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Damn Apple (802.11n vs. 802.11g)

A

azscp

macrumors member
Original poster
Nov 9, 2006
41
0
Hi Everyone,

I just bought and received my Macbook Pro on April 30th. I also bought the new Airport extreme base station featuring the new 802.11n extension. But I think my MBP shipped with the old 802.11g Airport card.

Wireless Card Type: AirPort Extreme (0x168C, 0x87)
Wireless Card Locale: USA
Wireless Card Firmware Version: 1.0.47

My wireless connections have been pretty slow since I bought the MBP. Is there that much conflict between the 802.11n and 802.11g technology? Could this cause slow internet speeds? And why would apple sell me something that would conflicts like this? These are two different technologies. It only makes their product preform poorly.

I'm upset to read that apple, as of today, is releasing their new systems with 802.11n. My system is just over 2 weeks old.

Steve
 
/Applications/Utilities/Network Utility

In the Info tab click the drop down and pick "Network Interface (en1)". That should be your Airport and it'll tell you what modes you have enabled.
 
oh yesssss that's right for some reason i thought he just got the laptop, i completely forgot he got the base station too...
 
azscp said:
Wireless Card Type: AirPort Extreme (0x168C, 0x87)
Wireless Card Locale: USA
Wireless Card Firmware Version: 1.0.47
Click to expand...

I have the exact same firmware on my MBP and get 802.11n. As mentioned, check in Network Utility and ensure that you've installed the Enabler (it should automatically install as part of the AirPort CD).
 
Network utilities says...

Wireless Network Adapter (802.11 a/b/g/n)
 
Just use the enabler on the Airport CD to enable the "N" on the MBP - problem solved.
 
mustard said:
Just use the enabler on the Airport CD to enable the "N" on the MBP - problem solved.
Click to expand...

How do I know if the enabler is installed?

Wireless Card Type: AirPort Extreme (0x168C, 0x87)
Wireless Card Locale: USA
Wireless Card Firmware Version: 1.0.47

network utility:
Wireless Network Adapter (802.11 a/b/g/n)
 
I have "N" installed On My MB, But I Dont Use It, I have "g" in my house. :p
 
By the way, you're not going to notice a speed difference with internet since most broadband is slower than a "G" wireless router (hell, most broadband is slower than a "B" router). The only place you'll notice it is tranferring large files between computers.

People really aren't thinking about what they're buying nowadays. 802.11g is probably fast enough for everyone unless, like I said you're transferring large files between computers. And it has to be two computers with 802.11n cards.
 
Kosh66 said:
By the way, you're not going to notice a speed difference with internet since most broadband is slower than a "G" wireless router (hell, most broadband is slower than a "B" router). The only place you'll notice it is tranferring large files between computers.

People really aren't thinking about what they're buying nowadays. 802.11g is probably fast enough for everyone unless, like I said you're transferring large files between computers. And it has to be two computers with 802.11n cards.
Click to expand...

Yeah and I find that the airport extreme is kinky. I'd personally wait for the next rev before I buy one. We bought one for work to help with range, etc, since about 20 computers use it. But the n-extreme router drops connections and there's no noticable speed increase (albeit we only have b+g machines). Anyway, we're probably going to go back to g for now.
 
ok well its 2008 and i was wondering if i will see anything different between my 2wire505 and a new 802.11n one with the AirPort Extreme (0x168C, 0x87) card or do i need the new card for increased speed? i have a macbook 1gb ram about to up it to 2gb, 60gb hd and 2.0ghz it is from last august early sepember
also are there problems with AirPort Extreme (0x168C, 0x87) and N?
and if the new cards are for sale or if i am screwed if i get a N network with AirPort Extreme (0x168C, 0x87)

please tell me if you need any more info about my computer or what i am talking about
 
fendol said:
Well it depends... depends if N is a better package of internet speed ;)

Either way a router is good with environments that require several computers to be tied in together :apple:
smiley2.gif
ecstatic.gif
Click to expand...

If your internet is over 54Mbps, I want to know where you live!
 
i have high speed dsl, i do not no how to check how many mbps i have though i link would be helpful
there are 4 macs in my house my laptop, AirPort Extreme (0x168C, 0x87), my brothers AirPort Extreme (0x168C, 0x87) my dads older desktop which is hard wired, and his new imac which is a AirPort Extreme (0x14E4, 0x88)
will it make mine and my brothers net faster? i already no it will make my dads faster, but i'm not sure if AirPort Extreme (0x168C, 0x87) will handle or go faster on the N
 
blade10301 said:
i have high speed dsl, i do not no how to check how many mbps i have though i link would be helpful
there are 4 macs in my house my laptop, AirPort Extreme (0x168C, 0x87), my brothers AirPort Extreme (0x168C, 0x87) my dads older desktop which is hard wired, and his new imac which is a AirPort Extreme (0x14E4, 0x88)
will it make mine and my brothers net faster? i already no it will make my dads faster, but i'm not sure if AirPort Extreme (0x168C, 0x87) will handle or go faster on the N
Click to expand...

Just one thing to remember: Any wireless network is always as fast as the _slowest_ computer on the network. Any G hardware slows it down to G speed, any B or A hardware slows it further down to B or A speed. So you might want to make sure that your dad's "older desktop" has WiFi turned off (if it is connected through Ethernet as you said), or it could slow down your WiFi network.
 
his older computer doesn't have an airport card, also it is a g4 and probably going to be packed up soon
but does AirPort Extreme (0x168C, 0x87) get faster with N?
 
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