Hello List: I don't know if this will help, but I just went through a crash course in wireless when I set up my apartment and home network for wireless. If this gets to geeky, I'm sorry. Write to me on or off list and I'll try to clarify any foggy points.
It's primarily a difference of frequency, distance or range and speed. The 802 11.B standard runs in the 900 plus megahertz range. and will handle data up to, I believe 5 megabits per second. The 802 11.g standard networks run in the 2.4 gigahertz range and will support speeds of up to 54 megabits per second. This simply means that there are more channels on the 802 11.g system for data to cross at much faster rates. Also with the 802 11.g standard more data encryption options were offered. The 802 11.g also offers longer distances (about 2 to 3 times) the distance between the wireless computer or BrailleNote and the base station also known as a wireless router or wi-Fi point (sorry about the spelling on that one). . With the 802 11.b standard, I think the distance is about 100 to 200 feet depending on how many walls and other obstacles the signal has to go through. With the 802 11.g signal, the distance is more like 300 to 400 feet. For the average user (those of us who are not gamers), very little difference will be noticed in working on the lower standard. The speed is (for most intents and purposes) the same, and you'll get all the benefits of wireless at about two thirds the cost. The only real problem I noticed with the 802 11.b standard was a matter of interference. Remember, that an apartment building is a very closed in box with lots of room for other signals to bounce around and cause trouble. In my case, when I tried the 802 11.b system, anytime someone in a nearby apartment turned on a wireless baby monitor or picked up an older wireless phone (900 mhz), my signal strength cut in half and sometimes dropped off all together. This DOES NOT mean the 802 11.b is a bad system to work with, it just means that you have to consider your neighbors and how close they are. I have several friends with very successful 802 11.b networks in their homes. The good news is that wireless upgrading is well worth it. I do much of my email correspondence while sitting at a picnic table in the back yard about 200 feet from my office and it's just like I was plugged straight into the modem. My friend who lives in the apartment next door to me often shares my wireless signal for her internet hopping. And, just for clarification purposes, I use an 802 11.g network which will also work with 802 11.b systems like the new wireless braillenote option being offered soon. I can tell you that, just for the wireless connectivity alone, I'll be forking over my credit card to purchase the 6.1 upgrade. Wireless is that much fun. Although, my poor laptop may finally be put out of service...... Hope this helps some of you who were questioning how wireless works and the difference in standards. For the rest of you, who already know most of this stuff, I'm sorry for the lengthy note, please disregard. Jeff Molzow [EMAIL PROTECTED]
