802.11b / 802.11g clarifications

[Rickyohead]

Is G really faster when it comes to Internet connection? Or just network data transfer speeds between devices? I can't remember, but I think my cable service is 3 mbps download, so is a 54mbps wireless router overkill?

For example, if I set up a wireless network at home through my cable modem connection, will a Wireless "G" router be faster than "B" for an internet connection with a pocket PC?

thanks a lot!

[popabawa]

I'm sure I'll be corrected pretty quickly if I'm wrong but a limiting factor will be that all the CF and SD cards for PPC are all 'B', thus you won't get any benefit (even in theory).

Practically, the speed your PPC can render web pages will be much slower than a 'B' network can chuck the data around anyway!

[dhettel]

My guess is unless you are paying over $100.00 per month for your internet service, or you have a large number of computers in your home network, or you are doing a lot of copying files from one computer to another, you'll never be able to see any difference in going from 802.11b to anything else.

Most DSL users are getting DSL at something less than 1Mbps, even those who are paying a premium are generally getting it at less than 2Mbps. Even cable users are not as a rule, are not getting much faster than this, and that is from the ISP to the subscriber. Real Internet access, where you move out into the world, is as a general rule slower than access to files stored on your ISP.

Effective throughput to a PDA is often half or less of the throughput to a PC. For what I think of as a normal user, who is checking his e-mail, and looking at different web pages on the internet, perhaps using messenger from time to time. I can't see him gaining anything by upgrading to a "G" connection. IMHO it would be a lot like putting tires rated at 300 mph on your family car.


David

[Rickyohead]

thank you both for your insight on this topic. it seems that there's lots of hype over wireless G routers now--and i guess they're just not practical for pocket PC use.....yet.

if anyone else has opinions on this, jump in.

[PoweriPaq]

The good for 54mbps would be if you were to transfer files from one network to network. Then it can transfer up to 54mbps, rather than the B version which is 10mbps I believe. But download speed is capped by your Internet provider, which is 1.5mbps for DSL and 3mbps? For Cable Modem.

[Eitel]

You guys are missing the most important point. 802.11G cards won't work with the Pocket PC's. The PPC's can only support 16bit cards, and the "G" cards are 32bit Cardbus.

[baker]

802.11g is supposed to be backwards compatible to 802.11b so the ppc on b should get there. I've read the g slows once a b gets on, but can't say if it's so.

[Rickyohead]

You guys are missing the most important point. 802.11G cards won't work with the Pocket PC's. The PPC's can only support 16bit cards, and the "G" cards are 32bit Cardbus.

what about the new devices with built in wifi? are those limited to 802.11b transfer speeds?

[dhettel]

You guys are missing the most important point. 802.11G cards won't work with the Pocket PC's. The PPC's can only support 16bit cards, and the "G" cards are 32bit Cardbus.

what about the new devices with built in wifi? are those limited to 802.11b transfer speeds?

Yes, in fact most seem to be less than true 802.11b speeds, at least when it comes to displaying web pages, and checking email.

[that_kid]

The only thing on my ppc that gets good speeds over wifi is sprite backup. I can get about 4.5Mb/s backing up to a network share but that's about it. Everything else seems to run much slower.

[[email protected]]

I cant remember where I read it, but I understand that the new"g" standard that was just adapted still uses 2.4ghz radio, so some cards might be upgradeable with a flash of the bios. perhaps some of the integrated wireless cards could be upgraded this way. the peron above is right about the 16bit cards vs the 32 bit cards. can't work that way.

[Mark_Venture]

Is G really faster when it comes to Internet connection? Or just network data transfer speeds between devices? I can't remember, but I think my cable service is 3 mbps download, so is a 54mbps wireless router overkill?

For example, if I set up a wireless network at home through my cable modem connection, will a Wireless "G" router be faster than "B" for an internet connection with a pocket PC?In short... For a Pocket PC, you can not use anything but 802.11b. The devices can't seem to transfer data fast enough.

Now for the long story on B vs G...

802.11b... Up to 11Mbps MAX and uses 2.4Ghz. Real word speeds average about 3-5Mbps max... speeds drop the further you are from the access point or as the signal weakens.

802.11G... Up to 54Mbps MAX and uses 2.4Ghz. Real word speeds in G only mode about 19-22Mbps, mixed mode with active B clients get about 15-18Mbps. Speeds drop the further you are from the access point, or as the signal weakens...

If these real world speeds seem kind of slow, keep in mind that B & G wireless are Half Duplex, not FULL Duplex like when using a wired ethernet switch.

B cards can be used with B access points or routers at B speeds. Or with G access points or routers at B speeds if the AP/Router is running in Mixed Mode.

G cards can be used with B access points or routers at B speeds, or with G access points or routers at G speeds.

For more info see... B vs G real world speed?? (http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,7393295~root=wlan~mode=flat) and/or wireless - 54mbs is never sustained or reached! + wrt54g (http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,7835833~root=equip,16~mode=flat)