Thanks, to Tim and Daniel for the explanations. Still a little confused but will get there eventually.
Matt On 25/11/2010, at 10:39 PM, Daniel Kerr wrote: > > Hi Matt > > Just to add to Tim's useful explanation, I was trying to find the listing for > speeds,..but this little "cheat" will help:- > <http://www.ice.mtu.edu/~jamyles/references/speeds.html> > > Just to give you a quick idea. > > If you were transferring it across WiFi and assuming the slowest computer has > WiFI 802.11b/g then it will be running at about 54 Mbps / 11 Mbps > If you transferred it via Ethernet cable then you'd be working at about 100 > Mbps > And if you decided to do it via Firewire400 it would be about 400 Mbps > Just for fun, mix in USB1..... - 12 Mbps > > Of course, there are lots of other factors that affect this as well, but you > can see why if you have a bit of data to transfer WiFi sometimes isn't always > the best way. It's better to transfer it via Ethernet or if you've got a > Firewire drive around, drop it onto that, then plug it into the iMac and > throw it on there. You'd be down in half the time,...even counting unplugging > and walking :o) > > Hope that helps,... and gives you a bit of a rough idea. :o) > > Kind Regards > Daniel > > > On 25/11/2010, at 10:11 PM, Tim Law wrote: > >> >> Hi Matt, >> >> I think you are confusing two technologies. >> >> What I imagine you have had installed is a device to connect you to the >> internet using Telstra as you Internet Service Provider. >> There is one connection, a copper phone line, or a coaxial cable, or a >> wireless connection to the internet. >> This is your internet connection. Do not think about this again for the rest >> of the description! >> >> >> The box that this external internet connection is connected to is called a >> router. >> It may have several ethernet ports on the back. >> It may have a couple of little antenna sticking up. These are called your >> WiFi connections. I'm sure WiFi is short for something, I can't recall. >> Both these will allow - all other things being equal - for anything >> connected to either the ethernet ports or the little antennas to connect or >> talk to each other and files can be transferred. This is your home network. >> It has WiFi and ethernet cable connections and can be extended all over the >> place, but has nothing to do with the internet. >> >> When you transfer something from one computer to the other, you are >> generally using your home network. From your description this is what you >> have done. >> When you send an email or use an internet browser, you are going to use the >> internet - that other thing I told you to forget about. :-) >> >> Your router will work fine without a connection to the internet, you just >> won't be able to send emails or browse the internet. >> They are two distinct technologies. >> >> I trust this is useful. >> >> Tim >> >> >> On 25/11/2010, at 10:52 AM, Matt Falvey wrote: >> >>> >>> Hi all, I have a problem understanding WiFi and thought I am going to look >>> a little silly asking this question but then that is my forte. >>> >>> I have just installed WiFi with Telstra. All the Mac's are linked to it >>> via WiFi so they can access the net. The other day I downloaded a game for >>> daughter onto my iMac. As the game was 5.3GB, I couldn't burn it to a DVD, >>> nor did I have an SD card or Thumbdrive big enough to transfer it to her >>> iMac. So I went to the finder and connected to her iMac and sent it to her >>> desktop. The only thing it took just short of an hour! >>> >>> As this was happening I had time to ask myself, Why. Now I am asking you? >>> As I couldn't answer it specifically, though I have my fears, - Have I sent >>> this via Telstra? - Not from iMac to iMac but via WiFi uploaded to Bigpond >>> and downloaded to Hannah's iMac? >>> >>> So I am asking in effect is even though we all have WiFi capable Macs, to >>> talk to each other via WiFi we have to go through a connection by WiFi to >>> Telstra/Bigpond, as we are not connected to ourselves, "in home"? Is that >>> right? >>> >>> If the above is correct can I configure the Macs to talk to themselves via >>> WiFi? (I realise I could have connected the two up via a firewire cable >>> and done it that way, but I thought we were all WiFi) >>> >>> Thanks from a very confused. >>> >>> Matt >>> >>> >>> -- The WA Macintosh User Group Mailing List -- >>> Archives - <http://www.wamug.org.au/mailinglist/archives.shtml> >>> Guidelines - <http://www.wamug.org.au/mailinglist/guidelines.shtml> >>> Unsubscribe - <mailto:wamug-unsubscr...@wamug.org.au> >>> >> >> >> >> >> -- The WA Macintosh User Group Mailing List -- >> Archives - <http://www.wamug.org.au/mailinglist/archives.shtml> >> Guidelines - <http://www.wamug.org.au/mailinglist/guidelines.shtml> >> Unsubscribe - <mailto:wamug-unsubscr...@wamug.org.au> >> > > --- > Daniel Kerr > MacWizardry > > Phone: 0414 795 960 > Email: <dan...@macwizardry.com.au> > Web: <http://www.macwizardry.com.au> > > > **For everything Macintosh** > > > > > -- The WA Macintosh User Group Mailing List -- > Archives - <http://www.wamug.org.au/mailinglist/archives.shtml> > Guidelines - <http://www.wamug.org.au/mailinglist/guidelines.shtml> > Unsubscribe - <mailto:wamug-unsubscr...@wamug.org.au> > -- The WA Macintosh User Group Mailing List -- Archives - <http://www.wamug.org.au/mailinglist/archives.shtml> Guidelines - <http://www.wamug.org.au/mailinglist/guidelines.shtml> Unsubscribe - <mailto:wamug-unsubscr...@wamug.org.au>
