truemobile
join:2002-02-06
Danbury, CT
| reply to raracahatam
Re: B vs G real world speed??
Hi raracahatam,
There were reports that near the limit of signal strength, B did better than a draft version of 802.11B (I believe this was reported over at Toms Hardware). Likely this isn't true for the final draft.
At this time the only reason to go with 802.11b is due to the product line you want not having 802.11g support yet (true for some higher end access points/router/firewalls) such as Cisco or Zyxel.
Another reason is extended range 802.11b cards, I'm unsure if extended range 802.11g cards have been released yet (once they are, they'll be no need to have 802.11b for this either).
In my case a Zywall 10W with an extended range card reports 80% signal strength in a line of sight 500' range through windows between two houses (the other end is a DLink 120 USB device). Thus with extended range in the router, 500' range is possible with decent signal strength. In the near future this will be true if it isn't already for 802.11g. |
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Mark_Venture
join:2000-05-31
Wilmington, DE
| reply to Flippant
said by Flippant  :
First the B is quite a bit cheaper. When people actually start pulling the boxes off the self, they start adding it up.
Yeah, that was why I picked up a B router/accespoint first. BEFW11S4 (wireless-B router) was $59.99 plus WPC11 card Bus B card was $59.00 = $120. vs. WRT54G (wireless-G router) was $149.99 with $20 rebate and WPC54G CardBus G card was $79.99 with a $10 rebate came to $230 less $30 rebates = $200 or after rebates $80 more than the B setup. (Ambicom WL1100C-CF compact flash wireless B card for iPaq is the same in both setups and added $69 to the overall cost. There are no CF-G cards available.) And I still need to add a wireless card to the living room PC.
Not sure why but the WAP11 (B-Access point only) was more expensive at $99 than the BEFW11S4 (combo router/B-WAP/4 port switch).
I stuck with Linksys because of the good results of my BEFSR41 (got it when I first got DSL in April, 2000.) plus I have a linksys 5 port 10/100 switch that is even older and an 8 port linksys 10/100 switch. All working great. I would have purchased a Linksys CF card for the iPAQ but they don't have drivers compatible with Windows Mobile 2003 (aka PPC2003) yet, so it could not be used.
But I just found DLink G stuff cheaper.
said by Flippant :
Secondly, 90%+ of the laptop usage is on a broadband.....
But then your requirements may be different.
Very well said.
For someone like me, I can't run the wires to every room in the new apartment. Plus, I noticed with just the B stuff, video across wireless was slightly jerky. Not so with the G stuff in place.
I got spoiled by the old apartment, how I was able to run the wires under the carpets, past door ways, etc. so I could put PCs anywhere and do/watch/listen to anything in any room. The new place there is no way to easily "hide" the wires to run them where I want the PCs. 
So wireless G, even though only slightly faster than B, is smoother for video for me while sitting in rooms where I can't run wires.
BUT If all I was going to do wirelessly was surf the Net, and use the iPAQ, I would have stuck with B. |
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raracahatam
join:2003-07-15
Portsmouth, NH | reply to Mark_Venture
I've been reading and learning with every new thread about wireless, but I'm curious to know if there is any advantage between b & G in signal strength over distance ie: 300 feet? |
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JTS33
join:2003-05-03
USA
| reply to Mark_Venture
I top out at 4.5mbps with plain 11mbps 802.11b, and 11.5mbps with "enhanced" 22mbps 802.11b and 4x mode enabled. Throwing in a non-enhanced 802.11b client into the network would probably require turning off 4x mode and slow things down, much like g's "mixed mode." |
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Flippant
So Much For Subtlety
Premium,Mod
join:2000-06-04
Katy, TX
Host:
Filesharing Software
Earthlink Cable
Texas Gulf Coast
AT&T U-verse
AT&T Southwest
| reply to Mark_Venture
We have this conversation at work every month or so. Quite a few people have started using wireless at work and are now looking to do the same at home. Since I am one of the first to do it I get lots of questions. Nearly everyone starts out saying, "I think I am going to go with G". But invariably almost everyone has ended up with B.
