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Buffalo First to Sell New 802.11ac Router
Though You Won't Be Able to Use the Speed Yet


Buffalo today became the first company to get an early splash in the 802.11ac Wi-Fi- router market, today announcing their first 802.11ac wireless router and wireless media bridge. The devices support the new 802.11ac standard (though it has yet to be ratified by the IEEE) while also being backward compatible with 802.11a, 11b, 11g and 11n Wi-Fi technology.

Buffalo claims the router (the AirStation WZR-D1800H) is theoretically capable of 1300 Mbps on the 5 GHz band, utilizing a 2.4 GHz 3x3 802.11n radio providing backward compatibility and offering speeds up to 450 Mbps. Buffalo says the media bridge (the WLI-H4-D1300) provides a total aggregate wireless throughput up to 1750 Mbps across the 5 GHz and 2.4 GHz bands.

Because there are no 802.11ac capable devices, the hardware will behave like a 802.11n device until there is. Still, you'll have bragging rights, right? Both the AirStation WZR-D1800H and the WLI-H4-D1300 are now available online for $180.
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FFH5
Premium Member
join:2002-03-03
Tavistock NJ

FFH5

Premium Member

Devices WILL be able to connect to 802.11ac router

With the other device announced, you can connect to the 802.11ac router.

AirStation AC1300 / N450 4-Port Gigabit Dual Band Wireless Ethernet Bridge WLI-H4-D1300, a versatile dual band media bridge that extends the capabilities of wireless networks. Consumers can now connect up to four network-enabled wired devices, such as media players and gaming consoles to their 802.11ac network.

Put the ethernet bridge in another room and hook up a laptop, an AppleTV, an XBox, etc to provide very high speed connectivity for moving HD video around the house wirelessly.
axiomatic
join:2006-08-23
Tomball, TX

axiomatic

Member

WZR-HP-AG300H fiasco

Sorry Buffalo... after the complete and total fiasco that was your WZR-HP-AG300H product I flat out refuse to ever give you another shot ever again. You owed everyone who bought a WZR-HP-AG300H a refund and you literally did nothing to address or resolve the issue. When you grow up and act like a corporation we can talk again. Strong words, yes I know. Trust me, Buffalo deserves it on this one. When you herald a product as being able to do 30db 2.4 GHz and at best it does 12 - 14db and then totally ignore your own support forums of valid complaints.... yeah enjoy the kiddy-table Buffalo it will be some time before you are invited to the adult table again.

jap
Premium Member
join:2003-08-10
038xx

jap

Premium Member

Re: WZR-HP-AG300H fiasco

said by axiomatic:

Sorry Buffalo... after the complete and total fiasco that was your WZR-HP-AG300H product I flat out refuse to ever give you another shot ever again

Wait a few days and you can buy the Netgear 802ac/n. They announced 17 days ago it would hit the streets this month. Possibly helpful: Arstechnica ditty and Netgear's specs page. Anyone seen this broadcom SoC yet?

Sooo, how many early adopters will get a rude awakening about the number of 802.11b/g devices on or frequently visiting their LAN?
axiomatic
join:2006-08-23
Tomball, TX

axiomatic

Member

Re: WZR-HP-AG300H fiasco

I built a router with a Shuttle XG41 and pfSense running on VMWare ESX 5.0 and could not be happier. My ASUS RT-N56U is only the WAP now and not the router and my performance is through the roof now. Getting 100% of what my ISP is providing now. I even considered the ASUS RT-N56U a GREAT replacement for the crappy Buffalo WZR-HP-AG300H I had prior to it, but there is bandwidth all consumer routers seem to be leaving on the table waiting to be utilized. It took me going to pfSense (or M0n0wall if you like) for me to realize it though. Sure I would consider this an advanced set up. But for me it was worth the setup time 100%.

tshirt
Premium Member
join:2004-07-11
Snohomish, WA

tshirt

Premium Member

OH NOES!!!

WiFI makers yet again releasing "PRE" standard equipment

So we will see a few (maybe, if we are lucky) good models and a huge number of junk Pre-ac/ac almost models released, once again fragmenting the market and polluting the freq's while we wait for actual APPROVED standard devices.
IEEE standards commitees are such a clusterfuck.
Angrychair
join:2000-09-20
Jacksonville, FL

Angrychair

Member

Re: OH NOES!!!

One really does wonder what the point of these devices is considering they cost as much or more than the top tier current generation devices in their quality segment do and you gain no tangible benefit now and possibly later for moving to their model right now.

