Wireless "G" with Speedbooster -worth the investment? (1 Viewer)

[Stephen Orr]

My wife and I are in the process of expanding our home office to take advantage of our son's recently vacated room (he's gone to college for the next 3 1/2 years out of state.) We had a wireless "B" network for a few months so my son could use his laptop downstairs. Our two desktops have been always been wired. When my son left, I let him take the wireless router.

Now, I am moving my station/A/V desktop into his room, and we've decided to go completely wireless, with plans to put a third computer downstairs. We see that Linksys has a wireless "G" system with Speedbooster. Can someone tell me what the advantage of Speedbooster is? or is it something that I really don't need?

 

[Chris]

Do you share a lot of files between the two computers? Printers? If so, the extra range of signal and performance of G will make a difference.

If you're using it just for the internet, odds are you won't notice, as your internet provider isn't offering you a signal faster then the 11Mbp that your wireless router offers now.

The biggest advantage to G routers is the better range, and in some cases, additional features. If you're buying a router new at this point, and you're going all wireless, you are better off going all G. But as far as the "Super" G stuff, the benefits are mostly a matter of "gimick" rather then tested reality as far as anyone who has put them to the longterm test goes.

I used to be negative on Linksys, but since Cisco has bought them, their firmware has become much stronger, and much more 'tweakable'.

 

[Tony Kwong]

the only "Advanced 802.11G" I'd go for is the Linksys Speedbooster. All the others ones have too much problems and take up the whole 802.11 spectrum interfering with all the other routers I have in my neighborhood.

 

[Stephen Orr]

Actually, we would also use the network for streaming programs recorded from our Haugpauge card and BeyondTV to the downstairs computer and eventually a PC/TV monitor.

 

[Bob Graz]

I have "G" wireless and it certainly is better for network file sharing. I've never seen a reported increase in range however for "G" vs "B". Range wise they are the same. "A" is substantially smaller range.