General Wi-Fi Questions

[JohnnyCarnage]

Hi
What is the fastest wireless speed available, generally speaking? That is if I were to visit my local Retail Computer Giant, what kinds of speeds will I find?
After researching it looks like 108/MBPS is where were at.
Realistically what can I expect in terms of usable throughput?
lastly what kind of distance does a normal wireless router/hub provide is it hundreds of feet, miles etc?
Thanks

 

[fs483]

Most wireless products on the current market is marked 802.11a/b/g and go about 54Mbps. Some manufacturers have proprietary protocols which boosts their speeds (Linksys has something called speed booster) I think. Now that looks great however, you must understand that your connexion to the Internet is generally limited to 10Mbps (that the port that connects to your modem). So even if you had 10Gbps wireless, you are still limited by your modem speed/router Wan port speed. The extra speed that you might notice is when you are transferring files inside your wireless/wired network. Now the speed also depends on numerous factors like number of wireless transmitters (cell towers, cell phones, cordless phones, airconditionning units, compressors, heavy motors) in the area which can dampen the signal. The encryption used can also affect it's speed. As for distance wise, again, many factors can affect it. The ones that I mentionned previously that affect the speed can also affect the distance. Walls, fixed objects, dense objects, concrete, steel I beams and other things can affect your coverage. To get the best signal, try to put your transmitter at the (router) on the higest point possible (stick it upside down on your ceiling or something), away from electromagnic sources (like speakers, CRT monitors, microwave). You can also get antennae boosters (never tried) or getting other transmitters to link up to your main transmitter to add extra coverage. You'll need to do a site survey by either walking around with a laptop equipped with a wireless NIC and see if you are able to receive a good solid signal. You may also buy wireless signal detectors that are the size of USB keys at Future Shop (a while ago) and see if you can get a good signal. Most large computer retailers allow you to return a product and get full refund if you are not satisfied with the product.

good luck
akwong