marks for streaming audio and video, head-to-head gaming, and transfer-
ring large files between computers on the same network.
You can also go for 802.11g "enhanced." This is sometimes called pre-n,
enhanced g, and by proprietary names such as SpeedBooster, Super G,
Xtreme G, and so on. It isn't a standard in its own right; rather, it's a vari-
ation of the 802.11g standard.
· Theoretical maximum advertised speeds up to 108 Mbps.
· Most often found in home networks.
· Generally compatible with the 802.11b and g standards, although
it's not ideal for use in mixed-standard environments (the enhanced
abilities are usually lost).
If a hotspot uses, say, an access point conforming to 802.11g, but
client computers that conform to 802.11b, g, or even "enhanced g"
can still connect to it, it's a mixed-standard environment.
· It's best-suited for use in integrated "enhanced-g" networks. It's
overkill for a basic Internet connection, but it shines at handling
streaming audio and video, gaming, and huge file transfers.
Connecting 802.11b and g devices in the same network won't adversely affect
the speed of b-standard devices, but it will slow down the general perfor-
mance of the g-standard devices.
The difference in price between 802.11b- and 802.11g-standard equipment is
negligible. The use and popularity of the 802.11g standard is also beginning to
eclipse the older 802.11b standard. For these reasons -- and because it offers
faster speeds in certain situations -- 802.11g seems to be dominating in avail-
ability, compatibility, and utility.
802.11n: Looking to the future
This yet-to-be-ratified standard specifies a data-transfer rate of 100 Mbps --
equaling that of the wired Ethernet networks businesses use today. It will be
backward-compatible with both b and g.
Ensuring Compliance and Compatibility
Technology isn't all innovation -- when you get to the marketplace, it's also
about consistent quality. You have to be able to trust it to do what it was
Chapter 2: Selecting a Standard
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