Will Mac Mini's g networking slow down AEBS N Netw

aubreylaubreyl
Posted:
in Current Mac Hardware edited January 2014
I have one of the newer Airport Extreme Base Station's with the Gigabit ethernet and 'n' networking with all updates applied. I'm interested in getting one of the newer Mac Mini's but know they only go up to 'g' networking. Is that true? If so, will it slow down my n network or is that something that was just true with the original base station without the updated n specs?

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 7
    dudditsduddits Posts: 260member
    I've heard people answer this on both sides: yes it will, no it won't. And both sides have been very sure of their answer.



    I too would be interested if anyone really really knows the answer to this.
  • Reply 2 of 7
    vineavinea Posts: 5,585member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Duddits View Post


    I've heard people answer this on both sides: yes it will, no it won't. And both sides have been very sure of their answer.



    I too would be interested if anyone really really knows the answer to this.



    Dunno but if it does:



    http://www.quickertek.com/products/8...grade_mini.php



    A bit pricey at $180.
  • Reply 3 of 7
    carniphagecarniphage Posts: 1,984member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by AubreyL View Post


    I have one of the newer Airport Extreme Base Station's with the Gigabit ethernet and 'n' networking with all updates applied. I'm interested in getting one of the newer Mac Mini's but know they only go up to 'g' networking. Is that true? If so, will it slow down my n network or is that something that was just true with the original base station without the updated n specs?



    The Airport Extreme 802.11n has two radio modes. A 5GHz mode which supports the very fastest speeds, and a 2.4GHz mode which half as fast but is backwards compatible with 802.11g.



    When an 802.11g device is actually the wireless network, the speed of all traffic is slowed to 802.11g speeds.



    If you want to mix 802.11g and 802.11n devices - the best way is a dual band network using two base stations. One in 5GHz 802.11n and one for 802.11g.



    C.
  • Reply 4 of 7
    kingofsomewherehotkingofsomewherehot Posts: 4,180member
    If the "g" computer is using the network, then the entire network slows to "g" (because the AEBS has to run at that speed.) The ethernet stuff will still run at GB speeds, of course, if you have computers wired to it.



    I haven't tried this... but... could you set the AEBS to renew DHCP leases rather frequently... that way, if the Mini was idle, it would get kicked off the network and the network could boost back up to "n" speeds. (until the Mini tried to get on the network again, at which point it would slow to "g" again.)
  • Reply 5 of 7
    aubreylaubreyl Posts: 27member
    Is this expected to be true long term? I know when I got into wi-fi years ago g was kind of new. When you are on a g network and using a computer that doesn't support g does it slow everything down to the slower networking or is this just something that happens with n. Is this expected to be long term or just in the early pre-n networking? For now I may just end up running a ethernet cable when I get a mac mini to avoid this problem.
  • Reply 6 of 7
    vineavinea Posts: 5,585member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Carniphage View Post


    The Airport Extreme 802.11n has two radio modes. A 5GHz mode which supports the very fastest speeds, and a 2.4GHz mode which half as fast but is backwards compatible with 802.11g.



    When an 802.11g device is actually the wireless network, the speed of all traffic is slowed to 802.11g speeds.



    If you want to mix 802.11g and 802.11n devices - the best way is a dual band network using two base stations. One in 5GHz 802.11n and one for 802.11g.



    C.



    I thought the AEBS was one of the few that would bond both 5Ghz and 2.4Ghz? In any case a G router is pretty cheap and you can simply attach it to the AEBS. If the AEBS stays in the 5Ghz range then it wont interfere with the g.
  • Reply 7 of 7
    kingofsomewherehotkingofsomewherehot Posts: 4,180member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by AubreyL View Post


    Is this expected to be true long term? I know when I got into wi-fi years ago g was kind of new. When you are on a g network and using a computer that doesn't support g does it slow everything down to the slower networking or is this just something that happens with n. Is this expected to be long term or just in the early pre-n networking? For now I may just end up running a ethernet cable when I get a mac mini to avoid this problem.



    yes... same thing happens to a "g" network when a "b" device gets on it.

    The only way around it would be if your Base Station (apple or any other) had TWO radios in it ... effectively it would be two different wireless routers in one box.

    The workaround of plugging a "g" router into one of the ethernet ports on the AEBS is another work-around (then restrict the AEBS to run as an "n" network only.) ... again, you end up running two different wireless networks.
Sign In or Register to comment.