wireless question

[MarcwithaC]

so im getting a new laptop in the mail pretty soon for school. While on break today i began to look around to where i can use the web and hang with my laptop all day between class in my college. To my surprise, there are absolutely no lan jacks to hook into, looks like the school is going wireless only(very cheap for a state school). My question is, i got an 802.11g card, how fast will the connection be? i never used one before, but figure my school has a kick ass connection, but how does it compaire? am i gonna be surfing on a 56k type speed or are we talking fast?

also whats the difference between a 802.11g and an 802.11b card?

late

[John Prophet]

802.g is faster and newer than 802.b.....802.g is also backwards compatible so you did the right thing by getting a "g" card.

I guess the school network speed might depend on the number of access points and users they have.

Hopefull it will be faster than 56k.

My worry would be security issues, lol.

JP

[MarcwithaC]

yea im not worried about security, i just wanna play half life and bf1942 while in class (i did say im going to a state school lol)................................

[John Prophet]

I would think about encryption as far as anything personal on the laptop, like your girlfriends "birthday" pics etc. Or the emails discussing the best ways to cheat on exams etc, hehe.

JP

[Contemplating]

802.11b at best goes at 11MBit/sec.
802.11g hits 54Mbits/sec.
(correct me if I'm wrong)

For a comparison, my cable modem can only transfer up to 10Mbit/sec through ethernet.

So I figure you'd have at least cable modem-like performance (assuming good reception and a good school connection)

My university is equiped with 802.11b and some insane net connection, most of the campus is wireless (cept residences and a couple arts buildings lol).

[GroundZero3]

Contemplating you are correct, but technically you will never hit those speeds

transfering large files over the wireless you will notice the speeds, but for playing games and surfing the web you shouldnt have any issues.

[VHockey86]

a pretty conservative, and unforunately often accurate estimate for wireless is about half ( or even 1/3 depending on distance) of the rated speed. But even still, for internet use it will scream right along.