[STAT]

I'm very close to buying a new DVD iBook, but I'm a little unclear on some of the stuff I've heard about Apple updating AirPort to AirPort2.

I don't currently have a very great need for AirPort, but I've been thinking about getting it anyway just for fun. During the school year next year, I will be living in a dorm with cinder block (concrete) walls. It'd be really cool to be able to take my iBook down the hall or down to the lounge and surf the web, but due to the concrete walls, I don't know how well that'll work.

I've heard some talk about the new AirPort standard (802.11a) not only being faster, but also having extended range. Is this the case? If it is, what kinda range are we talking about? If I buy an iBook now and then in a few months Apple updates to AirPort2, will I be able to just buy the AirPort2 card and base station and be good to go, or would I have to have one of the iBooks equipped for AirPort2? I guess I just don't know how much of the basic iBook (like the logic board) is involved in AirPort use. All info is appreciated.

[BobVB]

There are multiple rumors out: the 802.11a is 5 times faster than the current b, but rumor is the range could actually be decreased. An other rumor says for just that reason they may be going with the 802.11g which is only twice as fast but has the same range.

Either way, the AirPort card is just a PCMIA card with a proprietary connector. According to the iBook developers note it just plugs into one of the busses and there doesn't seem to be much of anything Airport card specific in the computer's design not counting the antennas.

Taking all this into account my guess is that unless Apple goes out of its way to be incompatible, it should just plug in and work in any Mac. But then, that's just my opinion.

[spicyjeff]

Don't let rumors that have been floating around sub-par website influence your computer purchase. Just my 2¢.

That being said. the Airport card contains all the 802.11 hardware so you' just have to upgrade the Airport card to take advantages of any new Airport based on a newer 802.11 spec.