First the B is quite a bit cheaper. When people actually start pulling the boxes off the self, they start adding it up.
Secondly, 90%+ of the laptop usage is on a broadband connection. Since the likes of OOL are not in this neck of the woods, the B throughput is more than adequate for broadband networking.
Lastly, while G is faster it isn't near as fast as 100Mbs wired connection. Most people have at least a minimal wired network at home. If they need to transfer a large file in the house it is pretty easy to just plug in the wired connection and blast away.
So B is fast enough for the vast majority of use, G is not fast enough for the very occasional home LAN big file needs and it costs 100% or more than B.
But then your requirements may be different. |
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avd706
insert annoying animated gif here
Premium
join:2003-02-06
Union, NJ | reply to Mark_Venture
i've found that adding memory really speeds up my wireless with a WPC54G |
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Mark_Venture
join:2000-05-31
Wilmington, DE
| reply to Mark_Venture
Thanks everyone for the info.
I decided to take the BEFW11S4 back and got a WRT54G. I also got a Linksys WPC54G cardbus card for the laptop.
In mixed mode (both B & G cards on/connected, Ambicom WL1100C-CF in iPAQ 2215 and Linsys WPC54G cardbus card in the Thinkpad T23) I get transfer rates of around 8 to 9 Mbits/sec between the Thinkpad and wired desktop with the router about 10 feet away from the laptop.
In G only mode (B card removed from the iPAQ and not connected, only the thinkpad with WPC54G connected) I get transfer rates of around 16 to 17 Mbits/sec between the Thinkpad and wired desktop with the router about 10 feet away from the laptop.
Same laptop, same wired desktop, but BEFW11S4 (in approximately the same spot) and Ambicom WL1100C-CF compact flash card (using CF to PCMCIA adapter) gave me a transfer rate of between 4 and 5 Mbits/sec.
So, it is a nice improvement. It does make watching videos across the network smoother. |
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bonestx
join:2003-01-26
Allen, TX
| reply to Mark_Venture
If they are the same price I'd stay with the router. When I picked up my WAP the WRT was about $60 more.
www.smallnetbuilder.com can answer your question on what bridging is. My impression is that it allows the device to work with other wireless devices to cover an extended area as one network. In most consumer applications, you don't need it. I bet the WRT54G does have it. |
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claudeo
join:2000-02-23
Redmond, WA |  reply to Mark_Venture
I've got B only, and it's been painless and fast enough, whatever the speed. A working wireless connection trumps all theories.  |
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Mark_Venture
join:2000-05-31
Wilmington, DE
| reply to bonestx
said by bonestx :
I would go with the G Access Point, you really don't need the WRTG since you have a router.
Since they are the same price where I am looking to buy, does the WAP54G get me anything over the combo WRT54G?
From what I can tell from the Linksys site, the WAP54G supports Wireless bridging and the WRT54G does not list it, and of course, the WRT54G includes nat/router functions and the WAP54G does not.
Other than that, I can't seem to see any difference. Am I missing something?
Oh, btw, I'm not sure I'm exactly clear on what wireless bridging would do for me.
The WRT54G could give me a backup router in case something ever happend to my BEFSR41.
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bonestx
join:2003-01-26
Allen, TX
| reply to liquidzyklon
I would go with the G Access Point, you really don't need the WRTG since you have a router.
Some really good info on testing of various vendors G access points can be found at »www.smallnetbuilder.com including the impact of B & G. Also consider that you probably aren't going to be using the B from your IPAQ all the time the rest of the time a laptop could enjoy the unrestricted speed of G.
