Airport Extreme vs Linksys WRT54G

[pirateRACE]

Need some advice from Apple networking gurus...

I currently have a Linksys WRT54G (b/g). It works decent. I'm wondering if my network would benefit greatly from the upgrade to an AEBS. I have several Macs, iPhones, gaming systems and soon an iPad. I do stream some video over the network. I have cable internet (around 7mbps). I know the numbers say I'd only get better speeds between devices. Is the AEBS more efficient that especially with many devices, my internet response would be snappier? Would the dual-band help with the mix of b/g/n devices? Or is wireless N pointless until I have crazy ISP speeds? How about range vs the Linksys?

Thanks!

 

[flopticalcube]

Wireless n helps with both range and speed regardless of manufacturer. Dual band helps keep the speed up in n without slower g devices bringing things down. You will notice a difference in home streaming, especially if you have more than two machines talking at the same time.

The AEBS is not as flexible as the WRT so if your needs are complex, another Linksys may serve your needs better.

 

[randomerratum]

I recently got the AEBS- I've noticed my iPhone's browsing is a bit snappier but don't notice a lot of speed improvements on my computers...

If you're looking for a speed increase, I think it would depend on your setup. However, my favorite thing about it is the ability to connect a hard drive. I have a G-Drive setup as my Time Machine disk for my MBP, plus the leftover space has come in handy sometimes.

Probably the best thing about it, however, is how easy it is to setup. I'm no network guru, but I'm otherwise pretty savvy and have spent countless hours poking and prodding around my previous router's cryptic interface trying to get different things to work... the Airport Utility is fantastic. The interface uses complete sentences, is simple to customize and pretty much just defaults to the proper working settings. Hassle free is worth a lot in my book.

 

[spaceballl]

For just internet and video streaming, keep what you've got! No point in fixin' what ain't broke.

Higher throughput speeds are definitely possible w/ an 802.11N router, but you really won't notice that with just internet browsing.

 

[pirateRACE]

Thanks people!

I guess I'll just stick with the Linksys until I have problems.

 

[macleod199]

I have a first gen (non-dualband) 802.11n AEBS, and a couple of points:

- One of the reasons I wanted to go with 'n' at 5 GHz is because I'm in a downtown area with lots and lots of base stations (not to mention cordless phones, microwaves, etc.) at 2.4 GHz. Now that I've got an iPhone I've had to switch back to 2.4 GHz, and occasionally seem to get bad congestion.

- Most 'n' routers have better ranges due to the multiple antennas, but it's important to remember that ~5 GHz signals penetrate walls less well than 2.4 GHz. So if your house has many floors/walls, you may actually see worse performance at 5 GHz.

Simultaneous dual-band is what I always wanted, but didn't wait for. Ah well. Maybe eventually I can give my current one to my girlfriend and buy the new one.