My new Macbook Pro is coming in the mail in a couple of days. I currently have a G Router at home. Will a G Router be sufficient? Will I be able to watch videos with my laptop? 
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Will a G Router be sufficient?
- Thread starter jusacruiser
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If you are talking about internet, then yes, unless you have a much faster internet connection than the 802.11g router provides.
If you are talking about a local home network, than that depends on the data rate of your video files and what the maximum speed of the router you have.
But I guess it is the first (internet), thus if you can watch videos now with your computer you may already have (besides the coming MBP), then there will be no difference with a new computer.
If you are talking about a local home network, than that depends on the data rate of your video files and what the maximum speed of the router you have.
But I guess it is the first (internet), thus if you can watch videos now with your computer you may already have (besides the coming MBP), then there will be no difference with a new computer.
I would recommend a simple wireless-N router from Linksys, they cost around 50 euro, and you will have a better, stronger, more stable signal than a wireless g.
But to answer your question; your current router won't cause any problems, wireless-N is just cooler
But to answer your question; your current router won't cause any problems, wireless-N is just cooler
I would recommend a simple wireless-N router from Linksys, they cost around 50 euro, and you will have a better, stronger, more stable signal than a wireless g.
But to answer your question; your current router won't cause any problems, wireless-N is just cooler
Thanks for the reply. I might get the Linksys router, but want to try out my current G router first when my new MacBook Pro arrives in the mail.
Ok here is a typical situation: I miss a TV Show. Then I go to www.ABC.com and want to catch it there.....will my G router work for that
Also, I like talk radio.....will I be able to listen to Talk Radio on my laptop
If the G can do all these things.....then why is the N Router cooler??
Go to www.speedtest.net and report your results back. Most likely your internet connection is slower than the speed the 802.11g router offers, thus Talk Radio (very low bitrate and bandwidth is used for that due to not much data - only voice) will be possible. If you can watch ABC.com now, you can still watch it with your MBP. Maybe your internet connection speed is a bit slow, thus you have to load the video a bit to actually view it without stutter.
And wireless routers are not only used to stream the internet around the house, they can also be used to access a LAN and local storage and other computers on the same W-LAN. As such a connection is often used to transfer files between those clients, the faster the connection the faster files transfer, as sometimes big files are involved (1, 10, 100, ... GB).
The only reason you'd want N (at this point) is to stream HD content and for wireless hard dives. I had no reason for N either until I bought an AppleTV. You should be fine.
If you do want a decent and cheap wireless N router check out the Belkin N+. I've found it to be very reliable, as well as very cheap (70 USD). Also, on CNet's review, they found it to have better range and signal strength than most of the more expensive ones on the market.
Thanks for the reply.
Let me see if I understand the concept: If my internet speed (Comcast Cable) is slower than the capacity offered by my G router, then I would not need to upgrade to a router that offers more speed. I would only run into a problem if my internet speed was faster then what my router would be able to provide?
I hope I explained my question ok.
Yes, that is correct. You can test the speed of your internet via connecting the computer you have right now via Ethernet cable to the router and run www.speedtst.net or something similar. Most probably your internet connection will not provide such fast speeds (11.25 MB/s) anyway.
Thanks!
Thanks everybody for the input. Believe it or not my MBP just arrived this morning! I am going to be basking in the glow of an "unboxing" for a few hours and then I will go to www.speedtest.com on my desktop that I am currently using to test the internet speed that we have.
Thanks everybody for the input. Believe it or not my MBP just arrived this morning! I am going to be basking in the glow of an "unboxing" for a few hours and then I will go to www.speedtest.com on my desktop that I am currently using to test the internet speed that we have.
I went to www.speedtest.com. When I got to the website, there were lots of sponsed links but I did not know which web page to click on to get a speed test. Please advise.
Speed Test Completed
Ok, i have run the test and here are my internet speeds:
Download 17.72 Mb/s
Upload 4.52 MB/s
Ping 10 MS
Now what does all this mean if I have a G Router? Are these fast numbers? Slow numbers?
Ok, i have run the test and here are my internet speeds:
Download 17.72 Mb/s
Upload 4.52 MB/s
Ping 10 MS
Now what does all this mean if I have a G Router? Are these fast numbers? Slow numbers?
That does mean, that the 802.11g router you have does fully suffice your wireless needs, if they are solely related to internet usage or small file transfers, as 802.11g theoretically offers 54 Mbit/s, practically it is around 34-36 Mbit/s if the signal is strong enough.
As your ISP only provides half the speed of that, you seem to never fully use the 802.11g speeds, though 802.11n routers have greater range.
How Fast Is 802.11g Wi-Fi Networking?
Btw 8 Mbit = 1 MByte, thus you can download with a bit over 2 MB/s and upload with a bit over 500 KB/s, meaning Talk Radio and watching ABC will not be a problem for a long time.
Thank you! This has been very helpful. So I am thinking that this discussion says that if I have G router, then I should stick to a G Router for now.
Correct, as the 802.11g speeds fully suffice your internet speed, as 802.11g is double the speed what your ISP currently provides.
I recently realised, my file transfers are mostly done via external HDDs, thus I even don't fully use my 802.11n router (AEBS) and could have happily used a AirPort Express without noticing, though transferring files via Gigabit Ethernet is something to look for (50 to 70 MB/s).
Airport Express
That is so funny that you mention Airport Express. I almost bought that thinking that if I have an Apple laptop, then I should have an Apple router.
Is Airport Express just a fancy name for a G router?
That is so funny that you mention Airport Express. I almost bought that thinking that if I have an Apple laptop, then I should have an Apple router.
Is Airport Express just a fancy name for a G router?
I had a D-Link before and had weekly problems, small ones, but it got confusing.
After I bought the AEBS, the problems occur on a bi-monthly basis and can be solved via a restart of the AEBS.
After I bought the AEBS, the problems occur on a bi-monthly basis and can be solved via a restart of the AEBS.
The AirPort Express is a small wireless router with 802.11n capability.
http://www.apple.com/wifi/
http://www.apple.com/wifi/