Help with WiFi question please?

S

Smudge

New Member
Hello:
I am considering setting up a wireless network in my home following the purchase of my new desktop. I already have a Dell Laptop that I am going to buy a wireless card for. So here are my questions:

I am pretty unfamiliar with the current technology of WiFi. I looked at some different products online. I see that for a router I have the choice of purchasing 802.11g or 802.11n (I may be missing more). What are the differences between these two (and others that I may have missed)?

If I get a router for my desktop that is 802.11g do I have to get a network card for my laptop that is 802.11g or can I get 802.11n for my laptop and vice versa?

Thanks in advance for any assistance in learning more about this technology!
 
If the router you BUY is B or G or B/G the Receiver on the Laptop or the Desktop must be the same. Meaning B/G (which is common) would work on both type B and Type G transmissions. The N is stil newer tech, and only if you need really high speds. G is 54Mbps, so it should be fine. Get a G router only, and I believe it is backward comliant to B.
 
I did a bit of research, and "n" is a good bit faster if you plan on networking. However, the range is about half that of B/G. Also, it would be pointless unless you actually plan to network. If you simply plan to browse the internet, you won't see any difference between B/G/N...
 
One thing i like to point out to people is that for many home computer users, a faster wireless connection is not necessary. For example, an "older" wireless-b connection, which peaks at 11 Mbps. Now wireless G might be 54 Mbps, or 108 with speedbooster, but it's important to remember that a typical verizon dsl user will max out at under 1 Mbps. Even faster connections will most likely not max out 11 Mbps --- even a T1 connection is slower. You're only as slow as your weakest link, which, in this scenario, will almost always be the internet connection. Now the only situation which might require a faster connection in home would be file sharing. But unless you're running a high-paced business, even a slow 11 Mbps connection is sufficient for most music, picture, and document files.
 
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