However also beware there are several of us who have issues with a WAP54G and BEFSR41. »Loosing Connection Between WAP54g and BEFSR41/81
I'd buy it from somewhere with a good return policy just in case. |
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liquidzyklon
join:2001-06-24
Scarborough, ON
 ·Rogers Hi-Speed
| reply to Mark_Venture
Yes, mixed mode will yield poor results. But distance between the laptop and the AP/Routers will also greatly affect your speed. For B only, it's around 5-6mb when close, and around 2.5-3mb for "working" distance. For G only, it's around 16-23mb (depending on models/brands) for close, and around 8-12mb for "working" distance. By "working" distance, I'm talking about maybe you are about 75-100 feet away from the AP/Router.
quote:
It appears that If I have a G access point and mix active G & B clients at the same time, I'll end up with slightly slower than B only speeds.
Like sekim has already posted. You shouldn't get slightly lower speed because you are in mixed mode. The results should still be around B speeds.
Personally, I'm cheap so I'm looking into the 802.11b "Turbo" under SMC or Dlink (called AirPlus). They are reasonably priced plus the speeds are adequate for LAN usage (around 10mb at best, 5mb for "working" distance). It will be a while before we reach 100mb |
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sekim
Premium,MVM
join:1999-08-17
Saint Petersburg, FL | reply to Mark_Venture
I've dlink G stuff,,, my norm is 16 - 18 mbit.
friend brings her B laptop into my G environment
I slow to 11 -12mb
she's at her norm/max of 5 -6mb |
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Mark_Venture
join:2000-05-31
Wilmington, DE
| reply to Mark_Venture
Am I reading this right?
Based upon this article I found...
»www.pcmag.com/article2/0,4149,1118556,00.asp
with results table here...
»common.ziffdavisinternet.com/dow···ance.pdf
It appears that If I have a G access point and mix active G & B clients at the same time, I'll end up with slightly slower than B only speeds.
hmm..... |
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Mark_Venture
join:2000-05-31
Wilmington, DE
| reply to BStrauss3
Yeah, I understand, for internet, the "weakest link" is the cable modem.
I was thinking along the lines of eventually getting the laptop its own wireless card so I don't have keep swapping the wireless card or to have it cabled all the time. SO then it would be a file sharing/coping speed issue I was thinking of..
In other words if I got a G Router/Access point, a card bus G card for the laptop and the Compact Flash B card for the iPAQ... Because of the mix of B & G cards, would I loose enough speed on the G card when coping files that I just might as well stick with B for all wireless? |
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BStrauss3
join:2001-12-07
Lewisville, TX
| reply to Mark_Venture
Remember, the limiting speed is often the 1.5 Mbps internet connection!
Also remember to take those quoted speeds with more than a few grains of salt... those are raw signaling speeds, not usable data speeds.
On a mixed b + g network the g cards will slow down from their full speed, in order to accomodate a couple of characteristics of the b cards. I think it's still faster than pure b.
PC Mag did a comparision article in the last couple of issues, it might be on their web site.
-----Burton |
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Mark_Venture
join:2000-05-31
Wilmington, DE
| Hi,
I just made the jump to wireless. I am now having second thoughts....
Since I can only find Compact Flash 802.11b cards, not G, for my iPAQ, I chose to go with B. The CF card I picked up also works in a CF to PCMCIA adapter and can be used in my laptop when I am not using it in the iPAQ.
For an access point, I picked up a Linksys BEFW11S4 (ver4) wireless-B router(disabled its DHCP, etc) to add to my already in place Linksys BEFSR41.
I was going to get the Linksys WRT54G but it was $100 more and for right now, having only the ONE wireless card and it being a B, I opted to save the money.
If I get the laptop its own Wi-Fi card, will I notice a BIG difference using B vs G? Is there any chart demonstrating real world performance of one vs the other?
If I had a G access point, what happens if I'd mix B and G cards? Can they both run at their expected speed? i.e. will the G still run as a G at 54mbps? or will it slow down to B's 11mbps?
Thanks. |
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