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bigt0169 · Jan 30, 2007, 11:03 AM

Has anyone downloaded the new 802.11n enabler and if so what mac did you put it on?

Javizun · Jan 30, 2007, 12:05 PM

Just want to let you guys know that
this file is floating over the inetrent already if you know what i mean.
(if you search for it you will find it)

Also i installed it on a macbook pro and i dont see what the fuss is about
i have a draft n router and really dont see any diffrence.

Ohh well i got it for free.

solofx7 · Jan 30, 2007, 12:28 PM

i have looked everywhere and do not see it...

Simon · Jan 30, 2007, 12:35 PM

I'm anxious to hear if it helps people with C2Ds and AP problems like unexpected drop-outs, low speeds, bad range, etc.

solofx7 · Jan 30, 2007, 12:37 PM

Originally Posted by Javizun

Just want to let you guys know that
this file is floating over the inetrent already if you know what i mean.
(if you search for it you will find it)

Also i installed it on a macbook pro and i dont see what the fuss is about
i have a draft n router and really dont see any diffrence.

Ohh well i got it for free.

i love apple and will gladly pay for it, but where did you pick it up?

bigt0169 · Jan 30, 2007, 12:46 PM

Does anyone know for 100% certainty that this will not work on a MBP Intel Core Duo 2.0Ghz. Apple is saying that it won't but has anyone actually tried.

ChrisF · Jan 30, 2007, 12:58 PM

Originally Posted by bigt0169

Does anyone know for 100% certainty that this will not work on a MBP Intel Core Duo 2.0Ghz. Apple is saying that it won't but has anyone actually tried.

The hardware is not 802.11n capable.

macross · Jan 30, 2007, 01:40 PM

Is there even any benefit to "N" or "G" speeds for home use? Most home DSL/Cable and even FIOS doesn't even come close to using those speed, even "G". Not factoring in corporate networks/intranetwork use, esepcially for sending files. So what would be the benefit for home use when we aren't even offered such speeds anywhere close to that from almost all ISP?

Gossamer · Jan 30, 2007, 02:34 PM

Your biggest speed increases will be seen when doing computer-to-computer transfers. 802.11b is capable of 11mbps, and my super high speed connection is hitting about 7.8mbps right now (scratch that...another test just told me it's at 21.8mbps). But general home connections won't see too much of a difference. The advantage n has over g is better range (IIRC).

Dazed · Jan 30, 2007, 02:45 PM

So do all compatible macs sold from today come with this built in ? As i understood it, according to Apple, the fee was needed for some accounting practice for machines already sold. If that is the case then all new machines should have it built in or available as a free download ?

If Apple are still going to charge new customers the 1.99 then they should just admit its a cashgrab so we can all move on.

Macfreak7 · 05:38 PM

2.33 Ghz Core 2 duo Macbook Pro and i get the following error..
"You cannot install Airport Extreme 802.11n Enabler on this volume. This volume does not meet the requirements for this update."

Any ideas anyone?

:EDIT:

The reason why it was doing this is because i hadn't installed a recent security and airport update via software update.
Everything's .11n now.

tinkered · Jan 30, 2007, 09:44 PM

The other place you will notice the speed increase is when you are getting less than a full signal or have noise in your environment, like other wireless networks or cordless phones. Remember, the speed listed is the max theoretical. If you have nice top speed DSL or Cable connection and a b router, when you get to only a bar or two of reception, your DSL may be faster than your wireless network.

solofx7 · Jan 31, 2007, 12:26 AM

arrrghh cannot find and am not ready to pay for... yes i am that broke right now...

Simon · Jan 31, 2007, 05:13 AM

Originally Posted by macross

Is there even any benefit to "N" or "G" speeds for home use?

Heck yeah!

I get roughly 10 Mbps downstream from my ISP. My 802.11g AP network at home has never shown average throughput above 7 Mbps (many other wireless networks in my area, cordless phones, BT, etc.). Currently I'm getting almost twice as much throughput if I hook my MBP up to my cable modem through Ethernet than when using my AP network. So if 802.11n offers at least a 100% increase in actual throughput (I'm not going to buy into the 5x marketing BS) my ISP will again be the bottleneck rather than my wireless network. And IMHO that's the way it should be.

ghporter · Jan 31, 2007, 09:35 AM

Folks, this is only slightly specific to MacBook Pros (because of the specific experiences people have posted). I'm going to say this is really a networking issue and move the thread to Networking where more people can participate.

I notice rather specifically that, while several people have posted that "it's available on the Internet", nobody has even hinted at a file name or keyword to search for... Very interesting. I have one of the last Core Duo MBPs (three weeks before the C2D announcement), so this is all academic for me, but it's interesting that "something's out there" but people aren't naming it.

jersey · Jan 31, 2007, 12:19 PM

I grabbed it from Apple yesterday, but see no difference. I have a belkin Pre-N that should feed at 108, and an N card should also see 108....... but everything in netstat still shows 54. Hmpf.

Any clues?

MrN79 · Jan 31, 2007, 08:38 PM

If i recall, if your wireless network is not all "N" then it will only work as fast as the slowest (A/B/G) setting in your network.

Simon · Feb 1, 2007, 05:03 AM

Originally Posted by MrN79

If i recall, if your wireless network is not all "N" then it will only work as fast as the slowest (A/B/G) setting in your network.

Using non-n devices on an n network will reduce speed, but it's not like all devices will suddenly drop to b speeds.

