Posted by Eric Huang on December 10, 2012
You’ve read the first criticisms of the first WiFi-AC routers that have only USB 2.0 and not USB 3.0. USB 2.0 just isn’t fast enough.
You can read our article here at ChipDesign on how Wireless demands Wired USB 3.0 including all the neat data that shows that:
If you are an early adopter, you already have a WiFi-N setup capable of a theoretical throughput of 0.300 Gbps. If USB 3.0 limits your speeds to ony 0.320-0.350 Gbps, your Draft WiFi AC product will only give you a 10-20% speed boost.
So you really, really, really need USB 3.0 to get the extra 50% to 100% more speed than you got with WiFi-AC.
The real question is:
Why did these first products, these first WiFi-AC chips intentionally NOT include WiFi-AC?
Well, posed this question on a forum I frequent, and here are the responses:
I suspect 2 other reasons
I have no informati0n to back this up except to say that a USB 3.0 PHY will consumer 50% more power than a USB 2.0 PHY in active mode. Since a USB 2.0 port is the most common port, they needed to design for most ports only providing only 2.5 Watts of power. USB 3.0 could provide 4.5 Watts, which seems to me like it would be enough power to power both a WiFi radio and a USB 3.0 which leads me to the next conclusion
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Something slightly Funny
I need subscribers, so I’m going to have to pull out my best stuff now.
Sadly, you get this.
1) When you have friends like I have at work, you never have to worry about my ego getting to big.
2) I reviewed some videos today that will be posted soon. In one of the interviews, I the person I’m interviewing stands pretty far away. So far away, I wonder if I forgot to brush my teeth that morning, or I am just smell bad. When you see the video you will know. Something for you to look forward to.
3) I only ate 1/2 of the top of my chocolate donut Friday. I’m cutting back.
Tomorrow, I will annouce the first (and probably only) USB Christmas Song contest. Rules and Regulations, and maybe even a prize.