Wireless Networking Question

[Eaglesfan27]

I wasn't able to find the 802.11b signal booster anywhere. I did find an official Xbox wireless adapter which looks like it has a better antenna than my other adapter so that might help my X-Box gaming problems.

However, I notice this receiver is 802.11g compatible as well as being 802.11b compatible.

My question: Does anyone know if 802.11g routers automatically have better range as well as better speed compared to 802.11b routers?

If so, I might just upgrade for the better speed and more importantly better signal strength downstairs.

[Leonidas]

To my knowledge range has nothing to do with it. It's all in the bandwidth. I did a lot of research before buying mine (BTW which broke just after three months, right after the waranty went out) and I saw nothing indicating any one brand or type had better range than the other. I think they all use basically the same antenna with roughly the same power gain.

[Subby]

802.11g

An IEEE wireless local area
network (WLAN) standard protocol, expected to be approved
in June 2003. 802.11g offers wireless transmission over
relatively short distances at up to 54 megabits per second
(Mbps).

802.11g operates in the 2.4 GHz range and is thus compatible
with 802.11b (11 Mbps Wi-Fi).

(2004-01-11)

Source: The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing, © 1993-2004 Denis Howe

[Eaglesfan27]

I just read a good article at Tom's Hardware website that indicates that 802.11g will have better speed with more bandwidth but not significantly better range. It depends on the various products.

So, I guess I need to find that signal relay booster that I saw at Bestbuy before (but is no longer there) as upgrading to 802.11g will not help my signal strength problems (which is ranging from good to poor right now.)

[Draft Dodger]

the 802.11g signals generally have LESS range - I believe about a third of the b signal on average, if I'm remembering correctly. whether this is true or not, you aren't going to get MORE range, that's for sure.

there's 2 reason's you'd buy a G router -
1) you have a g card, and can take advantage of the better bandwidth (wont really help on broadband connection, but will help for file sharing over your home network).
2) G routers usually can be found for about the same price as B routers. you don't gain anything if you just have a B card, but you also don't lose anything going with G for the same price.

[Eaglesfan27]

Linksys has an 802.11g network extender (WRE54G) which grabs an 802.11b or 802.11g signal, repeats it and sends the data along thereby greatly increasing signal range (at the cost of some speed as it has to repeat every bit of data.) My question now is: Has anyone ever used one of these, and do you know/think that they it would be compatible with a microsoft 802.11b router (MN-500)?

If so, I might order one of these directly from linksys (as I couldn't find at BestBuy, Comp USA, Radio Shack, or Office Max tonight.)

[Eaglesfan27]

Dola -

With the official X-Box adapter, my X-Box is working better and actually recognizes my wireless network officially now. I played before without it ever recognizing my wireless network. That is the good news.

The bad news is that the game gave me an official warning about my signal strength and it gave tips for improving it. Nothing I've done has improved it and I actually changed it from Low to Very Low and even made it disconnect. I've gotten the X-Box signal back to low, but that is as high as I can get it. So, I don't want to have laggy games when I play you all on X-Box live, so I have a few options:

1) Try this Linksys repeater system (WRE54G) and see if it is compatible with my microsoft router.

2) Does microsoft make a bridging network with a repeater function that I could use to receive the signal from my original router and have it repeat the signal downstairs? If so this would be an option.

3) The least desirable option would be to move the X-Box upstairs near the computer. This would involve buying a TV for it as well as giving up the ability to play games late at night when my wife is sleeping (the computer room is right next to our master bedroom and the sound of the game would be too disturbing for either of us to play while the other was sleeping.)

Anyone have any comments on any of the these options, or have another option to suggest?

[Draft Dodger]

I can't imagine why the repeater wouldn't be compatible. that's the route I'd go.

[Eaglesfan27]

I've been reading reviews of the repeater (but I haven't been able to find many at all) and people either hate it or love it. All of the reviews seem to be of people using other Linksys products, but the product spec info suggests that it would be compatible with any 802.11b or g network. Some people say it is very hard to set up and it doesn't allow you to have WEP enabled, and others say you just have to disable WEP while setting it up and then it works fine and you can reenable WEP after you install it. The positive reviews make it sound like it will fit my needs exactly. I guess I'll try to find it at a few other stores tomorrow (I'll call first) and ask them these questions and hopefully they will let me bring it back if it doesn't work.

[Eaglesfan27]

Well after reading many reviews, I'm convinced that this product only works with other Linksys products as many of the complaints are from non-link sys users, also the extender does not like working with many 802.11b routers even if they are Linksys routers. So now I have to decide if I want to "upgrade" to 802.11g which would entail buying the router and if I really want to enjoy the speed of it a new 802.11g receiver for my laptop as any 802.11b item on the network will slow the whole thing down due to the way compatibility is performed.

The only good news is that if I do this, the Linksys 802.11g router is officially supported and certified to work with X-Box Live according to the X-Box website.

[Eaglesfan27]

Double Dola - After reading some more on the web about this product, I've decided I'm going to take a chance on it. I found a Circuit City within a reasonable driving distance of me that has the specified router which is an 802.11g router that all of the positive reviews about the extender seem to be using. It is also one of two routers that is officially listed as being compatible with the device in a most recent update from Linksys. It is also officially listed as being compatible with X-Box Live.

The circuit city has the router, the card for my laptop (from reading Linksys doesn't seem to play nice with microsoft laptop wireless receiving cards and I want an 802.11g card so as not to slow down the network if I'm going to be upgrading to a higher speed), and the extender (repeater). Wish me luck guys as this seems like it could be a pain, but hopefully I will be able to follow instructions and not hit any major technical glitches in the installation process tomorrow. Hopefully, I'll have everything working and be able to play some ESPN Football against you all this weekend

If this works, I will be offering my old Microsoft router (MN - 500) and my laptop wireless card to a friend. If he doesn't want it, I'd be willing to sell it to someone on here cheap.

[Eaglesfan27]

Well after a lot of hours working on this (and dealing with two truly incompetent techs and one decent one), I have a brand new Linksys network up including the extender which is right near my X-Box. Therefore, my X-Box is now getting an excellent or very good signal at all times (I assume it drops to very good when the extender has a little trouble picking up the signal) Furthermore, with the 802.11g network, I'm consistently getting a speed that is reported by my Xbox as being 54 Mbps. Needless to say, I'm no longer getting the weak/slow connection signal when I connect and I'm now connecting to X-Box Live with ease and staying connected with ease.

In any case, I now have a spare Microsoft MN 500 - 802.11b wireless router that I don't need. I also have a Microsoft (MN 520?) wireless 802.11 notebook adapter for hooking up a laptop to the network which I don't need as I upgraded to the 802.11g wireless receiver from Linksys. If anyone on here wants them cheap, let me know via PM or a message in this thread.