FireWire or Ethernet ?

[Jonathanm1222]

I recently bought the new iMac and want to transfer EVERYTHING from my MacBook Pro to the iMac. I assumed that a FireWire cable connecting the two would result in a much much faster transfer than with an Ethernet cable and went to the Apple store ready to buy. However the salesman there informed me that for such a onetime transfer of data ( in excess of 100 gb) the Time it took wouldn't be that much faster than if I used an Ethernet cable. So I purchased the Ethernet. He should know shouldn't he? And then what good is a FireWire cable for anyway?

 

[simsaladimbamba]

Gigagibt Ethernet is faster than Firewire 800 (80 to 120 MB/s vs 65 to 75 MB/s).

 

[glenthompson]

He should know shouldn't he? And then what good is a FireWire cable for anyway?

Computer salesman giving good information? That's a good one.

I use FireWire for connecting my server to external drives. Much faster than USB and I don't have thunderbolt.

 

[MisterMe]

Computer salesman giving good information? That's a good one.

I use FireWire for connecting my server to external drives. Much faster than USB and I don't have thunderbolt.

Four things:

1. I love FireWire, but the salesman is correct.
2. The OP does not have a server.
3. The OP made no mention of external drives.
4. USB is not a part of this conversation.

Every time that I needed to move my files to a new computer, I connect both both computers to the same router. Then I login to one computer from the other and drag everything over from the old to the new.

Depending on the total size of the files moved and the time required to make the round trip to the store, all of the files may be copied by the time the OP returns from the store with his new cable. Certainly the times saving will not make-up for the time and money required to acquire the new FireWire cable.

 

[Jonathanm1222]

What about the thunderbolt cable? Is it appreciably faster?

 

[COrocket]

What about the thunderbolt cable? Is it appreciably faster?

Yes. Thunderbolt is capable of 10x faster transfers than gigabit ethernet and even greater if you compare it to firewire. The problem is, your hard disk won't be able to read/write that fast, so that becomes your limiting factor instead of the cable. Ethernet is probably as fast as you can go, unless you are using SSD's on the giving and receiving end.

 

[waw74]

What about the thunderbolt cable? Is it appreciably faster?

if either of your computers has a standard hard drive, you really won't see an improvement from gig-ethernet to thunderbolt.
If they BOTH have solid state drives, you probably would. But... for a one time use the thunderbolt cable is a bit spendy, and in the grand scheme of things, it's not going to save you that much time.

 

[glenthompson]

I love FireWire, but the salesman is correct.
The OP does not have a server.
The OP made no mention of external drives.
USB is not a part of this conversation.

I was responding to the question "what is FireWire good for?" and gave where I found is useful. For all my machine to machine copies I use LAN and anything in a fixed location is wired.