Smith6612
MVM
join:2008-02-01
North Tonawanda, NY
·Charter
Ubee EU2251
Ubiquiti UAP-IW-HD
Ubiquiti UniFi AP-AC-HD

Smith6612 to tshirt

MVM

to tshirt
Let's not forget the amount of Draft Devices that allow for bad practices to carry over to the actual standard, like with the 802.11n standard! I see so many bad practices that break the actual standard I often wind up reconfiguring most Wireless N networks I see and afterwards there is a noticeable improvement in the performance of the network. Let's not forget about incompatibilities and the many different ways cards were designed ("Up to 130Mbps, Up to 144Mbps, Up to 300Mbps" and "Up to 450Mbps" whereas Wireless G was always "Up to 54Mbps" unless you had a proprietary "Up to 108Mbps" card which were far and few, sucked, and expensive).
firedrakes
join:2009-01-29
Arcadia, FL

firedrakes

Member

Re: OH NOES!!!

yeah. let sell draft router. oh and sorry to tell not support when it is official release . you will have to pay us again for that one

jap
Premium Member
join:2003-08-10
038xx

jap to tshirt

Premium Member

to tshirt
said by tshirt:

IEEE standards commitees are such a clusterfuck.

I'll go with your first sentence: onus on the equipment manufacturers.

tshirt
Premium Member
join:2004-07-11
Snohomish, WA

tshirt

Premium Member

Re: OH NOES!!!

said by jap:

said by tshirt:

IEEE standards commitees are such a clusterfuck.

I'll go with your first sentence: onus on the equipment manufacturers.

I agree with setting the standards, I just wish the IEEE would enforce the rules on the "PRE" release crowd.
time after time they all pledge to wait, and when "someone" chooses to violate they do nothing.

Interference
@173.226.104.x

Interference

Anon

5Ghz and Wireless ISP

This product right out of the gate is going to have issues. As a wireless ISP we already use
unlicensed spectrum to get the Internet to our subscribers. 2.4Ghz is already a disaster and we tired of interference complaints of competing with cordless phones, home access points and lots of other devices.

The new complete use of all spectrum devices is going to be a disaster for individuals who don't realize what is already out here.

The FCC won't open up new unlicensed areas to operate and eventuality will make all unlicensed useless.

Somebody is going to get hurt and will continue to wonder who?

Inssomniak
The Glitch
Premium Member
join:2005-04-06
Cayuga, ON

Inssomniak

Premium Member

Re: 5Ghz and Wireless ISP

said by Interference :

This product right out of the gate is going to have issues. As a wireless ISP we already use
unlicensed spectrum to get the Internet to our subscribers. 2.4Ghz is already a disaster and we tired of interference complaints of competing with cordless phones, home access points and lots of other devices.

The new complete use of all spectrum devices is going to be a disaster for individuals who don't realize what is already out here.

The FCC won't open up new unlicensed areas to operate and eventuality will make all unlicensed useless.

Somebody is going to get hurt and will continue to wonder who?

+1.

rebus9
join:2002-03-26
Tampa Bay

rebus9

Member

Fast... but let's see how far.

Yet to be seen is the range of 5 GHz inside the household. The higher the frequency, the more it's attenuated by obstacles in the path-- doors, walls, and floors/ceilings (in multi-story homes).

If you remember the days of 46/49 MHz cordless phones, we could walk halfway down the block and still use them. Our 5.8 GHz phones today will barely reach out into the driveway.

aaronwt
Premium Member
join:2004-11-07
Woodbridge, VA
Asus RT-AX89

aaronwt

Premium Member

Re: Fast... but let's see how far.

said by rebus9:

Yet to be seen is the range of 5 GHz inside the household. The higher the frequency, the more it's attenuated by obstacles in the path-- doors, walls, and floors/ceilings (in multi-story homes).

If you remember the days of 46/49 MHz cordless phones, we could walk halfway down the block and still use them. Our 5.8 GHz phones today will barely reach out into the driveway.

Thats' why you should be using the DECT 6.0 phones which use the 1.9GHz frequency.

rebus9
join:2002-03-26
Tampa Bay

rebus9

Member

Re: Fast... but let's see how far.

Actually.... »www.newegg.com/Product/P ··· 76105232

I bought this kit about 6 months ago because our 5.8 GHz phones didn't have as much security and I was concerned about leaking personal info like SSNs and credit card numbers into the air.

They still don't have anywhere near the range of my old 46 MHz phone, though.
ExoticFish
join:2008-08-31
Zebulon, NC

ExoticFish

Member

Re: Fast... but let's see how far.

What good is this router without a compatible WiFi adapter ?