4965, 5100, 5300, etc 802.11 (barely used)a/(maybe)b/(usually)g/(Pre-Draft/Draft)n... WHAT'S the difference????

Hello everyone. I have a quick question... I have been looking around for laptops for college for the last few weeks, and I've noticed the different types of Wireless Network Cards one can get. I'm wondering what is the difference between the 4965, 5100, and 5300 network cards, and will it make a significant difference in the long run? Thanks in advance.

 

5300 is the newest card so you will be set for the future. 5300 is the fastest, 480Mbps . There is a good comparison between 5100 and 5300 at the Intel web site.

Most notebooks now are coming with either the 5100 or 5300 anyway.

 

I ran across a post in the Sager/Clevo forum (that I just cannot find right now, sorry ) that suggested that the 5100 card might not perform as well as the 4965 because the 5100 only had two antenna wires, not three, like the 4965 - anyone know if that's true or not?

 

I think I saw an article on Anandtech, stating the 5300 had 6 antennas,
the 5100 had 3 antennas, and the 4965 had 5 antennas. To make matters
even more confusing, though, I read a post by someone who replaced a
4965 card and he said it had 3 antennas, not 5.

Rob

 

A veritable plethora of antennae!

​

 

Here's the deal on the antennas:

4965 has 3 wires that allow 2 to TX all 3 to RX hence the "5 antennas".
5100 has 2 wires that both allow TX and RX for a total of "4 antennas".
5300 has 3 wires and all 3 allow TX and RX for a total of "6 antennas".

 

Thanks for clearing that up!

 

I disagree, the 4965 has 3 antennas only. In two antennas it has a Tx/Rx, and one antenna with one Rx attached.

Most likely one antenna is for 2.4GHz, the other for the 5GHz and the third an RX diversity antenna.

 

AnandTech says different: http://www.anandtech.com/cpuchipsets/intel/showdoc.aspx?i=3356&p=6

they are a really good site so I would think there information to be fairly correct.

 

I think that is very poorly worded. In this type of things I always go to the source, and the Intel web site says that the 4965AGN adapter has 3 antennas, the same amount of contacts.

 

I think that is very poorly worded at AnanTech.

In this type of things I always go to the source, and the Intel web site says that the 4965AGN adapter has 3 antennas, the same amount of contacts.

http://www.intel.com/network/connectivity/products/wireless/wireless_n/overview.htm

http://www.intel.com/network/connectivity/resources/doc_library/tech_brief/316286.pdf


Up to 2X greater range2
MIMO, diversity, and three-antennae support enable better wireless
reception for greater bandwidth at farther distances.

 

Hmm intel has very generalized stuff on there main product pages, we would have to get the pdf for the specs to really know then.

 

I'll try to send an email to them to know for sure, but it seems to me that if you have 3 connectors then 3 antennas. We actually have 3 wires acting as antennas connected to these 3 connectors. If we had 5 antennas, then somewhere you should have 2 extra runs of wires.

 

My take on it is that only 2 of the 3 can receive or something like that. Each antenna has a double duty, send data and receive data.

if it can only do one of the two then it counts for 1 antenna and if it does both they count it as two.

 

What I have said is; one TX/Rx in antenna one, another Tx/Rx in antenna 2, and one Rx in antenna 3.

Tx: Transmitter
Rx: Receiver


Now, the antenna size matters, for 2.4GHz you need a longer antenna than for 5GHz. Also, Tx/Rx (transceivers) are frequency band dependent, so one Tx/Rx for 2.4GHz operation, another Tx/Rx for 5GHz, and the third antenna is used to extend the range for either one band.

 

Wirelessman, I think you're a little too knowledgeable to be hanging around in these forums giving it away for free!

 

You also give your network knowledge away for free, that's why we are happy people

But since you brought this up, do you know another forum with wireless network subject requiring more knowledge? It would be good for me so I can continue learning.

 

dslreports.com / broadbandreports.com many super techs there that all they do is internet & network stuff.

 

Thank you, I'll check it out, although I like NBR.

BTW, you have an interesting avatar

 

You are correct. 2 can transmit and receive. The third, receive only.

 

so if i wanted to switch from my 4965 to a 5300 i would need to get two more antennas and find room for them in my lcd case? or is that gross oversimplification?

 

i have the 4965 is it worth the upgrade to the 5300? i have linksys wrt-600 dual band router which i run on dual (have many G devices) also other question is how hard is the upgrade is it as easy as just changing card and plugging in wires?

 

If you want to run 11n use the i4965 in A band (5Ghz) as the i4965 doesn't do 11n in 2.4Ghz.
You get 270Mbps in a nice and quiet environment seeing you are running your router in dual mode anyway may as well use 11a

 

You would need just one more antenna as you should already have 2 with the i4965.
Antenna's are sold here
2 lengths depending on where you want to end up with it.

I just shoved my extra antenna one over the top (under bezel) of the keyboard.
Often there is spare room in the lid hinge as well depending on how the lids is made.

 

anyone have a how to lol?

 

When you open the WLAN cover, you try to follow the other antenna cables back or try to place the antenna somewhere around the keyboard
You may need to remove the keyboard which means in most cases removing the front bezel first (all fairly easy)

 

great thanks ill try it when i get my 5300 card