Wireless card...

So what exactly is special about the next gen??? I have a Vostro 1400 configured right now that comes standard with the next gen card and I'm wondering what is so good about it????

 

12x the speed, 2x the range

 

As of now...the next gen wireless card isn't that great because all of the specs of the "next gen" are still being worked out. If you plan on just using a wireless card for internet, then the regular abg card would be fine. If you plan on moving large amounts of data over a network, then i would get the wireless n and just wait until the actual specs are determined.

 

12x.... No way!!! I've heard 5x faster but certainly not 12. Are you certain??? I don't mind paying the extra money.... I'm making an investment into this laptop and I want to be satisfied with it in a few years.

 

compared with IEEE 802.11b
neg gen is 248 Mbit/s
standard g is 54 Mbit/s
standard b is 11Mbit/s

 

It's all hype...

I have a wireless N router, and I'm waiting for my Inspiron 1520.

248 Mbit/s...yeah, maybe...on YOUR network, between computers.

 

so which one would you guys recommend?

 

It all depends on your needs.

Even though Draft N isn't in its final specs, I still like it, and I would recommend it.

 

In order for it to work at that speed--or even close to it--do you have to be using a wireless N router?? I have an old 802.11b that I use at my house, but I really won't be using my laptop at home. I leave for college in a few weeks and that is where I'll be using wireless for the most part. So would I benefit any with the next gen wireless card using the University's wireless network?

 

Unfortunately not. The technology has to be at both ends to see the theoretical throughput of any given technology (a, b, g or N)

 

It really depends on how fast their internet is.

You can use an N router with a,b, or g. The problem is, you will not get the advertised speed because both the wireless card and the router have to be Draft N.

 

And you're N wireless card will still work with the more public B/G networks that you're likely to see at coffee shops, bookstores, and the university wifi.

It's worth the money if you plan to keep it beyond 2 years because N will become more standard over time. I'd go for it personally.

Keep in mind that a DSL router isn't sending out but what? 10mbps at best, and even that is high for a DSL. Even with the new Verizon FIOS (fiber optics), you'll never have above 50mbps. Don't get me wrong, that's outstanding speed, but the 200mbps etc that you see is more data transfer within a network rather than the Internet because we simply don't have that sort of infrastructure in place. Even FIOS is very limited still as they are laying wires in certain states, mainly highly populated, wealthier areas first.

 

You're right. I'm going to keep it just because N is going to eventually replace the b/g.

 

depends on your financial resources...I would skip one night of beer drinking and plunk down the $50 upgrade for the Wireless N personally. The increased range will be actualized regardless of the AP not being wireless N, and if by chance it is, the increased speed of DL will be a nice bonus. And if your a dude, you wont have to worry about other dudes having a better WLAN that you

 

Is it possible/easy to replace an a/g card with a wireless n card?

 

Everyone keeps talking about Wireless-N not being needed because no one has Internet that fast so it doesn't matter...that isn't true. Some people have needs for super fast LAN speeds for file transfers and stuff, but still that's very little.

Now what does almost everyone want? Increased range! Wireless-N increases your wireless range by 2 to 2.5 times. So while there are of course some people who don't want this, they're many who do...now some conditions apply, and you'd need to be operating in a Wireless-N only network and stuff like that - but that's something many people forget about

 

Key to wireless-n is MIMO, multiple in, and multiple out receiver/transmitters. There are some MIMO g routers/cards out there, but it's the core technology of n. Also the spec (not yet standardized, eta Sept.) spec's using frequencies in both 2.4Ghz and 5.8Ghz, which prompted cordless phones to put out DECT 6.0 which uses a 1.9Ghz frequency. Most of the n routers seem to just use 2.4Ghz.

N uses spatial multiplexing to essentially set up multiple links between your card and router to improve throughput to a theoretical 248Mbps.

Why would you need that? Well why would you need a PC that can get 120fps in a game? You need it for possible instability. More margin.
Once they ratify the n standard it should just take a firmware/driver update to your card to get it to work, and yes, you'll need an n router to use it.

 

I don't understand why people wouldn't get it. It's like not getting 2GB of RAM... It just doesn't make sense.

I got the N card and N router and it works NICE! I'm downloading at 900+ Kbps where on my wired connection I get 1000 Kbps.

Pretty darn good for wireless.

 

Does this increased range affect all existing routers too? So basically your card is overall 'stronger' and can reach farther to other a/b/g routers? Sorry if this is a repeat question...I'm just trying to make sure with a definitive 'yes'