High Powered Wireless Network for Audio

CW,

802.11g is fast enough (45Mb/s). Even 802.11b would be OK (11Mb/s) for internet since the best you'll get from DSL will be in 3Mb/s range. I noticed that my microwave frequency is identical to one of the router frequencies. When microwave is working - wireless doesn't. I moved to next channel and everything is fine now but moving to 5GHz range, as suggested by Ballan, is perhaps right move. Unfortunately my MACmini works only with G. PC is easier since you can change wireless card easily.

Hi Kij,

The 45 and 11 mbps numbers you mentioned for 802.11G and B are highly theoretical, and useful for advertising purposes only. In practice getting 1/3 of those numbers is doing well.

That is a common point of confusion, in part because many (or all?) computers, depending on the operating system, will misleadingly indicate G connections as being connected at 54 mbps (the theoretical maximum), and B connections as being connected at 11 mbps (also the theoretical maximum).

To get an idea of the real speed, either measure the time required to transfer a large file over the wireless link, or if you have a high speed cable connection to the internet compare internet speed test results (such as those provided at Speakeasy.net) from a wired computer with those you get from a computer that is wirelessly connected to the same router and cable modem.

Best regards,
-- Al

54 or 45 - Hey, 5 out of 4 of us are dyslectic. I agree that these numbers are theoretical but sustained 3Mb/s DSL speed is also not obtainable by perhaps most of the people.

Thanks for Speakeasy.net - my DSL shows 2.6Mb/s

CW,

I will make this recommendation since although the consensus to get a better router is a very good one; I will say your idea to switch from DSL to cable is a good one. When they come to your place to install the cable, make sure you are there and ask them before they do the install what are the minimum signal strength to OK your install. Cable gives you the opportunity to make sure of good signal. With any router, gunk in, gunk out.

To help answer the question of whether it's your wireless router or your internet service that's the problem you could use one of the bandwidth-test add-ons for the Firefox browser.

Trying it both with the computer wired directly to the router and wirelessly from your usual work location should show you if it's your wireless signal strength that's the problem.