# BF-01C

> mobile WiFi router

**Wikidata**: [Q11191177](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11191177)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/bf-01c

## Summary
The **BF-01C** is a mobile WiFi router developed by the manufacturer **Buffalo** for the Japanese market. As a portable subclass of the standard **wireless router**, it is designed to provide on-the-go internet connectivity rather than serving as a fixed household appliance. The device is specifically associated with the telecommunications operator **NTT DoCoMo**.

## Key Facts
- **Manufacturer**: Buffalo
- **Operator**: NTT DoCoMo
- **Device Type**: Mobile WiFi router (Product)
- **Parent Class**: Wireless router
- **Country**: Japan
- **Language**: Japanese (Primary documentation)
- **Wikidata ID**: /g/120x76vn
- **Wikipedia Coverage**: 1 sitelink (Japanese)

## FAQs
### Q: What exactly is the BF-01C?
A: The BF-01C is a **mobile WiFi router** manufactured by **Buffalo**. Unlike stationary routers that connect to a wall socket for broadband, this device is designed for portability, likely utilizing a cellular network connection to create a WiFi hotspot.

### Q: Who is the BF-01C for?
A: This device was released for the **Japanese** market, specifically for subscribers of the mobile network operator **NTT DoCoMo**. It targets users who need to connect multiple devices to the internet while traveling or away from fixed line connections.

### Q: How does the BF-01C relate to other wireless routers?
A: The BF-01C is a specialized **subclass** of the general **wireless router**. While general wireless routers (like the Linksys WRT54G) are iconic for home broadband, the BF-01C represents the "mobile variant" category, focusing on compactness and cellular data integration.

## Why It Matters
The BF-01C serves as a specific example of the diversification of networking hardware in the early 21st century. While the invention of the **wireless router** liberated computers from Ethernet cables within the home, devices like the BF-01C were critical in liberating users from the home itself. By integrating router functions with mobile network capabilities (associated here with **NTT DoCoMo**), hardware manufacturers like **Buffalo** helped establish the standard for mobile connectivity that modern smartphones and IoT devices rely upon. It illustrates a key split in network hardware development: the divergence between high-power, stationary "infrastructure" devices and the low-power, portable "access" devices that defined the post-2010 internet landscape.

## Notable For
- **Mobile Network Integration**: Unlike generic wireless routers that require a separate modem, the BF-01C is intrinsically linked to a mobile carrier (**NTT DoCoMo**), highlighting the trend of carrier-branded networking hardware.
- **Japanese Market Specificity**: The device is notable for its exclusive presence in Japanese databases and Wikipedia, reflecting the unique and often isolated hardware ecosystem of Japan's consumer electronics market during this period.
- **Class Diversification**: It represents the specific "mobile variant" category of wireless routers, distinguishing itself from the broader class of stationary routers which have higher documentation volumes (e.g., the parent class has 16 sitelinks vs. the BF-01C's 1).

## Body
### Product Identity and Classification
The **BF-01C** is an electronic device classified as a **product** and a **subclass of wireless router**. Its primary function is that of a **mobile WiFi router**, a device type that combines the features of a traditional router—such as Network Address Translation (NAT) and wireless security protocols—with the portability of a battery-powered gadget.

### Manufacturing and Operation
The hardware is produced by **Buffalo**, a prominent Japanese electronics manufacturer known for networking equipment and storage solutions. The device's connectivity services are provided by **NTT DoCoMo**, Japan's predominant mobile phone operator. This relationship places the BF-01C firmly within the lineage of "carrier" routers, where hardware is often optimized or locked to a specific network provider's infrastructure.

### Geographic and Digital Context
The device's history and documentation are centered in **Japan**. Its primary Wikipedia entry is in **Japanese (ja)**, and it possesses a minimal global digital footprint, indicated by a **sitelink_count** of only 1. This contrasts with the broader category of "wireless router," which has a much larger international presence (16 sitelinks) and a defined **Google Product Taxonomy ID** of 5497. The BF-01C exists as a specific, granular entry within this larger taxonomy, identifiable by its unique **Google Knowledge Graph ID** (/g/120x76vn).

### Technological Context
As a wireless router, the BF-01C shares the fundamental definition of the parent class: it is a device that functions as a router and a wireless access point. However, its designation as "mobile" implies distinct technical priorities. While standard wireless routers evolved to support high-bandwidth activities via frequencies like 5 GHz and standards like 802.11ac/ax, mobile variants like the BF-01C prioritized power efficiency, compact size (similar to the **L-09C** or **BF-01D**), and cellular network integration (3G/4G/LTE). This distinction marks a critical specialization in networking hardware, separating the "fixed" infrastructure of the internet from its "mobile" edge.