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kupan787 · Feb 17, 2007, 01:26 PM

Ok, so we have 2 G5 towers, 1 Powerbook G4, and 1 PC laptop. I want to upgrade to 802.11n (airport extreme, if possible) and run in the 5GHz range, as there is way to much wireless signals in the 2.4GHz range, it causes lots of drops for us. So I need to know the best path to upgrade. I know I can't get airport products for any of my machines, I will need to get pci cards, usb dongles, or whatnot. I don't mind doing this, as long as they are compatible, and work in the 5ghz range.

Any suggestions on brands, or cards, please let me know.

kupan787 · Feb 21, 2007, 09:48 AM

Anyone?

At this point, I am just looking to install the 802.11n Airport along side my 802.11g Airport, and run a "dual mode" network (is there a proper term for this). But I want to get a 802.11n card for my G5 Tower (PCI, PCI-X, or USB), and I don't know what would be the most "compatible" and 5GHz ready. Any insight here would be appreciated.

ghporter · Feb 21, 2007, 04:14 PM

Draft N and "pre N" are still pretty nebulous. To my knowledge, ALL so-called N products are not only unstandardized but also proprietary, including Apple's. So your request is a tall order to fill. I do not know if there is a third-party card that you could put in your tower that would work at N speeds (or in the 5GHz spectrum) with the new AirPort base station.

Maybe someone else knows about the "right stuff" for your plan, but I sure don't.

kupan787 · Feb 21, 2007, 06:22 PM

Ya, and that is the bummer with this. Once it gets standardized, then it is (relatively) easy to just pick any vendor. But right now, interoperability isn't totally there (from everything i have read).

Do you know of any other 802.11n products that operate in the 5GHz range? We have so much 802.11g traffic at our apartment complex (15 APs in range of my G5), and it causes havoc with our network throughput. I just want to get in a frequency others are not in, so that I can get some clarity of signal, non-dropped packets, and realize the full potential of my comcast cable internet. At this point, since Apple doesn't want to support older customers (by putting out a USB or PCI 802.11n device), I don't really care what vendor I go with.

ghporter · Feb 21, 2007, 08:15 PM

Right now I'm just clued in enough to know that some vendors support more or less of the draft N standard, and not even if any other vendor than Apple supports the 5GHz range. Sorry.

mduell · Feb 21, 2007, 08:57 PM

The "pre-n" stuff is pretty much a proprietary crapshoot, but as far as I know most of the current "draft n" hardware is using the same draft and generally works together.

krove · Feb 21, 2007, 09:39 PM

I also heard that Wi-Fi alliance will be certifying "draft n" hardware this spring for interoperability, etc. When exactly, I have no idea.

kupan787 · Feb 22, 2007, 09:41 AM

Originally Posted by mduell

The "pre-n" stuff is pretty much a proprietary crapshoot, but as far as I know most of the current "draft n" hardware is using the same draft and generally works together.

I guess it is more googling then for me. I have tried to find as much info as I could about 802.11n and the 5GHz range, but can't seem to be able to tell if any other vendor supports it. Hardly any of the other 802.11n products list the frequency they operate at (either 2.4 or 5), so it is tough to tell. My guess is that in 2-4 months, the other "big players" will release 802.11n products on the latest draft, and supporting the 5GHz frequency.

I hate when I have a problem, I have money to spend, and I can only buy half the solution.

Apple could solve all of this by selling 802.11n PCI-X or USB devices for their older macs. What, do they expect me to go buy a Mac Pro to replace my G5 just to use airport extreme?

ghporter · Feb 22, 2007, 05:13 PM

Originally Posted by mduell

The "pre-n" stuff is pretty much a proprietary crapshoot, but as far as I know most of the current "draft n" hardware is using the same draft and generally works together.

That's true as far as it goes, but the vendors are free to implement whatever part of the draft they want to-and ignore parts they don't want to implement. I'm very leery of adopting "draft" anything because of this.

kupan787 · Feb 23, 2007, 06:44 PM

Something I was just thinking, but do any of the draft n wireless stuff even work with macs? I was looking on most of the boxes for the USB adapters and the PCI cards, and they "require" a Windows PC. Has anyone purchased any of the draft n or pre-n hardware, and does it work with macs?