Wireless Networking Or Ethernet?

[brucek 38]

I am installing a new wireless hub in my small home LAN setup. This one is part of a new iMac installation that my better half has just acquired (Airport Extreme), and offers 3 or 4 Gigabyte Ethernet ports, 1 USB port for a network HD or printer, and of course the wireless-N coverage. I

[Tom Allensworth 1,532]

I am installing a new wireless hub in my small home LAN setup. This one is part of a new iMac installation that my better half has just acquired (Airport Extreme), and offers 3 or 4 Gigabyte Ethernet ports, 1 USB port for a network HD or printer, and of course the wireless-N coverage. I'm sure that the limiter in any data transfer speed from the internet is my aDSL connection to my ISP, however for any other high speed data transfer that involves lots of data, am I better using the Ethernet connection between nodes on the network, or the wireless (I have the hardware for either). Is there a lower capacity on the wireless vs the Ethernet? Obviously the wireless is easier to physically manage. I will be using the LAN to transport backup data to a network HD, so data volume capacity may be important. Thanks, Bruce.

Bruce,My vote would be to go for convenience. If you are running N, then you are going to get at least 100meg through put to your aDSL. This is the same configuration I am running, except I am on G. The bottle neck of course is your aDSL, as you stated. My aDSL gives me a download rate of 5 meg on a good day. 20% of what the wireless is capable of. With N you are going to get greater range, and who wants to plug in an ethernet cable when you are soaking in your hot tub on a Saturday night with beer and notebook in hand? :(

[jbinner 15]

I agree with Tom. I personally run Wireless-G at home, to my computer and my son's computer, along with the occasional need for my laptop on there as well. Being that the Router sits physically next to (well on top of the entertainment center) for our TV, the TiVo inside that is hard-wired Ethernet to the router.If it's convienant, I'd hard-wire where you can, but leave the wireless active for when you need to roam around the house. Wired will ALWAYS be more stable, they cant prove to me otherwise. :( But wireless has come a LONG way, and is stable enough for me to fly online with VATSIM, using the WIRELESS laptop as a secondary computer, connected to the main FSX PC wirelessly. :)

Bruce,My vote would be to go for convenience. If you are running N, then you are going to get at least 100meg through put to your aDSL. This is the same configuration I am running, except I am on G. The bottle neck of course is your aDSL, as you stated. My aDSL gives me a download rate of 5 meg on a good day. 20% of what the wireless is capable of. With N you are going to get greater range, and who wants to plug in an ethernet cable when you are soaking in your hot tub on a Saturday night with beer and notebook in hand? :(

[brucek 38]

Bruce,My vote would be to go for convenience. If you are running N, then you are going to get at least 100meg through put to your aDSL. This is the same configuration I am running, except I am on G. The bottle neck of course is your aDSL, as you stated. My aDSL gives me a download rate of 5 meg on a good day. 20% of what the wireless is capable of. With N you are going to get greater range, and who wants to plug in an ethernet cable when you are soaking in your hot tub on a Saturday night with beer and notebook in hand? :(

Thanks Tom and John,I would like to go with the wireless obviously but my concern was that there may be a substantial bottleneck with it. Based on what I have read in both replies I think I will go for the wireless. I may also need to upgrade my NIC to get comparitve speeds on ethernet.Thanks, Bruce.