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jman995x

macrumors regular
Original poster
Sep 8, 2007
199
3
Hello,

I have a MBP that is a couple of years old.
I wanted to know which of the 802.11 protocols it is enabled with, but can't seem to find that information on my machine.
Where should I look?

Thanks,

Justin
 

GGJstudios

macrumors Westmere
May 16, 2008
44,545
943
Fire up System Profiler and look under Network -> Airport.

That doesn't tell me anything on mine. You can go to Airport Utility > Wireless > Radio Mode: to tell what is enabled, but that doesn't tell you which is running at the moment.
Picture 2.jpg
 

GGJstudios

macrumors Westmere
May 16, 2008
44,545
943
Really? I get hardware and firmware versions along with supported modes.

Network Utility shows what modes are available as well.
Nevermind... I was looking at System Preferences... not System Profiler! Brain Cramp! However, in System Profiler, I still don't see where it shows what mode (b/g/n) is enabled.
 

Eidorian

macrumors Penryn
Mar 23, 2005
29,190
386
Indianapolis
Nevermind... I was looking at System Preferences... not System Profiler! Brain Cramp! However, in System Profiler, I still don't see where it shows what mode (b/g/n) is enabled.
System Profiler and Network Utility both show what 802.11 modes are available.

The best I've been able to come up with to know what mode you're actually in is to check the transmission rate in Network Utility or once again in System Profiler. 130 Mbits tends to imply you're working under 802.11n mode.

If it's slower you're in 'g' and then down to 'b'.
 

GGJstudios

macrumors Westmere
May 16, 2008
44,545
943
System Profiler and Network Utility both show what 802.11 modes are available.

The best I've been able to come up with to know what mode you're actually in is to check the transmission rate in Network Utility or once again in System Profiler. 130 Mbits tends to imply you're working under 802.11n mode.

If the only indication is an inference from the transmission rate, that can easily be found by pressing Option while clicking the Airport icon on the Menu Bar. I thought there was something in SysProfiler that specifically stated which mode, like Airport Utility does.
 

Eidorian

macrumors Penryn
Mar 23, 2005
29,190
386
Indianapolis
If the only indication is an inference from the transmission rate, that can easily be found by pressing Option while clicking the Airport icon on the Menu Bar. I thought there was something in SysProfiler that specifically stated which mode, like Airport Utility does.
I was wondering what key that was. I've tried Option before but it didn't seem to work until just now.

Otherwise I believe the OP did ask what modes are available to them on their older MacBook Pro. System Profiler and Network Utility will both show if 'n' is supported or not.
 

Cool Runnings

macrumors regular
Feb 24, 2010
139
0
Sweden
Download iStumbler and your airport is capable of N according to your screenshot

And when i look in system profiler -> airport it list at what protocol it´s connected with
 

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GGJstudios

macrumors Westmere
May 16, 2008
44,545
943
I was wondering what key that was. I've tried Option before but it didn't seem to work until just now.

Otherwise I believe the OP did ask what modes are available to them on their older MacBook Pro. System Profiler and Network Utility will both show of 'n' is supported or not.

Yes, the confusion on my part is their thread title asks which is running, but the body of the post asks which is enabled. Two different questions. By the way, is there a quick "cheat sheet" to use to infer from the transmit rate which is n, g, b, etc.?


Download iStumbler and your airport is capable of N according to your screenshot

And when i look in system profiler -> airport it list at what protocol it´s connected with
Yes, I know mine is capable of n, since I've selected n with b/g compatible. That means it will support n, g or b, depending on the devices on the network at any given time. What that doesn't tell me is which is currently in use. For example, I run on n when it's just my MBP, but if my wife connects her PC to the network, it drops to g, since hers doesn't support n. My System Profiler doesn't show a fraction of the information yours shows. I don't know if that's because you have iStumbler installed or not, but mine doesn't even show 802.11a/b/g/n.
Picture 4.jpg
 

Eidorian

macrumors Penryn
Mar 23, 2005
29,190
386
Indianapolis
Yes, the confusion on my part is their thread title asks which is running, but the body of the post asks which is enabled.
No worries. It happens to all of us.

Two different questions. By the way, is there a quick "cheat sheet" to use to infer from the transmit rate which is n, g, b, etc.?
I happen to have it memorized at 130, 54, and 11 Mbits for (n, g, b) respectively. It takes a little brain work to interpret Wikipedia's table.
 

jman995x

macrumors regular
Original poster
Sep 8, 2007
199
3
OP, chiming back in.

Sorry for the confusion between the Title and the body, but I guess since somebody mentioned it, I do want to know what the machine is capable of, and what it is currently transmitting at.

I too have a very sparsely populated System Profiler > Airport Card reading....doesn't mention anything about 802.11.

However, I followed one poster's advice to Opt + Airport and it states 130, so I guess I'm running "n" (which would obviously automatically include downmodes b/g).

Thanks for all of the help.

Best regards,

Justin
 

Eidorian

macrumors Penryn
Mar 23, 2005
29,190
386
Indianapolis
Mine is 144...I guess that's N? I always wondered because I have an older generation Time Capsule.

2yp0ndh.jpg
72.2 * 2 = 144.4

(shrug)

I've been stuck at 130 Mbits since 2007 on the hardware I've used. Then again I don't spend that much on my network hardware. My first router was $10 after rebate and my current one was $29.
 

Cool Runnings

macrumors regular
Feb 24, 2010
139
0
Sweden
Yes, I know mine is capable of n, since I've selected n with b/g compatible. That means it will support n, g or b, depending on the devices on the network at any given time. What that doesn't tell me is which is currently in use. For example, I run on n when it's just my MBP, but if my wife connects her PC to the network, it drops to g, since hers doesn't support n. My System Profiler doesn't show a fraction of the information yours shows. I don't know if that's because you have iStumbler installed or not, but mine doesn't even show 802.11a/b/g/n.

OK, i Have OS X 10.6, don´t know what you have and it isn´t affected by i Stumbler.

OK, however your WiFi will go up and down in speed based on connected devices with n/b/g so don´t worry...
 

GGJstudios

macrumors Westmere
May 16, 2008
44,545
943
your WiFi will go up and down in speed based on connected devices with n/b/g so don´t worry...
I know that. I said exactly that in my 4th post in this thread. I'm not worried about anything. My WiFi works just fine. I know how to see what Radio Mode I have selected, as I mentioned in my 1st post. I know how to quickly determine my transmit rate, as I mentioned in my 3rd post.

In attempting to answer the OP's question, I was looking for a simple way for the OP to determine what mode was currently in use, as their thread title asked. It appears that looking at the transmit rate is the only way to infer which mode is in use.
 
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