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how useful is n-wireless now?

furcalchick

furcalchick

macrumors 68020
Original poster
Dec 19, 2006
2,426
5
South Florida
i saw that the n-wireless activator is available for the core 2 computers for a two dollar fee. i'm not being a penny pincher here, but i'm wondering if the n-wirless has any real world advantages right now, especially if you are on a network that does not take advantage of the n-wireless. when do you expect wi-fi networks to start taking in n-wireless? are they being taken in already? i just want to know before spending two bucks on something i may not need for a while, especially if this will be ratified in leopard. thanks.
 
furcalchick said:
i saw that the n-wireless activator is available for the core 2 computers for a two dollar fee. i'm not being a penny pincher here, but i'm wondering if the n-wirless has any real world advantages right now, especially if you are on a network that does not take advantage of the n-wireless. when do you expect wi-fi networks to start taking in n-wireless? are they being taken in already? i just want to know before spending two bucks on something i may not need for a while, especially if this will be ratified in leopard. thanks.
Click to expand...

Most WiFi hotspots are NOT using N. Most likely A/B/G. Unless you want to use N in your home, I personally wouldn't upgrade for a while atleast. Also, Wifi B can most likely broadcast faster than your internet, therefore no need for N yet.

Anyway, good luck.
 
If you are a penny pincher just look for a friend who owns an Airport Express. Sell your machine to him for $1 so that your computer is "technically" his when he upgrades it, and have him sell it back to you after it is done :rolleyes:
 
It's my understanding that pretty much all cable and dsl modems communicate at 10 mbps, so I'm really not sure why people are so excited about wireless-n, as a wireless-g network can more than handle that kind of bandwidth. So, unless you are doing large file transfers of a network and all of the equipment is n-compatible, I don't see where the advantage is to the vast majority of users.
 
it's not the wireless "n" that i want it for -- it's the wireless hard drive and a usb port that i can hub-up and use multiple printers and a scanner on.

the speed is irrelevant, it's the features i'm buying it for. since i don't have 3 dozen computers in my house, the speed won't get topped out. i can put my 10,000 itunes songs on the wireless hard drive and not worry about my macbook running out of space.
 
My understanding is - that if you are going to have a wireless network i.e. computer to computer (ad-hoc) then it may come in handy pulling across large files. If you are only using your N router for the internet then there's not mcuh point. even if you have the fastest internet connection ~ 16mpbs you could still use G routers fine!
 
Ok i'm being a huge novice here, what are we all running well most normal hoem wirless entworks at the moment is it b? or g? And what is the diffrent between the b/g and n?

And am i right in saying if i boguht a wireless n airport base station and had a mac mini, this conected up etc, and i had an ibook with the wirless n card in, if i went to a hot spot i wouldn't be able to conenct my my iBook up correct?

I'm baffled really to me it shoudl work as normal and still pick up hotspost except it wont run to tis full potentiol unless htere hot spots base station is n compatible?
 
betty02 said:
Ok i'm being a huge novice here, what are we all running well most normal hoem wirless entworks at the moment is it b? or g? And what is the diffrent between the b/g and n?

And am i right in saying if i boguht a wireless n airport base station and had a mac mini, this conected up etc, and i had an ibook with the wirless n card in, if i went to a hot spot i wouldn't be able to conenct my my iBook up correct?

I'm baffled really to me it shoudl work as normal and still pick up hotspost except it wont run to tis full potentiol unless htere hot spots base station is n compatible?
Click to expand...

The basic difference between b/g/n is the speed. b = 11Mbps, g=54Mbps, n=540Mbps. If you have a MacBook with a wireless n card then you should be able to join wireless b/g/n networks because wireless n is backwards compatible with b/g.

Add to that, if you only use the wireless station to have wireles access to the internet then you can probably get by with wireless b because most people's internet is slower than 11Mbps. Wireles n will really come in handy to those that have a network of computers that want to share lots of data between them.
 
psingh01 said:
The basic difference between b/g/n is the speed. b = 11Mbps, g=54Mbps, n=540Mbps. If you have a MacBook with a wireless n card then you should be able to join wireless b/g/n networks because wireless n is backwards compatible with b/g.

