Wireless G or N

SandLake

I am thinking of buying a new laptop but don't know whether it is worth waiting for the new Wireless N standard.

I think that wireless G gives you more af a lukewarm spot than a hot spot but what I would like to know is

If I have a wireless N router, will I get better coverage if my laptop has a wireless G adapter, or does the enhanced network only work when they are both N.

I am quite happy with the speed of G just so long as I can get a connection?

Unfortunately I am not that technically knowledgeable, can anyone help?

Blacksheep1979

the reception of g (and I guess n will be the same) will vary wildly from card to card and router to router. If you don't need the added speed there is no point in waiting. BTW you'll get a better connection with b than g in general.

MercilessKiller

SandLake wrote: »

I am thinking of buying a new laptop but don't know whether it is worth waiting for the new Wireless N standard.

I think that wireless G gives you more af a lukewarm spot than a hot spot but what I would like to know is

If I have a wireless N router, will I get better coverage if my laptop has a wireless G adapter, or does the enhanced network only work when they are both N.

I am quite happy with the speed of G just so long as I can get a connection?

Unfortunately I am not that technically knowledgeable, can anyone help?

Dont even bother thinking about N yet its still not going to be released for a while and even when it is it will be darn expensive. G will do everything you want to do I'm sure

usually routers and cards will be compatible with both, i.e my router supports G&B so i can use either....

Strangled

All Macbooks/Macbook Pro's are wireless 'N' enabled already I nearly bought the Apple wireless router that transmits 'G' and 'N' signals but...... even tho my Macbook is wireless 'N' enabled, because I have other laptops/xbox's connected at 'G' , this will make my connection to the router as 'G' also, so as I said to the Apple salesmen, its a waste of money buying a Wireless 'N' router......he agreed.

SandLake

As I understand it one of the features with N is that it gives you a (for example) 300m range compared to a (for example) 100m range with G

The question is do you get 300m with just N router with N Laptop, having said that do you get 250m with N router and G laptop

as opposed to 100m with G router and G laptop

The speed is practically irrelevant, does N not incorporate MIMO technology which by definition improves the area of recepton?

I am only making these figures up to make a point, but if N gives you a 300m range (theoretically) then a 100m range (at good reception) should be a breeze, I really don't need anything more than 100m but what I do want is that 100m to be 100% - I don't care if it goes a bit further.

Blacksheep1979

Well unless you're using it outdoors you're not going to get near 100m. You may get 70m at a push indoors with n and maybe double that outside but those are sort of the extremes. Have you looked at maybe getting a high gain antenna for the wireless card?

SandLake

The 300m/100m figures were figures I used for illustration.

As I see it a router provides you with a wireless umbrella, a G router with a medium sized umbrella and an N router with a large umbrella

The crucial question is,

With an N router with a G laptop (bearing in mind that G speed is fine, this is only about usable range)

Will I achieve say 95% of a N router/N laptop setup, or will it achieve more like 105% of a G router/G laptop setup?

To put it another way will I get almost all of the benefits of a pure N setup or will it be a slight enhancement of a pure G setup?


If it is almost as good as an N router/N laptop setup, then I could buy a G laptop now and just get an N router when they are ratified and readily available otherwise I should wait for wireless N routers and laptops.

espresso

SandLake wrote: »

I am thinking of buying a new laptop but don't know whether it is worth waiting for the new Wireless N standard.

I think that wireless G gives you more af a lukewarm spot than a hot spot but what I would like to know is

If I have a wireless N router, will I get better coverage if my laptop has a wireless G adapter, or does the enhanced network only work when they are both N.

You will only get any advantage when using 802.11/n if all devices are compatible and at present that means the same manufacturer.

Why do you think that 802.11/g will not be good enough as it works well enough for most users unless you live in a castle?

SandLake

Why do you think that 802.11/g will not be good enough

My router is in the upstairs front bedroom and from my dining room I can't even see my network in the list of available networks and I could take the laptop further away.

espresso

Which make of router? I have set up many wireless networks and never found range to be a problem, even in old three storey houses. Have you tried changing the orientation of the aerial? Maximum radiation is a right angles to the aerial.

SandLake

I have a US Robotics router (for which I have bought an upgraded USR aerial) with a D-Link PC-Card adapter, I used to have a D-Link router and it was no better.

When I am in my dining room I can see my neighbours Zyxel network which is through 2 external walls!