That said, Apple has outlined how you can use an existing b or g base station together with the new AP Extreme n base station so that both run on the same network offering maximum speed to all clients. Basically you run the n station purely as an n device, attach the b/g station to the LAN port and run the n station in bridge mode. The b or g clients connect to the b/g station, the n clients connect to the n station. All devices run at their maximum speed and don't limit other (faster) clients.

ghporter · Feb 1, 2007, 09:28 AM

Originally Posted by jersey

I grabbed it from Apple yesterday, but see no difference. I have a belkin Pre-N that should feed at 108, and an N card should also see 108....... but everything in netstat still shows 54. Hmpf.

Any clues?

ALL "pre-N" and "draft-N" products are PROPRIETARY, at least to some extent, and Belkin's is definitely very proprietary. It CANNOT work with anything but other Belkin ("Pre-N") products. You will NEVER see one of these devices interoperate with standard-compliant equipment. Apple's new stuff is more likely to work "better" with other stuff than most other companies', but it's still proprietary.

jersey · Feb 1, 2007, 10:03 AM

After mesing with the router last night, I found that I cant turn it to "n" only .... it's always going to be n+g, which is too bad. However, the range is still unreal, and I'm usually plugged in anyway. The speed would have just been a nice little treat.

MrN79 · Feb 2, 2007, 03:31 AM

Originally Posted by Simon

Using non-n devices on an n network will reduce speed, but it's not like all devices will suddenly drop to b speeds.

That said, Apple has outlined how you can use an existing b or g base station together with the new AP Extreme n base station so that both run on the same network offering maximum speed to all clients. Basically you run the n station purely as an n device, attach the b/g station to the LAN port and run the n station in bridge mode. The b or g clients connect to the b/g station, the n clients connect to the n station. All devices run at their maximum speed and don't limit other (faster) clients.

What if you're only using the Extreme "N" with mixed A/B/G/N network what will the default protocol be?

I have the alien base station A/B/G and plan on using it only with my older macs, the newer mac gets the N all to itself

Simon · Feb 2, 2007, 04:43 AM

I'm not sure I really understand your question. But if you check pages 47-48 of the document I linked to you will see how to connect your old a/b/g base station to the new n base station and have both running on the same network and communicating with a/b/g/n clients at their maximum speeds.

ursus · Feb 2, 2007, 05:38 AM

Maybe I'm deluding myself, but I actually experience better range when I'm leeching wi-fi from my neighbours (just moved and haven't had broadband installed yet) after enabling 802.11n on my Blackbook.

MrN79 · Feb 3, 2007, 03:56 AM

Originally Posted by Simon

I'm not sure I really understand your question. But if you check pages 47-48 of the document I linked to you will see how to connect your old a/b/g base station to the new n base station and have both running on the same network and communicating with a/b/g/n clients at their maximum speeds.

If i'm only using the 802.11n base station, and i have a MBP C2D with "N" enabled i should get the benefit of the increased speed...yes?

But then my wifes MB CD joins in with "G", my MBP C2D that was running at "N" speeds will decrease to "G" speeds...yes? (But i'll be able to enjoy that speed decrease at a much longer range than previously encountered)

ghporter · Feb 3, 2007, 10:09 AM

Originally Posted by MrN79

If i'm only using the 802.11n base station, and i have a MBP C2D with "N" enabled i should get the benefit of the increased speed...yes?

But then my wifes MB CD joins in with "G", my MBP C2D that was running at "N" speeds will decrease to "G" speeds...yes? (But i'll be able to enjoy that speed decrease at a much longer range than previously encountered)

Question 1: yes, with only the MBP on the network, you'll run at the "N" speeds.

Question 2: when the MB joins the network, yes the WHOLE thing will drop to "G" speeds.

Question 3: the range extension is a product of the "N" radio system, so I don't think the range will still be as great as with an "all N" network. This particular answer is PURELY SPECULATION, but educated speculation.

MrN79 · Feb 3, 2007, 08:49 PM

Thanks for the info gh, i just wanted to clarify that. I've been reading questions in this forum where others aren't getting the results that they think they should be getting.

TailsToo · Feb 3, 2007, 11:52 PM

Worked fine on my Core2Duo 2.33 MacBook Pro today.

tinkered · Feb 5, 2007, 03:52 PM

Sorry, one more question about mixed speed networks. What happens when my pismo with b joins, does it all go to b speeds?

ghporter · Feb 5, 2007, 06:34 PM

Originally Posted by tinkered

Sorry, one more question about mixed speed networks. What happens when my pismo with b joins, does it all go to b speeds?

I'm unclear on that too, but it should just drop everything down to G speeds, or B if they only have B. As far as I can tell, it should be N if everything is N, G with mixed G and N, and G/B (depending on the client) with mixed B/G and N.

Cadaver · Feb 5, 2007, 11:44 PM

I'm not sure that the whole network drops to the speed of the slowest device, but it will slow somewhat. Using a B device and an N device on the same network wont make the whole thing drop to B speeds.

My daughter's PowerMac G4 Gigabit Ethernet machine with one of the original 802.11b cards doesn't drop my MacBook Pro's wireless file transfer speeds to 1.3MB/sec (11Mbit/s).

ghporter · Feb 6, 2007, 08:55 AM

In my post above, I had meant that, to my understanding of how things work, the overall network would drop to G speeds for G equipment and B equipment would get B speeds, not that the network would drop to the lowest speed.