Network Speed & Concurrent AirPort Networks

[orbital~debris]

I've got a couple of nagging questions about wireless networks that i can't really find a definitive answer to…

I'm aware that a AirPort/Wi-Fi network will only operate at the 'lowest common denomiator' speed, i.e. if you have a b/g capable network and have all g speed devices but then add an older b device, the whole network will slow to accommodate that device and the networks' max. speed will be b.

My first query is, does this happen only when the b device joins the network?
I have an old iMac and iBook that use original AirPort (802.11 b). Could i set up my AirPort to create a b/g compatible network which would operate at 'g' speeds until these computers wake up and join the network, or would the speed be permanently at 'b' in case these computers wanted to join?

I also have a Nintendo DS lite which I'd love to play via the Nintendo Wi-Fi connection, but the only security protocol it will work with is too low for the rest of my network. I wondered if i could use my current AirPort express to make a low security 'b' network for the older Macs + the DS, and then buy a new Wi-Fi router to serve a 'g' network for the newer Macs internet access + a Wii.
Will two networks conflict much with each other, reducing the efficiency of both?

Any advice or suggestions would be appreciated.

 

[kwfl]

i dont have an airport router but i still can answer some of ur questions from my understanding

1-once all your b devices are off, they do not affect the speed of the devices on
2- if u cannect b/g devices then the rates are different
if b device-airport router are talking together then u will probably get b speeds
if b device is talking to a g device through router then u are gonna get b speeds
if g device-ariport router are talking together (some b devices on) then u will get speeds less than g speeds but still higher than b
if g device-airport router are talking together (all b devices off) then u will get g speeds

however, people are talking about aiport base stations with the new specification (n) and i concluded the results from what happens when u connect draft-N devices to an n network.

probably u should consider cheaper devices as u dont use the new speeds of the base stations.

 

[macleod199]

I've got a couple of nagging questions about wireless networks that i can't really find a definitive answer to…

I'm aware that a AirPort/Wi-Fi network will only operate at the 'lowest common denomiator' speed, i.e. if you have a b/g capable network and have all g speed devices but then add an older b device, the whole network will slow to accommodate that device and the networks' max. speed will be b.

My first query is, does this happen only when the b device joins the network?
I have an old iMac and iBook that use original AirPort (802.11 b). Could i set up my AirPort to create a b/g compatible network which would operate at 'g' speeds until these computers wake up and join the network, or would the speed be permanently at 'b' in case these computers wanted to join?

I also have a Nintendo DS lite which I'd love to play via the Nintendo Wi-Fi connection, but the only security protocol it will work with is too low for the rest of my network. I wondered if i could use my current AirPort express to make a low security 'b' network for the older Macs + the DS, and then buy a new Wi-Fi router to serve a 'g' network for the newer Macs internet access + a Wii.
Will two networks conflict much with each other, reducing the efficiency of both?

Any advice or suggestions would be appreciated.

How many other networks are in your area? If there's not a lot of other networks around, you can run two networks in the 2.4 GHz spectrum without much of a problem... the 11 channels do overlap in general, but 1, 6, and 11 are far apart enough that they don't. So if you set them up at say channels 1 and 11, they shouldn't interfere really at all. Normally if you're in a crowded neighborhood there's people all over all the channels already, though (check out a utility called iStumbler to see it visually).