11n networking

I've recently started using my wireless network at home for some quite heavy
file transfer, and since my WAP is only 11b it isn't exactly quick.

I want to upgrade, but not to 11g if 11n is just around the corner. Does
anyone know when the 11n spec is due to be standardised? I see Belkin have
"pre-n" equipment, but I don't want to move over to that if it isn't going to
be at least firmware-upgradable to "full-n".

deKay

 

I don't know about the standardisation process, but publication is currently
predicted for October 2007:
http://grouper.ieee.org/groups/802/11/802.11_Timelines.htm

What alternatives are you considering? (For example: do nothing, upgrade to
802.11g, upgrade to another vendor's better-than-802.11g products.)

Alex

 

Soni tempori elseu romani yeof helsforo nisson ol sefini ill des Mon, 20 Feb
2006 16:35:40 -0000, sefini jorgo geanyet des mani yeof do

Well, I currently have an 11b WAP, an 11b bridge, a 54g laptop, a 54g iPaq and
a Nintendo DS (11b). The bridge only gets used when I play online with my
Xbox or PS2.

It's only really the wireless transfer between the laptop and the wired
network that I need to improve, so just getting a 54g WAP would probably do me
for now. I will be getting an Xbox 360 (connected via the bridge) in the
future so will use that for video streaming and so will need a new bridge
then.

I was just hoping to get 11n stuff soon rather than get 11g then in three
months it be out of date. 18 months is a bit far away to wait though...

deKay

 

I understand there is a throughput penalty for 'g' devices in a mixed b/g
network, but I don't know how much or whether it applies at all times,
whenever 'b' devices are connected to the AP, or only when 'b' devices are
actually transmitting/receiving (I am pretty sure it is one of the first
two). If you do get a 'g' AP, this is probably worth investigating.
Although, given that the DS presumably can't be upgraded (unlike the
bridge), perhaps it is a moot point.

I take it that temporarily wiring the laptop to the wired network for the
heavy transfers is not an option? At 100Mbit/s this would offer 3-4x the
best speed of 802.11g.

Alex

 

Soni tempori elseu romani yeof helsforo nisson ol sefini ill des Tue, 21 Feb
2006 10:39:04 -0000, sefini jorgo geanyet des mani yeof do

It generally only applies when you have 11b and 11g devices connected at the
same time, although some access points now run both speeds together without
penalty.

I won't be using the laptop and the DS or bridge at the same time, so it'll be
either g-only or b-only at any one time.

Not really. It's mainly streaming video to another room that I need it for.

deKay