I bought a late 2006 Macbook off ebay and according to http://www.apple-history.com it is capable of Wireless N by "paid software upgrade." Can I still buy this upgrade? Why would they cripple an N capable card in the first place?
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802.11n available via paid software upgrade?
- Thread starter windywoo
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If its an Intel Core Duo MacBook then it should. As far as I know they put in N capable cards but it was at a time when N wasnt really that big, then they managed to get €2 off people who deemed it necessary. Crazy!!
Check here for info.
Check here for info.
http://store.apple.com/us/product/D4141ZM/A?fnode=MTY1NDAzOA&mco=MjE0OTc5Mw
Or the equivalent in your local store.
Or the equivalent in your local store.
IT has to be Core 2 Duo. Core Duo macbooks were not eligible for the upgrade. Core Duo macbooks do not have hardware to support 802.11n.
Thanks for all help. It is indeed Core 2 Duo but apple history won't let me link to the exact page to show that. I am glad the price is only small, I might get that when I decide to upgrade the whole house to N. I haven't been too impressed by N yet though. I added an antenna to my G router and it covers the whole house. N is just behind it in coverage but I don't seem to get much of a boost from using antennae 
Thanks for all help. It is indeed Core 2 Duo but apple history won't let me link to the exact page to show that. I am glad the price is only small, I might get that when I decide to upgrade the whole house to N. I haven't been too impressed by N yet though. I added an antenna to my G router and it covers the whole house. N is just behind it in coverage but I don't seem to get much of a boost from using antennae
Also, if you get one of the Airport routers, the enabler is included with it, so you don't have to pay the extra fee.
For me, the best reason to get n, besides the speed increase, is the lack of interference in the 5GHz band. It makes for a much more stable signal. The only problem is that unless you get one of the new dual-band routers like the Airport Extreme Base Station, you need to run in 2.4GHz mixed mode to support older g devices (assuming you have them) or run two routers (one n and one g) like I do.
To enable 802.11n doesn't mean that your Mac is going to emit and receive in 5GHz. That just increases the bandwidth from 20MHz to 40MHz.
Just check the current models at Apple.com :
- New Aiport Extreme has Simultaneous dual-band
- MacBook Pro has WIFI 802.11n only i.e. does not have dual-band
Just check the current models at Apple.com :
- New Aiport Extreme has Simultaneous dual-band
- MacBook Pro has WIFI 802.11n only i.e. does not have dual-band
The MBP doesn't have to be dual band. What would be the point in that? It's either on a/n at 5GHz or b/g/n at 2.4GHz, no need to be on both.
The reason the Airport Extreme broadcasts in dual band is to support newer tech with wireless N at 5GHz and still allow slower/older tech to be on 2.4GHz b/g like an iPhone or older Notebook.
