dual band? 1

[ade099]

hey guys..
i was wondering if anyone out there could use plain ol english to explain what "dual band" means in terms of routers and adapters. what would be compatible with what.. and what wouldnt be. a/b/g etc etc.

tanks!
-a

 

[micker377]

It means you can use both, say, b and g. You need the manufacturers info to know which bands are supported. However (I think), if you have, say, b and g, the whole system will operate at the lower speed (b).

 

[ade099]

when you say "use both b and g"..you mean it'll combine both speeds? sorta like how the old two-jack modems worked? so it's not like how g is backwards compatible with b..but more like it'll use the g band ALONG with the b band? and if that's the case, will i need to get a dual band router as well as dual band cards/adapters? .. and if i get just a dual band router, will my normal "single band" card/adapters still work (if i didnt wanna replace all of them)? my hardwired computers will still connect at the same speed though right?

 

[micker377]

It won't combine them, like I said "all units will run at the slower speed". Wireless and wired have no inter-connection with each other.

 

[G0AOZ]

If ADE099 is indeed referring to wireless devices, then 802.11b and 802.11g both use the same band, i.e. 2.4GHz. In standard form "b" devices run upto 11Mbps, and "g" devices are capable of upto 54Mbps.

Devices designated 802.11a run on a different band, i.e. 5GHz.

ROGER

 

[ade099]

ahhh. ok i guess i was totally using the wrong terminology. dualband routers support 2.4GHz (b/g) as well as 5GHz (a) devices. gotcha. so if i picked one up, i can still keep all my current b and g devices and they'd work just like normal..the router wont enhance their performance, right? it's just for compatibility's sake?

 

[G0AOZ]

Exactly right. Say a model T Ford has a top speed of 50mph on a single track road - it won't go any faster if you take it on a 6-lane highway...

ROGER.

 

[micker377]

Thanks G0AOZ. Been repairing computers for years, but just getting my feet wet in wireless.

 

[ade099]

hey G0AOZ
what prompted my curiosity and started this whole topic was that i came across this product description .. or one similar to it

http://www.netgear.com/products/details/WAG511.php?view=

in the "high speed" section, it says "..at speeds of up to 108 Mbps in turbo mode.." would you explain what that turbo mode is exactly or should i just email netgear and wait a trillion years for a response which by the time i get it, the internet will be a thing of the past?

 

[micker377]

Just read last night about a new wireless router that (supposedly) runs "b" with no slowdown on "g". No price given!

 

[ade099]

hey micker,
you're saying that my g router..if i'm using a g card on one computer..and a b card on a different computer, and both computers are on (or does that make a difference), the speed of my g card will be restricted to b's speed?

 

[micker377]

If the router is connected (air) to both cards, it will run at the "b" speed. If the "b" is not seen by the router, it will run at "g" speed. From what I've read, most offices use the "g" connections and only turn on the "b" units when necessary.

 

[G0AOZ]

ADE099, my knowledge on the subject doesn't allow me to give you a technical description of turbo mode. However, as I understand it this is a technique for speeding up data transmission betweem WiFi devices. It will be specific to a manufacturer and possibly a particular model number. In other words a Netgear device won't run at turbo mode when talking to a Linksys piece of equipment - only to another Netgear device. The turbo mode is not part of the 802.11 standard as far as I'm aware.

ROGER.

 

[ade099]

hmmm..alrightie. thanks guys for all your input