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What is 802.11 AC and how can I use it on my late 2013 rMBP?

Hieveryone

Hieveryone

macrumors 603
Original poster
Apr 11, 2014
5,632
2,347
USA
I have a late 2013 MBPr with 802.11AC and I have 30mbps internet connection.

It's pretty fast already but what does 802.11AC mean and how can I use it to make my internet faster?

Thanks!
 
You won't see any increase in speed for your internet.
802.11n can already cope with everything a 30Meg connection can throw at it.


Barney
 
Hieveryone said:
I have a late 2013 MBPr with 802.11AC and I have 30mbps internet connection.

It's pretty fast already but what does 802.11AC mean and how can I use it to make my internet faster?

Thanks!
Click to expand...

802.11ac means you can get up to 1 Gb/s (125 MB/s) speeds, if your internet connection supports it.

You can also saturate the 802.11ac's 1 Gb/s bandwidth by transferring files via AirDrop to another 802.11ac-capable Mac. I haven't tested this myself though.
 
yjchua95 said:
802.11ac means you can get up to 1 Gb/s (125 MB/s) speeds, if your internet connection supports it.

You can also saturate the 802.11ac's 1 Gb/s bandwidth by transferring files via AirDrop to another 802.11ac-capable Mac. I haven't tested this myself though.
Click to expand...

To add to this, you also have to have a Wireless AC router.
 
yjchua95 said:
Not really. AirDrop works between Macs like peer-to-peer file sharing, so both don't have to be connected to a network at all.
Click to expand...

I was only referring to internet speeds over wifi. You're not getting up to 125 MB/s speeds over wifi even if your connection supports it without a Wireless AC router. You need both sides, the router and the laptop to have AC compatibility in order to fully take advantage.

Airdrop, yeah, that's basically computer to computer so as long as both have Wireless AC, you'll get those speeds when sharing files.
 
tawfiqmp said:
I was only referring to internet speeds over wifi. You're not getting up to 125 MB/s speeds over wifi even if your connection supports it without a Wireless AC router. You need both sides, the router and the laptop to have AC compatibility in order to fully take advantage.

Airdrop, yeah, that's basically computer to computer so as long as both have Wireless AC, you'll get those speeds when sharing files.
Click to expand...

Even then you'll be lucky to get half that speed due to wireless overhead.
 
Ahh I'm so confused. But thats OK. I just want to confirm it doesn't make a difference to me correct?

Like I don't need to get a new router or anything right?

I have 30mbps download and 4mbps upload.
 
Hieveryone said:
Ahh I'm so confused. But thats OK. I just want to confirm it doesn't make a difference to me correct?

Like I don't need to get a new router or anything right?

I have 30mbps download and 4mbps upload.
Click to expand...

No, your existing network is not a bottleneck for your internet connection. It would remain at the same speed.

If you had another 802.11ac Mac you would see much faster Mac-to-Mac file transfers.
 
Chundles said:
No, your existing network is not a bottleneck for your internet connection. It would remain at the same speed.

If you had another 802.11ac Mac you would see much faster Mac-to-Mac file transfers.
Click to expand...

Ok so if I had another MBPr late 2013, what would I have to do in order to see this speed increase? Like how do I transfer the files? Bluetooth?
 
Hieveryone said:
Ok so if I had another MBPr late 2013, what would I have to do in order to see this speed increase? Like how do I transfer the files? Bluetooth?
Click to expand...

Bluetooth? No we're talking about WiFi.

You would only see improved speeds in transferring files from one 802.11ac device to another.
 
Chundles said:
Bluetooth? No we're talking about WiFi.

You would only see improved speeds in transferring files from one 802.11ac device to another.
Click to expand...

But HOW are you transferring the files here? Like I'm guessing it's not through email or iMessage. That's where I'm lost.
 
Hieveryone said:
But HOW are you transferring the files here? Like I'm guessing it's not through email or iMessage. That's where I'm lost.
Click to expand...

*facepalm* Jesus H...there's something called YouTube to see how it operates.

You can transfer files over WiFi via AirDrop. You DO NOT need Bluetooth for this. You DO NOT need an internet connection for AirDrop to operate either. You DO NOT have to be connected to a network for AirDrop to operate.

Just switch on WiFi on both Macs, open up AirDrop in Finder and on the Mac with the desired file, drag the file into the AirDrop window to send it off to the receiving Mac.
 
Last edited:
yjchua95 said:
*facepalm* Jesus H...there's something called YouTube to see how it operates.

You can transfer files over WiFi via AirDrop. You DO NOT need Bluetooth for this. You DO NOT need an internet connection for AirDrop to operate either. You DO NOT have to be connected to a network for AirDrop to operate.

Just switch on WiFi on both Macs, open up AirDrop in Finder and on the Mac with the desired file, drag the file into the AirDrop window to send it off to the receiving Mac.
Click to expand...

Dude I'm new to Mac this is my first Macbook...
 
Hieveryone said:
But HOW are you transferring the files here? Like I'm guessing it's not through email or iMessage. That's where I'm lost.
Click to expand...

From one Mac to the other. Over your WiFi network. Like you would with a wired network but without the wires. Mac or Windows it's the same thing.
 
Does ac provide other benefits, like increased range? Our n network at the moment is pretty fast, but just drops off in corners of the house. Is ac any better in this respect?
 
My late 2013 rmbp connects at around 700-900mb/s to my router depending where in the house I am.

It uses 5ghz so range is lost for speed. If I go to the far reaches I tend to swap to 2.4ghz, since my connection to the outside world is only 80mb/20mb.

I find it best to swap between what's needed.
 
cambookpro said:
Does ac provide other benefits, like increased range? Our n network at the moment is pretty fast, but just drops off in corners of the house. Is ac any better in this respect?
Click to expand...
Yes, 802.11ac uses a better signal modulation technique, so that the devices can reach speeds > 1 GBit/s. This means also, that 802.11ac uses more error correction information. More error correction means that you can receive a "clean" signal, even in difficult situations. See also:
http://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/produc...ies/white_paper_c11-713103.html#_Toc331821650
 
yjchua95 said:
AirDrop DOES NOT require a wi-fi network to operate.

AirDrop uses something like a peer-to-peer connection method.

You're misleading the OP.
Click to expand...

I'm not referring to AirDrop. I never used the term AirDrop, that was somebody else.

----------
Lucas Godfrey said:
airdrop does not run over your wifi network, you are confusing matters further for the OP
Click to expand...

Not referring to AirDrop. Where did I talk about AirDrop?
 
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