Well, it didn't at launch. You're right, I really haven't kept up; had no need, because until last December I didn't even have a router that supported it. All that said, I haven't had any streaming problems either before or after getting an N capable router, so my advice is still sound. No real need to spend money on a new router.

What do you mean it didn't at launch?

When the Nexus One came out, the wifi chip used supported wireless N, but the OS did not. When Froyo came out (a few months/weeks after), N was supported in the software finally. Of course, modders had already built custom ROMs enabling N support before that. But I wasn't into that scene yet then. Waited until my warranty expired!

Right now, stock ROM on my Nexus One does not support FM radio, but custom ROMs enable it. I will never, ever use it, but still...makes you wonder what other goodies are locked in the hardware but never enabled.

That's kind of weird.

Raf is right. Almost any wi-fi device made in the last five to six years supports the N standard.

Since we stream a lot of HD content over Netflix and Playon, I noticed a massive difference when I started using a bought N router rather than the G that came with the internet service provider. I just have a hardline going from the U-Verse box to the N router now. There was far less buffering and lag.

Of course now there's the AC standard!

http://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/wi- ... s-for-you/

I'm supposed to find a fresh angle on this bit of news for an article for the day job...

I have a CD player in my study that I got in 1984. It's a Pioneer P-D70 and still plays CDs like a champ.

About the same age but I'm not sure exactly how old it is, is my Marshall Lead 20 amplifier. You might not call a guitar practice amp a "tech device" today but it sure was back then.

Thanks, guys. These aren't issues for me yet, but I'll start watching for a good Amazon sale on an N router.

My number two pencil.

Lincoln?
Graphite!

Right now my G Router seems perfectly fine, but I guess I'll have to upgrade.

Reposting, out of context.

I would like to watch YouTube on the big TV, but from what they're saying it would probably be a buffering mess with a G router. For one additional computer it works fine.

At any given time, my kid's PC is on Wi-Fi along with my phone, my wife's phone, the iPad, the Xoom, the Xbox 360...

N is kind of a must.

No, that would work fine. I meant HD streaming from PCs to media extenders. For YouTube, it would work fine.

Once YouTube apps start playing the 1080p version, watch out!

No, not even then.

And even if the bitrate were high enough, the bottleneck would be the Internet connection, not the router.

Don't most ISPs have upstream and downstream that's more than enough for G, let alone N?

Also depends how many other wi-fi connections in the 2.4 Ghz band are clogging up the airwaves. We live in an apartment, and I've looked ... there's a lot.

Dual-band N uses half 5 Ghz, half 2.4, which helps. The upcoming standard is all 5.

Even at 10 Mbps it becomes a little herky-jerky when I play videos at 720p.

Might also be the PC you're using to stream it. And the app.

If you have 3-5 people all streaming HD content over wifi at home, you might see a bottleneck. For 1 or 2, N isn't necessary. It also can depend on your router. Some are just not very good.

No, I mean on my PC itself. If I have problems with YouTube HD on the computer, what hope do I have of a nice smooth viewing experience streaming it to a separate TV?

PCs can have background apps that can use up bandwidth too.