Wireless N

jamieh

Hey all,

I'm thinking about buying a Linksys Wirleless N router.

http://www.linksys.com/servlet/Satellite?c=L_Promotion_C1&childpagename=US%2FLayout&cid=1144275926522&pagename=Linksys%2FCommon%2FVisitorWrapper

It sounds pretty good and it costs around the €220 mark. I'm just wondering do I have to buy more new hardware to get the wireless n technology to work? I have two Centrino laptops that I use on my exisiting B/G wireless network.

Also, if I decided to buy the router and not to buy any additional hardware would I get the same coverage out of this router than I would with any other router or would the coverage be better?

irlrobins

If you don't have N wireless adapters/cards then it will only function as a g type router. As for coverage,how long is a piece of string?. You could have two g type routers and one will reach further than the other. Depends on how good the device is, firmware etc.

Personally I think you'll be wasting your money. It's draft N, so sometimes it's a bit hit and miss. Most of the reviews of N type equipment that I've read weren't all that favourable. Stick with what you have now, and upgrade to N when it's a bit more stable.

RangeR

Agreed with IrlRobins. Hang out for 6 to 12 months if you can. It is still in draft phase and things could change that you make equipment sold today, incompatible with the full standard.

I also read an article yersterday that the Wireless Alliance are ready to endorse certain products early next year. The IEEE is not ready to give their stamp of approvable for another year or so after that. WA is not willing to wait. Might not be a major problem because most companies will buy their gear once it was the WA logo on it. This WA pre-standard stamp of approval might just become the standard by default.

generalmiaow

I agree with the above posters. I'm not buying another wireless router until this tangle of aerials sorts itself out into one standard! Looking at maplin's page of wireless routers right now, it's full of insane looking things with 5 aerials, none of which are probably interoperable. If you bought one of these non-standard routers and the various client adapters now they might not be so useful in the future.