Netgear might have announced that its first router with 802.11ac Wi-Fi will ship this month, but it seems like Buffalo has beaten it to the punch. Its the WZR-D1800H wireless router is now available, along with the WLI-H4-D1300 wireless media bridge that means you'll have a way to connect older, wired devices to your new high-speed network. The release means that Buffalo has beaten its promise to launch 802.11ac gear in the second half of 2012, though it looks like its appearance has been toned back a little from the space-age design we saw back at CES.

The router and bridge promise speeds of 1.3Gbps, though we're yet to see how close it can come to those numbers in real-world use. They're also backwards-compatible with 802.11b/g/n and even .11a networks, so your older wireless equipment won't be obsolete. Both the WZR-D1800H and the WLI-H4-D1300 are available now, and are priced at $179.99 each.