Bits'n'Bytes

As heard on CJCD

Episode 42

If you're in the market for a wireless router, or you've just purchased a new laptop with wireless capabilities, you may be wondering what all the wireless a, wireless b and wireless g stuff is all about. Well, here's a quick rundown on them for you.

The wireless standards created by the IEEE, or Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers are standard 802.11. The original 802.11 allowed for a maximum throughput of 2Mb with not much range. The letters A, B and G were added to the original specification to indicate amendments to the first draft. Oddly enough, 802.11b, or wireless B was added before wireless A. Then came wireless G.

Wireless B is able to transmit at a maximum of 11Mb/s and has a range of up to 100 meters. Wireless A is able to transmit at a maximum of 54Mb/s and has a maximum range of only 50 meters. Wireless G also has a maximum transmission rate of 54Mb/s, but improves on the range of A - it's range is about 100 meters.

Wireless A has a much shorter range because it uses a 5GHz signal. That frequency is very high and is easily absorbed by surrounding walls or other obstacles. Because of this, to get maximum throughput with a wireless A system, the transmitter and receiver have to be pretty much in line of sight. If you can't see your transmitter with wireless A, chances are good you'll get no signal.

Wireless B and G use the 2.4GHz frequency band to transmit. This frequency doesn't get absorbed as easily as the 5GHz signal of wireless A, so it can transmit a little further. The problem with the 2.4GHz band is that a lot of home electronics use this band as well. Microwaves, Bluetooth devices portable phones all transmit on the 2.4GHz band, causing interference. So, if your wireless B or G network all of a sudden gets slow or disconnects check the microwave or get your teenager off the phone. It'll probably correct itself.

Watch next summer when the Wireless N standard is supposed to be finalized. Wireless N will supposedly deliver maximum speeds of 540Mb/s - ten times what Wireless A and G can transmit - at ranges in excess of 200 meters!

Stay tuned next week when I look at Bluetooth devices.

I’m Computer Dave, thanks for your time.