Add to that, that if you only use the wireless station to have wireles access to the internet then you can probably get by with wireless b because most people's internet is slower than 11Mbps. Wireles n will really come in hand to those that have a network fo computers that want to share lots of data between them.
Click to expand...


Aggghh im totally with you now, Not really worth switching to just yet then because as you mentioned most run on 10meg or less, unles like you also said it's to share large files etc etc

Cheers for that!
 
I getting N for my MB but only with the base station from apple. I want N for the external HD that you can plug into the router. And maybe some networking. Other than that, until more people are using N then there is no reason. If I wasn't getting with my base station I would of got it just to have it, just incase. But it is not needed
 
I think alot of people out there will be buying it just for the sake as its there and then they already have it, so in the enar future when it ebcomes the enw revoloution of wirless, people can say yeah had it for a while etc etc,

I know ill certainly have it when cash comes in, just olike i said for the sake ive got it, like to keep up with technology and for the fact, how nice will it luked stacked with a mac mini,apple tv and then this!
 
Are there any Apple compatible N PCI cards

I need to get a wifi card for my G4 tower. Since its my video audio server I was hoping to put a pre N card (rather than G) in the tower in anticipation of getting an :apple: TV and upgrading the wifi system in the house.
 
Passante said:
I need to get a wifi card for my G4 tower. Since its my video audio server I was hoping to put a pre N card (rather than G) in the tower in anticipation of getting an :apple: TV and upgrading the wifi system in the house.
Click to expand...

No, plug it into a new Airport base station via ethernet, that's your only choice really...
 
furcalchick said:
i saw that the n-wireless activator is available for the core 2 computers for a two dollar fee. i'm not being a penny pincher here, but i'm wondering if the n-wirless has any real world advantages right now, especially if you are on a network that does not take advantage of the n-wireless. when do you expect wi-fi networks to start taking in n-wireless? are they being taken in already? i just want to know before spending two bucks on something i may not need for a while, especially if this will be ratified in leopard. thanks.
Click to expand...

Useful for moving large files. Video streaming (like AppleTV), etc. Useless for Internet.
 
When will it be useful for the internet?

I was thinking of getting the new Extreme only because my Linksys is dead, and I currently need a wireless anyway. When will the providers support the n so it will actually be faster?
 
cwedl said:
My understanding is - that if you are going to have a wireless network i.e. computer to computer (ad-hoc) then it may come in handy pulling across large files. If you are only using your N router for the internet then there's not mcuh point. even if you have the fastest internet connection ~ 16mpbs you could still use G routers fine!
Click to expand...

true. one benefit of n for home internet is that is has better range, which helps if you either have a big house or have a laptop and surf the web outside. none of these really applies to me, which is fortunate, because I can still feel smug about getting a (2.16 Ghz, 256 MB VRAM, the $2499 model, yeah) CD MBP for $1499!:D :p
 
iW00t said:
If you are a penny pincher just look for a friend who owns an Airport Express. Sell your machine to him for $1 so that your computer is "technically" his when he upgrades it, and have him sell it back to you after it is done :rolleyes:
Click to expand...

What is the point? You are technically legal, but totally violating the intent of the law. A real stickler should just buy it and everyone else will just steal. The $1 move is just silly IMHO.

yadmonkey said:
It's my understanding that pretty much all cable and dsl modems communicate at 10 mbps, so I'm really not sure why people are so excited about wireless-n, as a wireless-g network can more than handle that kind of bandwidth. So, unless you are doing large file transfers of a network and all of the equipment is n-compatible, I don't see where the advantage is to the vast majority of users.
Click to expand...

Don't count out broadband speeds just yet. I built my wireless network back when i was still on dialup, but I eventually moved up various levels and now am using a 15mb line. All my B cards had to go in the trash because just 1 will bring the network down. Plan for the future.
 
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