The hidden costs of higher speed internet

[Nerd Scale: 2 out of 5 pocket protectors]

 

 

Who doesn't like faster internet?  For me, installing a super fast internet connection for a client is a little like Christmas morning. It is nerdily exciting.

It is common now, especially in home offices, to be able to get speeds up to 50Mbps.  With that kind of bandwidth, files download in a blink of an eye, streaming Netflix displays in higher definition and viruses can infect your computer at a much faster rate than ever before.  It is all very efficient.

Or is it?  There are hidden costs associated with upgrading our internet service to faster speeds that most of us don't think about.   And it all has to do with wireless.   Wireless technology has made our computing lives easier, or at least more aesthetically pleasing.   We don't have to be tethered to a single location in our office or have unsightly wires strewn across our workspaces. 

It is important to understand when upgrading your internet speeds that a lot of the wireless technology that we have been using can't actually support the new high speeds.   This is not to say if you purchase a 50Mbps service that your wireless will stop working.  It means that your wireless may not be able to provide you access to all the bandwidth.

Most of us are probably using 802.11g or 802.11n wireless routers on our networks.  I don't intend to delve into the nuts and bolts of these technologies, or really discuss the theoretical vs actual performance of these technologies.  Using 802.11g, you will probably max out your connection at 20Mbps.  802.11n is supposed to be able to support these higher speeds, but I have seen plenty of 802.11n devices max out at 24Mbps.  This is usually due to using an early, or draft, version of the 802.11n hardware that really wasn't certified for the 802.11n protocol.   I have encountered more 802.11n hardware that doesn't support higher speeds than those that do.  

What you will need is an upgrade to the newer 802.11ac hardware.  The 802.11ac protocols have been out for awhile, but are still new enough that they are kind of pricey.  You may need to purchase an 802.11 AC router.  Most of the 802.11ac routers that I would suggest run in the $150-$200 range.   I have been really impressed by Apple's new Airport Extreme and some of the Linksys' AC line.

As well as the router purchase, you may need to purchase a wireless network adapter for each computer that needs access to the full bandwidth.   The costs range anywhere between $40-$100 for the wireless network adapter.   Apple has added 802.11ac to all their new laptops already, but the PC world has been a bit late in adopting the technology.   If you are purchasing a new laptop in the near future, you might want to think about upgrading the wireless network adapter to an AC version.

Most 802.11ac routers have dual-band technology that will allow the older 802.11g and 802.11n devices to connect, they just will have limited bandwidth (again, some 802.11n wireless network adapters will support higher speeds and some will not).  You won't have to upgrade every computer, just the ones that need faster internet.

At the very least, you would probably have to spend about $200 to fully take advantage of your new internet speeds.  So keep that in mind when you are calculating the cost of upgrading your internet speeds.

And if you need help installing the new hardware or deciding what you should purchase, please contact Binkley IT Consulting.  We can help.