Buffalo's AirStation Nfiniti a/b/g/n gigabit Ethernet

What's better than a quad-WiFi MIMO wireless router that does draft-N? How about one that does gigabit Ethernet as well. Buffalo's unannounced AirStation Nfiniti may look like a 14.4 modem throwback from the US Robotics school of design, but sometimes form doesn't necessarily have to match function. Look for it in the CES time frame (if not sooner).

[peter @ Jul 21st 2008 12:01PM]

I like the Buffalo routers as well. i got mine at www.consumerdepot.com

[Brennan @ Nov 29th 2006 2:40AM]

so.........this will give us faster, lower ping, connection internet?

if so then i could use this in the future for gaming.

[atrain @ Nov 29th 2006 2:48AM]

Lower ping, faster connection, just like the Killer NIC.

The improvements of high end network equipment has proved very minimal in terms of online gaming performance. Without an amazing internet connection, there is very little reason for a gamer to seriously consider this over an existing model, except maybe for Wifi connectivity (dependent on this models N ability's compared to others)

Meanwhile, I have a 14000 Baud modem lying on my desk. Don't insult my technology. (Don't worry, I don't actually use it. Engadget would take forever to load on that!)

[Jason @ Nov 29th 2006 4:02AM]

Higher transmission speeds does not mean better gameplay (less lag, lower ping), especially over wireless connections with inherent packet loss. It would behoove you to figure out a way to get a gigabit infrastructure wherever it is that you game.

Wired connection, optimally at 100Mbps, in reality more around 90Mbps or so, so even if we consider a 60% transmission efficiency for gigabit ethernet, which is harsh, it would still beat twice over the theoretical advertised max throughput of this N router (300Mbps, and this is a rough estimate given the advertising for other N-equipped routers).

Cheers

[E71 @ Nov 29th 2006 9:00PM]

I still feel doubtful that draft-N products are worth purchasing. I thought all the reviews of pre-N devices exposed the poorer than 802.11g performances in them? I have to admit though, if this device gets launched in 2007 with the same specs except 802.11n -- I'd be all over this one.

[Cameron @ Nov 29th 2006 7:09AM]

Is it just me or does this have some pretty retro design?

My first glance at this pic and my brain went "that looks like my old 9600 modem...wtf?"

[John Laur @ Nov 29th 2006 9:56AM]

I rather like the design. It seems sort of retro at first, but then if you compare it to a lot of the other designs out there (D-Link, for instance) by comparison it's quite stylish and arguably more modern.

Anyway, the genius of the design is not in the unit itself but in the external antenna stand. The place where you can run all of your ethernet wiring to is almost never the most ideal location for the antennas. Buying a couple of desk mount antennas for your router is of course possible, but they end up being overpriced when they should be standard.