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Which is faster: Ethernet or Wireless (for file transfer bet. Macs)?

Jodeo

Jodeo

macrumors 6502
Original poster
I'm in a predicament: Of all the STUFF I have, one thing I lack is a normal USB cable.

I need to move about 24GB of files from a back-up drive that's connected to my iMac via FW400 over to my wife's MacBook (brand news). The MB does not have FW. It does have USB (as does the drive - 2.0) but I have no cable.

That said, I do have two options:
1: Copy wirelessly (e.g. all night long - and then some), or
2: Connect the MacBook to the iMac via Ethernet.

Or I can wait and get a USB connection in the next day or so.


Which option would get this done fastest?
 
Both the iMac and the Macbook have 1 Gb Ethernet. This means if you directly connect them it will be the fastest. You could still go through a router or switch but it may not be the fastest speeds possible.
 
I suggest the ethernet, as that's the fastest possible connection and very easy to setup.

I used it to CCC my wife's Macbook HDD to a partition on my Macbook. 160GB didn't take too long at all.
 
I would suggest Ethernet as well. Most people's routers are only 10/100 so I would connect them directly unless your router is gigabit.

If you are having problems making a direct connection what I found easiest is to set the IP Addresses of both manually. Transverse the router and IP Address between the two.

iMac
Router: 192.168.0.2
Subnet: 255.255.255.0
IP Address: 192.168.0.3

Macbook
Router: 192.168.0.3
Subnet: 255.255.255.0
IP Address: 192.168.0.2

Also turn off the Wireless just in case the Mac sees that as the default connection.
 
Jodeo said:
I'm in a predicament: Of all the STUFF I have, one thing I lack is a normal USB cable.

I need to move about 24GB of files from a back-up drive that's connected to my iMac via FW400 over to my wife's MacBook (brand news). The MB does not have FW. It does have USB (as does the drive - 2.0) but I have no cable.

That said, I do have two options:
1: Copy wirelessly (e.g. all night long - and then some), or
2: Connect the MacBook to the iMac via Ethernet.

Or I can wait and get a USB connection in the next day or so.


Which option would get this done fastest?
Click to expand...

Since you already have an ethernet cable it should get it done faster.
 
Even though everyone has already said the same thing, I will also say that you should use ethernet. As a general rule of thumb it is faster, but it is also much more dependable than wireless. you will have a better chance of transferring your files without corrupting any of them through ethernet.
 
Ethernet is faster.

A CAT5 cable will get you 12MB/s, a CAT5e/+ or CAT6 cable will get you speeds between 40 to 70 MB/s.

A wireless connection will give you 1-2MB/s via 802.11g and 6-7MB/s via 802.11n.
 
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