N-Router Spec

magilla1181 · 07-07-2008, 03:50 PM

I'm wondering the speed which my router runs at to different devices. I remember that if you used to have a 802.11b device on a 802.11g network that the network would reduce the speed of all the devices on the network to 802.11b although a couple of them could operate at g speeds. Is this the same way with N? I notice a slow down with basic websites to my mac book pro which is an N device to my Linksys WRT350N although my iPhone is g and same thing with my wii? So is it still that if you connect a G device to an N network that the whole network slows down to G speeds?

johnwill · 07-08-2008, 07:53 AM

Yes, while the latest 802.11n draft specification seems to indicate that mixing devices on an 802.11n network won't necessary slow everything down, in practice that seems to be what actually happens. In addition, since the bandwidth is shared on a contention basis, anytime the slower device is actually send/receiving data, obviously the faster device is waiting for the link.

07-07-2008, 03:50 PM	#1 (permalink)
magilla1181 Registered User Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 22 OS: Windows XP	N-Router Spec I'm wondering the speed which my router runs at to different devices. I remember that if you used to have a 802.11b device on a 802.11g network that the network would reduce the speed of all the devices on the network to 802.11b although a couple of them could operate at g speeds. Is this the same way with N? I notice a slow down with basic websites to my mac book pro which is an N device to my Linksys WRT350N although my iPhone is g and same thing with my wii? So is it still that if you connect a G device to an N network that the whole network slows down to G speeds?

07-08-2008, 07:53 AM	#2 (permalink)
johnwill Manager, Networking Forums Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: S.E. Pennsylvania, US Posts: 31,468 OS: XP-Pro, Vista, Linux Blog Entries: 1	Re: N-Router Spec Yes, while the latest 802.11n draft specification seems to indicate that mixing devices on an 802.11n network won't necessary slow everything down, in practice that seems to be what actually happens. In addition, since the bandwidth is shared on a contention basis, anytime the slower device is actually send/receiving data, obviously the faster device is waiting for the link. __________________ If TSF has helped you, Tell us about it! or Donate to help keep the site up! Microsoft MVP - Windows Desktop Experience