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802.11N enabler with Time Capsule?

S

Silverbird0000

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Sep 19, 2006
598
46
Fort Myers, FL
I know that the Airport Extreme N comes with the N enabler, but does anyone know if Time Capsule will? The Airport Extreme says it ships with the enabler on Apple's website, but Time Capsule says nothing about it. I have a white iMac, the one that was out just before the Aluminum ones. I know it has to be enabled to use N. I also have a new Santa Rosa Macbook, does it need to be enabled or is it already? I plan on getting a Time Capsule as soon as it is released and would like to know if i'm gonna need the enabler or if it will come with it. Thanks for any responses!
 
It'll probably be included, most likely on the disc that comes with the Airport software. The MB should already be enabled though.
 
You can find out for sure by opening up Network Utility (found in Applications ---> Utilities). There's a dropdown menu for 'Network Interfaces', and en0 should be selected by default. Click onto it and pick 'en1'. Under interface information, by 'Model', it'll say Wireless Network Adapter (80.2.11 a/b/g) or Wireless Network Adapter (80.2.11 a/b/g/n).
 
Thank you everyone for your replies! As soon as I get home I'll check the computers in network utility! All my questions have been answered! Thanks!!
 
i am a little concerned as to what you think the n-enabler actually does.

you do know its to enable macs which have wireless n built in (core 2 duo models)?
 
gothamm said:
i am a little concerned as to what you think the n-enabler actually does.

you do know its to enable macs which have wireless n built in (core 2 duo models)?
Click to expand...

Yes I do know that. I know that my iMac has a built in wireless N, but I know that it was not activated when shipped. It is a 20" C2D iMac. I also have a 2.2 C2D MacBook.
 
J@ffa said:
You can find out for sure by opening up Network Utility (found in Applications ---> Utilities). There's a dropdown menu for 'Network Interfaces', and en0 should be selected by default. Click onto it and pick 'en1'. Under interface information, by 'Model', it'll say Wireless Network Adapter (80.2.11 a/b/g) or Wireless Network Adapter (80.2.11 a/b/g/n).
Click to expand...

On the iMac en0 is default as you said, but when I go to en1 it says (802.11 a/b/g/n). Does that mean it is activated? On the MacBook en1 is already the default and it says (802.11 a/b/g/n). I'm guessing since en1 is default on the MacBook it is N enabled and the iMac is not?
 
en0 is simply your ethernet port, so it won't mention wireless anything. So long as en1 says a/b/g/n, then it's enabled (so both of them are enabled). I suppose the easiest way to double check it is, once you have your Time Capsule, to set it to 802.11n (5GHz). Only n-enabled Macs (or PCs) will even be able to see this network.
 
J@ffa said:
en0 is simply your ethernet port, so it won't mention wireless anything. So long as en1 says a/b/g/n, then it's enabled (so both of them are enabled). I suppose the easiest way to double check it is, once you have your Time Capsule, to set it to 802.11n (5GHz). Only n-enabled Macs (or PCs) will even be able to see this network.
Click to expand...

I never activated the iMac. So I wonder why it says a/b/g/n. Maybe it was when I went from Tiger to Leopard.? I'll let everyone know if it works when I get my Time Capsule.
 
Silverbird0000 said:
Yes I do know that. I know that my iMac has a built in wireless N, but I know that it was not activated when shipped. It is a 20" C2D iMac. I also have a 2.2 C2D MacBook.
Click to expand...

I assume Apple is assuming that most people are buying it to use with Time Machine, and therefore will be running Leopard, which as far as I know includes the N-enabler. It could still be an issue for people running Tiger on other systems on their network, though, I suppose, so I can't see why they wouldn't include it.
 
macleod199 said:
I assume Apple is assuming that most people are buying it to use with Time Machine, and therefore will be running Leopard, which as far as I know includes the N-enabler. It could still be an issue for people running Tiger on other systems on their network, though, I suppose, so I can't see why they wouldn't include it.
Click to expand...

Thanks, that answers my question as to whether or not Leopard was responsible for my N capabilities being enabled!
 
Network Utilities only shows 802.11 a/b/g no "n"

Hi

I have a Mac Book Pro 2GHZ Intel Core Duo model. I purchased an Airport Extreme about 6 months or 8 months ago. It works great, however, when I checked my connection speed today in Network Utilities it shows 802.11 a/b/g (no "n").

I tried re-installing the disc that came with the airport extreme as it's suppose to "n" enable my machine. However, Network Utilities still shows a/b/g.

I'm currently running Leopard Mac OS 10.5.1.

Any ideas?

Thanks everyone!
Michael
 
mjcphoto said:
Hi

I have a Mac Book Pro 2GHZ Intel Core Duo model. I purchased an Airport Extreme about 6 months or 8 months ago. It works great, however, when I checked my connection speed today in Network Utilities it shows 802.11 a/b/g (no "n").

I tried re-installing the disc that came with the airport extreme as it's suppose to "n" enable my machine. However, Network Utilities still shows a/b/g.

I'm currently running Leopard Mac OS 10.5.1.

Any ideas?

Thanks everyone!
Michael
Click to expand...

Only the Core 2 Duo generation MBPs have the hardware to support 802.11n (the chipset and additional antenna(s)).
 
Most of my wireless devices around the house use 80.2.11 g (iPhone, PowerBook, etc), but my iMac has the ability to use N. When/If I get Time Capsule will I see a boost in speed for my iMac because of the "N," or will I have to keep the network slower because I need to leave it compatible with "G" devices?
 
JW008 said:
Most of my wireless devices around the house use 80.2.11 g (iPhone, PowerBook, etc), but my iMac has the ability to use N. When/If I get Time Capsule will I see a boost in speed for my iMac because of the "N," or will I have to keep the network slower because I need to leave it compatible with "G" devices?
Click to expand...

you would have to keep the slower network.

To have wireless N connectivity, you would need for all of your devices to have wireless N built it.
 
gothamm said:
you would have to keep the slower network.

To have wireless N connectivity, you would need for all of your devices to have wireless N built it.
Click to expand...

My first Mac arrives soon (yay!) so I've been hoovering up info and reading .pdf's for weeks to prepare. I remember reading this the other night about the WiFi networks. This applies to AirPort Extreme but I'm guessing it is transferrable to Time Capsule as well.

Taken from Apple's Designing Aiport Networks Using Airport Utility pdf said:
Choosing the Radio Mode
Choose “802.11n (802.11b/g compatible)” from the Radio Mode pop-up menu if
computers with 802.11n, 802.11g, or 802.11b wireless cards will join the network. Each
client computer will connect to the network and transmit network traffic at the highest
possible speed.
Choose “802.11n only (2.4 GHz)” if only computers with 802.11n compatible wireless
cards will join the network in the 2.4 GHz frequency range.
Choose “802.11n (802.11a compatible)” if computers with 802.11n and 802.11a wireless
cards will join the network in the 5 GHz frequency range. Computers with 802.11g or
802.11b wireless cards will not be able to join this network.
Choose “802.11n only (5 GHz)” if computers with 802.11n wireless cards will join the
network. The transmission rate of the network will be at 802.11n speed. Computers with
802.11g, 802.11b, and 802.11a wireless cards will not be able to join this network.
Note: If you don’t want to use an 802.11n radio mode, hold down the Option key and
chose a radio mode that doesn’t include 802.11n.
Click to expand...
 
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