I often hear people complaining that the wireless LAN is slow even though they have installed an optical line, but they are using the latest PCs and smartphones. This is because I continue to use the environment that was set up in the past. It doesn't break very often, so it's easy to overlook it, but if you feel that the communication speed is slow, it's time to replace it. In this article, I will introduce techniques for building a comfortable wireless LAN environment using the latest IEEE802.11ac routers, child devices, and repeaters.
By introducing the latest 11ac wireless LAN router, high-speed communication of up to 400Mbps is possible even with a smartphone!
Wireless LAN router that supports 11ac and has a maximum communication speed of 1733Mbps
Even though my iPhone is connected to a wireless LAN at home, it seems that it is slower than when it is not connected. In that case, check the wireless LAN router. If the Internet line is a high-speed type such as optical fiber, it is considered that the wireless LAN router is old and has become a bottleneck. Wireless LAN routers tend to be forgotten because they are not easily broken or reset. However, like other digital gadgets, it continues to evolve day by day.
If you are buying a new PC or smartphone, let's recheck the wireless LAN environment. If the model supports only the wireless LAN standard IEEE802.11b/g, I would like to replace it immediately. Even if it supports IEEE802.11n, if it only supports the 2.4GHz band, it will still feel slow.
There are 5 types of wireless LAN standards currently in use. IEEE802.11b with a maximum communication speed of 11 Mbps and IEEE802.11g and IEEE802.11a with a maximum communication speed of 54 Mbps are not speeds that can be used at home anymore. I want to use IEEE802.11n or the latest IEEE802.11ac, which can communicate up to 600Mbps. IEEE802.11ac uses the 5GHz frequency band, and IEEE802.11n supports both the 2.5GHz band and the 5GHz band. As for the characteristics of the frequency band, the 2.5 GHz band is prone to interference with wireless devices and microwave ovens, but is resistant to obstacles, and the 5 GHz band is less likely to interfere, but vulnerable to obstacles. However, the 2.5GHz band is already being used by various devices and is congested, making it difficult to achieve high speeds. Basically, it would be more comfortable to use the 5 GHz band.
If you have a device that supports only the 2.4GHz band, such as a game console or an old laptop, you want to check if it has a "dual band simultaneous connection" function. This is because switching between the 2.4GHz band and the 5GHz band on the router side is very time-consuming.
Even if the wireless LAN standard supports IEEE802.11n and IEEE802.11ac, it is too early to be relieved. The maximum communication speed varies depending on the band used and the number of antennas. According to the standard, IEEE802.11n has a maximum speed of 600 Mbps, and IEEE802.11ac has a maximum speed of 6.9 Gbps (1733 Mbps for currently available products). Even with IEEE802.11n support, the maximum speed is 150 Mbps, and even with IEEE802.11ac support, the maximum speed is 433 Mbps. Check the maximum communication speed.
With that in mind, I would like to introduce Buffalo's wireless LAN router "WSR-2533DHP-CG". While equipped with high-end functions, the cost performance of about 16,000 yen (tax included) is attractive. The maximum communication speed is 1733 Mbps for the 5 GHz band and 800 Mbps for the 2.4 GHz band. Originally, IEEE802.11n has a maximum of 600Mbps, but it is raised to 800Mbps using 256QAM technology. At the same time, I also borrowed a slave unit for a notebook PC that supports IEEE802.11ac and a repeater that supports hard-to-reach areas and tested it.
IEEE802.11ac compatible wireless LAN router "WSR-2533DHP-CG" (Buffalo). Direct sales price is 15,984 yen (tax included)
The direct sales price of the USB 3.0 compatible wireless LAN slave device "WI-U3-866D" is 5292 yen (tax included)
The direct sales price of the IEEE802.11ac compatible repeater "WEX-1166DHP" is 8618 yen (tax included)
