802.11ac standard Questions

[Guest]

I am planning to build a gaming PC. I was looking at a PCI Express 802.11ac Wi-Fi antenna, since I don't know if I will have a wired Internet connection available when I go to college. I have been suggested on another thread that I should go with an 802.11n Wi-Fi antenna instead. I have the following questions:

1. Even if I went with both an 802.11ac antenna and router, would I still be bottlenecked by my Internet Service Provider's connection?

2. Could the current 802.11ac devices that are available, be incompatible when the 11ac standard is certified early next year?

3. How quickly or slowly could game servers and universities adopt this standard?

 

[RealBeast]

If you don't have a wireless AC signal, and you won't for a long time, an AC adapter is a waste of money. It will be a number of years before AC becomes very common -- many public connections are still on 2.4GHz G/N.

I would find out what you will have to connect to before spending any money on equipment. If you do end up with an Ethernet connection that allows you to attach a router (many universities do not allow routers), then AC would be helpful to avoid to overcrowded 2.4GHz and 5GHz N wireless networks around you.

Most of the devices available now should work with the final standard, but you will know for sure in a few months.

 

[Guest]

Thanks for the info. But with regard to question number 1, if I had both an 802.11ac adapter and router, could I still be bottlenecked by the Internet Service Provider's, broadband connection?

 

[RealBeast]

Yes, very likely an AC router and adapter would be much faster than any Internet connection.