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    buying a notebook without wireless N

    Discussion in 'Networking and Wireless' started by mset, Feb 25, 2008.

  1. mset

    mset Notebook Guru

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    Hi guys

    I recently purchased a new Lenovo for my sister (with help from some of the guys in the Lenovo area of these forums). I liked it and now I want one for myself. I have an opportunity to buy a used one (Lenovo 200772U).

    This unit has wireless A/B/G functionality but does not handle the wireless N protocol. I asked the seller about it and he said (perhaps predictably) the following

    I would be carefull with the wireless N cards (that protocol is still in draft and may change). G is by far the more widely adapted and none of them G or N come close to even a small fraction of wired gigabit performance. So I use wireless G for internet (it's faster than your channel) and wired when I need to transfer large files.

    So... I need to know if you guys would warn against buying a notebook without the wireless N functionality at this time. Would doing so leave me unable to take the best advantage of wireless connectivity as I move around, i.e. in hotspots around the city or when travelling? What about the next 24 months? I have a 2Wire modem at home and it's also a wireless router - will the laptop be optimized for use with that wireless hub?

    Also, is it true that a wireless N card is not a great idea at this time?

    Thanks for any comments.
     
    mset, Feb 25, 2008
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  2. Bog

    Bog Losing it...

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    The seller is correct; wireless-n is still in draft stages, and at the moment the only reason that it is a consumer level product is because various manufacturers have decided to establish their own version of the standard. Once the standard is established, there may be cases in which some wireless-n devices will be incompatible with other devices.

    Ultimately, investing money in a wireless-n device is a risk when it comes to compatibility. Whether that risk is worth the extra money is your decision.
     
    Bog, Feb 25, 2008
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  3. jcovelli

    jcovelli Notebook Deity

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    don't worry about n. it's really buggy and has all kinds of problems... and you would have to get a draft n router.. and there pretty much are not any good ones out and they are expensive.

    just wait a year or so until n is final
     
    jcovelli, Feb 25, 2008
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  4. mset

    mset Notebook Guru

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    Ok guys, that's just what I needed. Sounds like a notebook with A/B/G functionality is going to be just fine for use in my home with my 2Wire modem, at local hotspots, and in hotels when I'm travelling, which are the three situations I am thinking about.

    Thanks a lot for the information, it makes my decision easy.
     
    mset, Feb 25, 2008
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