Airport/Broadband problems

[Andyc2708]

Hi, I have a iMac (PPC G4) running OSX Tiger 10.4.11. I have just upgraded my broadband connection to the Virginmedia 100MB Service. For some unknown reason the maximum speed I get from this service is around 20-25 mbps! A Virgin technician checked the connection and the hub is receiving the max 100mb. When he connected his laptop (PC) to the hub he also achieved maximum download speed of just over 100mb.

How is it my iMac is not achieving this. Is it now too dated and the Airport Extreme card is not powerful enough, or is it down to processor speed?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Many thanks.

 

[flopticalcube]

You are hitting the maximum practical speed for your wireless connection. Wired would be faster.

 

[Andyc2708]

I have tried wired and it only increases to about 35mbps. But the tech guy at Virgin managed 100mbps? Is that due to the spec of the Mac?

 

[flopticalcube]

He likely has a gigabit connection (1000mbps) on the wired line and wireless n (150mbps) on the wireless. Your Mac has a maximum of 100mbps on the wired and 54mbps on the wireless but they rarely achieve the maximum, usually topping out about halfway at best.

 

[Andyc2708]

If I were to upgrade the Mac would this improve?

 

[flopticalcube]

If I were to upgrade the Mac would this improve?

Should do. All Macs produced in the last 5 years have wireless n and gigabit wired, like the technician had.

 

[Andyc2708]

Could I upgrade the airport extreme card?

 

[flopticalcube]

Could I upgrade the airport extreme card?

You could add a wireless n USB adapter (make sure you get one that works under Tiger) if you have a free USB 2.0 port but I doubt your speed would improve much over your wired connection. I don't think the wireless n Extreme cards work with the G4 Macs.