Waiting around for wireless data to get to my computer is frustrating. We’re all impatient. We want all the data, now! These days we consume data at rates unimaginable just a few years ago. Video downloads, video uploads, gigabyte data hosts, it’s a massive load. It’s one thing if you are using technology properly and waiting. That’s just life. But if you are setting yourself up for slow data, that’s just stupid. I don’t like that.
I’m router shopping at home. Cutting edge 802.11ad (7 Gbit/s, 60 GHz) technology is a bit out of reach realistically right now but 802.11ac is common and easy. Moving to a 802.11ac router will be an upgrade from the 802.11n router I’m using (Motorolla SBG6580, 2×3 300 Mbps @ 40MHz, 144.4 Mbps @ 20 MHz). The new unit will be an Motorolla MG7550. (data sheet).
Because of this, I’m also swapping out my Anatel (Qualcom) Atheros AR5B22 wifi/Bluetooth card in my Acer Aspire E3-111-P60S netbook. Certainly, if my home is 802.11ac, my computer should be as well. My Samsung Galaxy S6 phone is currently 802.11ac so that’s easy.
The card (like my current router) is a Mini PCIe (half), 802.11n (2×2 30MHz, 270 Mbps max), 802.11abgn WIFI, Bluetooth 4.0 (2.4000-2.4835 GHz)
Intel® Dual Band Wireless-AC 7260 Plus Bluetooth
Intel® Dual Band Wireless-AC 7260: Product Brief
Since the 7260 is a 2×2 80 MHz card, it will max out at 866 Mbps. That’s 3.2x faster than the old card. Significant when the cost is about $37.
Drivers for the 7260ac are 19.20.3 (software)/18.33.5.1 (driver)(2016-12-09) for the wireless and 17.1.1531.1764 (driver) (2015-09-15) for the bluetooth
Be careful, The 7260 comes in two card configurations, M.2 (7260NGW) and HMC (7260HMW). My card is the older HMC type card.
This is very important and also drove my choice. If I had an Intel® Tri-Band Wireless-AC 18260 card. (Data Sheet). It functions at 802.11ad (2×2 4.7 Gbit/s) speeds. If you can chose this, do it.
Now, after all of this, it’s important to choose channels wisely…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_WLAN_channels
Because of channel choosing and conflicts in lightly crowded suburban neighborhood I live in, I am force to use 2.4GHz@20MHz (chanel 1) and 5.0GHz@80MHz (chanel 44) from my router. Getting 40MHz on a 2.5GHz frequency would really require a controlled and Isolated environment. It’s only because of such few users that I’m able to get away with 80MHz on the 5GHz channels.
Thus, I will see max speeds from my router of 405Mbs on 2.4GHz and 1300Mbs on 5.0GHz from my router.
