A very common question on the community is - should I upgrade my router to Wireless-N? Should I buy Wireless-N, or just stick with Wireless-G to save some much needed cash? Depending on your computing behaviors and what you are using your network for, Wireless-N can be a great solution. Let's get a quick overview of Wireless N and G to see which one might work best for you.
802.11g - or Wireless-G
Wireless-G was released in June 2003 and operates on the 2.4 GHz band. It's backwards compatible with Wireless-B (802.11b) hardware.
Specifications of Wireless-G
- Throughput: 19 megabits per second
- Gross bit rate (Maximum): 128 megabits per second
- Net bit rate (Maximum): 54 megabits per second
- Indoor range (Maximum): up to 100 meters
Advantages of Wireless-G Routers
- Less expensive than Wireless-N
- Most existing products ship with Wireless-G already installed
- about 3 times the range of Wireless-B
- about 4 times the throughput of Wireless-B
Disadvantages of Wireless-G Routers
- Limited range
- Suffers interference from other devices on the 2.4 GHz band such as microwaves and baby monitors
Buy Wireless-G NETGEAR Routers At The Community Store
802.11n - or Wireless-N
Wireless-N is currently in "draft" status and is expected to be finalized later this year, possibly in December 2009. The throughput is technically "unreleased," but is well beyond what can be provided by Wireless-G. The net bit rate is about 12 times that of Wireless-G. Wireless-N is able to do this via a new structure called MIMO (meaning multiple-in, multiple-out) along with other new advancements.
Specifications of Wireless-N
- Operates in both 2.4 GHz and 5.0 GHz bands
- Net bit rate (Maximum): 600 megabits per second
- Indoor range (maximum): Up to 300 meters
Advantages of Wireless-N Routers
- Significantly more range and speed over Wireless-G
- Can operate in 5.0 GHz band, reducing interference
- More efficiently stream large amounts of data such as HD video or online game data
Disadvantages of Wireless-N Routers
- More expensive
- Many existing devices do not have Wireless-N built in, making an extra adapter necessary for taking advantage of the new standard
I thought wireless N router is better than wireless G as it is backward compatible to wireless G and B router but wireless N router are very expensive it is 2 to 3 times more costlier than wireless G router.
phone systems new york