which, as already explained in another article on the differences between 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz Wi-Fi networks, suffers very little from interference, but it is less penetrating.
The 2.4GHz transmission frequency is in fact capable of penetrating the walls without loss of signal, becoming preferable for spreading the network in houses with several floors or with many rooms.
To find out if a router is 802.11ac, just search for its name on Google and read the product sheet or check the instruction booklet.
Usually, just to differentiate them and to highlight their modernity, you should read AC inside the name of the router itself (Asus RT-AC51U or D-Link AC1750).
The price of an AC router is always much higher than N routers, with an average cost of 100 Euros or more.
Since the price is higher, the key point of the choice between an AC router and an N router is above all in the type of devices you want to connect to the network and what you want to do.
For example an iPhone 6 supports the 802.11ac signal and on each desktop PC it is possible to buy an AC network card for 10 Euros.
But if you don't see streaming movies broadcast in 4K quality, maybe buying an AC router is useless.
Furthermore, having a more powerful and faster router, therefore an 802.11ac than an 802.11n one, does not improve the internet connection which is limited by itself by the provider and the cables that arrive at home.
Even to manage the maximum speed of a fiber optic network there should be no problems with a normal router N.
Basically, at the moment, buying an 802.11ac router for twice or triple the amount you would spend on an 802.11n router is generally not recommended, unless you need to transmit 4K video streams in the local network from a computer. to the iPhone or an ultrabook laptop with an AC adapter.
On the other hand, however, if you find an AC router at a good price and which also supports the N standard and which is dual band, the choice may also be optimal for the future.
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