How much better is the WIFI range?

[iBookG4user]

Right now I have a Rev A MacBook Pro and I'm going to be getting a Rev C MacBook Pro this week hopefully. I was wondering how much better the WIFI range is on the new one, since mine is only G and the new one is N. Right now I'm getting absolutely abysmal performance, The router is about 50 feet away as the crow flies and I am only getting 1-2 bars most of the time. How much better will the new MacBook Pro's WIFI be?

 

[samh004]

I have a Mac mini "G" and my mum got a MacBook "N" the other day. Sitting both right next to each other, on the second floor of the house, about 10m diagonally away from the base station, both computers get full signal.

I am using a new base station with "N", operating in "B/G/N". However I am reminded that "N" isn't utilized if there is another computer on the network using "B/G".

Also note that I am in Hong Kong, so all the walls and ceilings are made out of solid concrete. I don't know how thick it is.

 

[daneoni]

......However I am reminded that "N" isn't utilized if there is another computer on the network using "B/G".......

Really, i tought N was being used when G devices are connected but is throttled down. Because in Network Info, it still says link speed is 144mb/s which is bigger than G but low end N

 

[iBookG4user]

If it makes a difference, I'm using a wireless G router.

 

[4np]

Really, i tought N was being used when G devices are connected but is throttled down. Because in Network Info, it still says link speed is 144mb/s which is bigger than G but low end N

A wireless access point will always scale down to the 'lowest' device on the network, unless configure the AP to only allow -for example- 802.11n devices.

So, if you use a 802.11b device on a 802.11b/g router the 802.11b/gg router will scale down to 802.11b. If you use a 802.11b or 802.11g device on a 802.11n router the router will scale down to 802.11b or 802.11g (whatever the lowest device is).

This means that if you're getting an iPhone and you use it frequently on your 802.11n network at home you will actually 'have' a 802.11g network. The iPhone will limit the actual speed of the network because it only supports 802.11b/g and hence your Airport Exreme will downscale to 802.11g...