G vs G+(MIMO) vs N

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GingerNinja

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#22358 25-May-2008 16:55

Hi all,

I am wanting to get a wireless adsl router soon. My laptop is Centrino Duo, so has internal G wireless.

I am wanting a router so I can get broadband internet anywhere in my house. My house is about 15m long approximately, and the internal walls are timber framed.

With the broadband speeds available in NZ, the theoretical maximum of 54Mbps for G should be heaps, but will this be enough with the range I am after?

(I only have the one laptop, no home network, so don't need to stream across a network or anything.)

Just wanting to know whether its worth paying the extra for the better wireless standards, or whether its a waste of time (I would also need the matching wireless card to put in the laptop).

Any advice would be much appreciated.

GingerNinja

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#133477 27-May-2008 08:07

any takers?

tonyhughes

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#133482 27-May-2008 08:28

Your topic musta got buried on the front page the other day. Sorry about that.

Any good G router will suit your needs and is my recommendation.

You will pay 2x - 4x as much to get N and a card for your laptop, which you will hate because it will stick out and look ugly etc.

G *should* meet your range needs happily.

I am happy to amend my answer if you are actually trying to justify to your significant other why you should buy new toys

tonyhughes

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#133485 27-May-2008 08:30

And as long as its just basic internet (ADSL type speeds), then its no use having the higher speeds of N.

Even from one end of your house to the other, you may get 24 - 36Mbps wireless link - your internet speeds fit inside that pipe very comfortably.

GingerNinja

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#133487 27-May-2008 08:35

If I use a G+/MIMO/N router, will I get any better range if I only use the inbuilt G in my laptop?

The better routers should have more power and hence better transmitting range, but would the antenna (should be better than a plain G router) be good enough to pick up the weaker signals from a more distant laptop?

tonyhughes

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#133494 27-May-2008 08:56

GingerNinja: If I use a G+/MIMO/N router, will I get any better range if I only use the inbuilt G in my laptop?

The better routers should have more power and hence better transmitting range, but would the antenna (should be better than a plain G router) be good enough to pick up the weaker signals from a more distant laptop?

I havent studied this in depth, so don't hang your hat on this, but if you have N gear on the router end, and G gear on the other, you may experience a modest range increase due to better aerials, diversity etc. This would also depend greatly on the quality of your G gear as well!

Your speeds cannot increase beyond G speeds, but better signal may allow a better "G speed".

nav2u

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#134792 1-Jun-2008 18:27

Coincidentally, I’ve just replaced my G router with a 2 antenna TP-Link Wireless N router. I made this change simply because my original wireless G routers signal was not strong enough to reach my desktop (well my desktop could see the signal sometimes but i think it was just beyond the signal range sitting in the other corner of my house, but all the laptops when closer worked fine).

Anyways the change has definitely helped and now my desktop can connect though the signal is still not strong enough to give me full wireless G speeds which i would need for media streaming!

- You mentioned that you’ve only got a distance of 15 meters to cover which i think would be easily covered by your wireless G router, assuming that there aren't that many other wireless networks in the same area that could cause some sort of frequency congestion!
- Having a wireless N signal will also mean that you are constantly exposed to more stronger (unnecessary) radiation 24/7, personally I'm planning on switching to cables
- Finally I would like to highlight that if you purchase your equipment from a decent retailer, you always have the option to go back with the product if it doesn't work out for you.

In short, I agree with "tonyhughes" G should do it!