Wireless AC Vs N – Which Wireless Network Standard Supports Greater Speed?
With faster Wi-Fi today, wireless networking standards also have had to evolve to support the high bandwidth. The most popular wireless standards are the 802.11ac and 802.11n. Here is a comprehensive comparison guide of the two.
Over the past two decades, internet has grown in all capacities from speed, bandwidth, resolutions, memory sizes and processor. But a major factor that has always been neglected in this conversation is the wireless networking standard. To enable and control the bandwidth, IT companies agreed on a universal standard to be used by wireless devices. Every smart phone, router, laptop and others has a standard which is either 802.11ac or 802.11n. The 802.11n standard was first released on 2007 with the 802.11ac being released on 2013. However, there are older standards such as 802.11a released in 1999, 802.11b released in 2000 and 802.11greleased in 2003. To understand them better, let’s look at how they compare.
Table of Contents
802.11ac vs 802.11n – how do they compare?
Speed
One of the major considerations with wireless connectivity is the speed. Here, the 802.11acallows for higher speeds than the 802.11n. Wi-Fi on the ac version is rated at a theoretical throughput speed of 1300 Mbps which usually translates to 162 Mbps in a real word environment. It is important to check the standard of the router you buy because ultimately, it determines the speed you will be receiving. On the other hand, the older 802.11n is much slower, three times slower to be precise. Routers with this rating come with a theoretical throughput speed of 450 Mbps translating to roughly 90 Mbps. Therefore, if you a heavy internet user in terms of bandwidth, steer towards the 802.1ac rating
Antennas
A key component of routers and other wireless devices is the number of antennas they have. Antennas are used to receive and send signals to the devices to the furthest possible distance. Different devices have different number of antennas. For instance, smart phones have one antenna, laptops have two or three while a tablet has two antennas. The number of antennas on a router on the other hand depends on the wireless standard rating. 802.11ac is better because it allows a router to have more antennas. Itt allows up to eight antennas on a single router which is quite a lot. Each antenna is capable of running up to 400 Mbps in bandwidth. An 802.11n router allows up to four antennas. Overall, this means that an ac router provides a more steady connection compared to the n rating
Range
With Wi-Fi, range has to be the most important factor to consider. Range refers to the maximum distance and area a single router can cover. Once again, this is determined by the wireless standard of your router. 802.11 ac provides wider area of coverage than the N rating. However, it is important to note that the difference is slight. When tested, the AC rating beat the N rating only using the 5 GHz band. But on the 2.4 GHz bands, the ratings provide similar range. A general rule of thumb is that lower bands provide higher speeds while lower bands provide longer range.
Beamforming
In routers, a popular term you will come across a lot is beamforming. When a router is placed somewhere, it sends out the signals equally in all directions like a stone into a pond. What this means is that you should always place it on a high central position to get the best out of it. Beamforming is a nice feature that enables the router to detect where connected devices are and increase the strength in that direction. Again, the 802.11ac rating standard is better as it is inbuilt with beamforming abilities while the N version is not.
802.11ac vs 802.11n – A comparison overview
802.11ac
The most common rating in the world right now is the 802.11ac, also referred to as Wi-Fi 5. Almost all home wireless routers today are 802.11ac compliant. There are a lot of benefits that come with this. First, the speed is greatly improved from the previous 802.11n rating. Here, speeds reach up to 162 Mbps in a real world environment. Furthermore, routers with this rating have inbuilt beamforming capabilities. This special feature enables the router to sense where the connected devices are and increase the signal strength in that direction. On top of this, this rating supports more antennas on a router – up to eight. With such many antennas, range as well as stability of the Wi-Fi is increased greatly. The only downside to 802.11ac compliant routers is that they are expensive yet all they offer is high bandwidth not range. The following is great example of an 802.11ac router.
TP Link Archer A20
- Tri Band Wireless Internet Router for 4K video, streaming and gaming with incredible high speed, 1625...
- Archer A20 V3 with Powerful 1. 8 GHz 64-bit CPU, three co-processors and 512 MB of RAM powers your home...
This router is a high end performance that features a triband 802.11ac system. It is a modern router with Wi-Fi 6, also known as 802.11AX that provides very high throughput speeds and wonderful coverage. Although few devices support this, the router works well with older devices. It is a great investment in the future which is something TP Link is known for. The router boasts outrageous speeds of 1625 Mbps on the 5 GHz band and 750 Mbps on the 2.4 GHz band. Like all other TP Link routers, it comes with ports for physical or wired connections. The TP Link Archer A20 feature four gigabit Ethernet ports and one WAN Ethernet port all located at the back of the router.
802.11n
The N standard is the predecessor to the AC (above). It was released in 2007 and was used up to 2013. It is also referred to as Wi-Fi 4. This standard is best known for being the first standard to implement MIMO in routers. With this amazing feature, multiple devices can easily connect to the router since it is able to prioritize and regulate bandwidth. 802.11n is rated at a theoretical throughput speed of 90 Mbps. It offers better range compared to older standards as well as signal intensity. The following modem router is compliant to the N standard.
TP Link M4
- JD Power Award ---Highest in customer satisfaction for wireless routers 2017 and 2019
- Better Coverage than traditional WiFi routers: Deco M4 three units work seamlessly to create a WiFi mesh...
The TP Link M4 is a router system that is known for providing a superb seamless connection to large homes and offices. But perhaps the most outstanding feature of this router is its ability to communicate with smart devices in your home such as smart TVs and locks. And this is because it comes with a highly effective and responsive mobile app. The app is available for both Android and iOS. When buying this router, it comes as a one pack system and a two pack system. There are many reasons for buying this router including: high speeds, built in security system against malware, phishing and hacks, compatibility with Alexa for voice commands and excellent parental control systems that protect the young ones from harmful content.
Model |
TP Link M4 |
TP Link Archer A20 |
Ports |
4 |
7 |
Speed |
upload speed of 120 Mbps and download speed of 343 Mbps |
1625 Mbps on the 5 GHz band and 750 Mbps on the 2.4 GHz |
Special features |
auto-learning and auto-aging |
MUMIMO, beamforming |
Size |
3.9 x 2.8 x 1 inches |
7.9 inches across |
Color |
Black |
White |
Availability |
Conclusion
The AC wireless rating is the better choice compared to the N. AC products are easily available, offer higher bandwidths and offer higher value for money.
