Wireless Internet Dongle Capabilities

[Coppertop84]

Hi All,

I currently have 2MB download speed broadband with a dongle for 54 Mbps.
I am upgrading to 8MB download speed broadband - does anyone know if my 54Mbps dongle will be enough for the higher speed or do I need a new dongle?

If a new dongle is needed what Mbps do you recommend?

Thanks

Marie xxx

[ACtheTROLL]

which is the biggest number

2 .... 8 .... 54
the other two fit inside the biggest with room to spare

[rojash]

If you ever manage to get a broadband speed faster than 54Mbps, you will need to change your dongle - and please let everyone know - 'cos they'll all want one.

[Coppertop84]

Well before when I had the dongle in, under my Local Area Connection Status it showed 'Speed 54.0 Mbps'

Now I just have it connected through the ethernet port (not wireless) and it shows 'Speed 100.0 Mbps' so it does look like I will need a new dongle.

Thanks for your help

[LCDMAN]

Under 802.11b ("Wireless b", 11Mbps) and 802.11g ("Wireless g", 54Mbps) wireless connections then 54Mbps is about the max they support, regardless of the dongle. If you move to 802.11n systems ("Wireless n") then the maximum supported data rate is theoretically 600Mbps.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/802.11

Your wired ethernet connection is 100Mbps, but ANY of the connection data rates,802.11b, 802.11g, 802.11n and wired are ABOVE the connection rate between your modem/router and "the internet", so have no detrimental effect on anything.

The wireless system you already have is "faster" than your internet connection - so why you feel you need to change it??

[fo3nix]

(I agree with all of the above.)

Just to add, the 54 and 100 numbers you're reading are the numbers for your local net connection. 54mbps is the max. theoretical throughput for 802.11g wifi networks, and 100mbps is for 100mbps ethernet.

These connections are only ever as fast as the slowest connection. So, for you, you have something like this:

2mbps (internet) --> 54mbps (local wifi)

or

2mbps (internet) --> 100mbps (local ethernet)

Either way, the fastest you'll get is 2mbps, because that's the fastest that part of the connection can go.

If you get a broadband upgrade, you'll end up with something like

8mbps --> 54mbps (local wifi)

Even then, 8mbps is still the fastest you'll get, so your 54mbps wifi dongle is plenty fast enough. Getting a new, super-fast wifi dongle and supporting router won't make a bit of difference, because it can't go faster than 8mbps anyway.

When you buy broadband at 50mbps, you'll need to change your dongle and (likely) router. But until that day comes (perhaps not for years), you'll be fine with that dongle.