Video Streaming Performance : 802.11G vs. 802.11N

Setup: 1TB m4v's - Mac Pro - Airport Express G - ATV2
I'm trying to stream m4v video from my Mac Pro to ATV2, and although it works, loading video sometimes takes a while. All m4v's are between 800MB - 2GB. The Mac Pro & ATV2 are both N-ready, but my Express is G.
My question: Would getting either a Express/Extreme N deliver a real-world advantage with regard to local video streaming?

My current setup includes an Airport Express G. So wireless. I don't have a problem, everything works just fine.
The speed of both G/N is clear: 54mbps/108mbps.
The ATV2 question is: Does anyone have any real-world local video streaming experience with both G/N, and if so: *is there a real-world loading time advantage when using N over G?*

Similar Messages

Can't perform 802.11n enabler upgrade on MacBook!

I wonder if anybody could help?!
I've just bought the 802.11n enabler software for my 2Ghz MacBook. I have installed all updates suggested by Software Update, and when I run the 802.11n enabler it says that my hardware is not compatible with the upgrade.
I tried to manually install the 2007-002 and 2007-003 Airport Extreme updates, but when I run these I am not able to use them because it says the hard disc is not a valid volume.
Is there something I am missing?
Thanks in advance!

I think you'll find that your MacBook is not compatible.
The only hardware that works are Macs that shipped with the 802.11n hardware already installed.
The compatible hardware were all MacPros and iMacs and laptops with Core 2 Duos. The Core Duo machines were earlier models.

Jerky Video Streaming

Since upgrading to Leopard I've moved all my video files (movies) to an external hard drive connected to a Mac Mini. Most are ripped movies from DVDs. With Leopard file sharing I can wirelessly access the hard drive connected to the Mini from my iBook and watch a movie on my iBook with DVD Player. It actually streams pretty well (better than I thought) but does have frequent and annoying stuttering of the video stream. I was wondering if there are any system settings I could tweak to minimize the jerky playback.

Use the following as a guideline for streaming video over a wireless network:
o For 4801i SDTV Quality Video: 2 to 5 Mbps (802.11b/a/g/n)
o For 480p DVD Quality Video: 6 to 8 Mbps (802.11a/g/n)
o 720p/1080i HDTV Quality Video: 18 Mpbs+ (802.11a/g/n)
o 1080p HDTV Quality Video: 20 Mbps+ (802.11n)
So, if you're getting the full bandwidth (54 Mbps) with your AirPort Express Base Station (AX), you should get relatively good performance streaming everything up to 720p/1080i HDTV media. Beyond that would be iffy. The problem is that it is highly unlikely that you are getting 54 Mbps due to either free space loss or some form of Wi-Fi interference. Typically, your 802.11g wireless network would realistically get around 15-20 Mbps on average.
It is very possible that you may have some form of Wi-Fi interference in the immediate area that is preventing your AX from getting a good clean signal.
I suggest you perform a simple site survey, using utilities like MacStumbler or iStumbler to determine potential areas of interference, and then, try to either eliminate or significantly reduce them where possible. This should result in better video (& audio) streaming performance.

Will USB 802.11n wireless card improve video streaming on older iBook?

On my older G4 iBook, I'm accessing the internet through the AirPort Time Capsule as my wireless router. The video on my MacBook Pro is stunning, the iBook is terrible, useless really. Would a USB 802.11n video card work better than the AirPort card in the computer?

Duane, I meant a USB wireless adapter. The general consensus is that it would improve at least marginally, but no one seems to know for sure. Simple enough to find out, just haven't gotten around to buying one yet. I'll just need to make sure I can return it if there is no improvement.

Does Mixing 802.11n with .11g Devices Slow the Whole Network?

Hi all,
I'm considering buying the new Airport Extreme as I also have a new Macbook Pro that supports 802.11n. I also have a couple Airport Expresses on my network, and my question is this:
Will the presence of the Airport Express units (which are 802.11g) drag the whole network into .11g speeds? I ask this because of this note on the Airport Extreme page:
Speed and range will be less if an 802.11a/b/g product joins the network.
Thanks for any guidance.

I did this the same way....
I connected my cable modem directly to the WAN port of my new 802.11n AirPort Extreme Base Station. I have selected 'n' only (5GHz). I call this network Saturn.
There are 3 ethernet ports on this new base station. Wired to one of these ports is my 802.11g Snow Airport Extreme Base Station. This base station will handle any 'g' services (like my friends who are using MacBooks/iBooks/PCs). I have 2 AirPort Express base stations that I use to play music on remote speakers, and wireless printing. It also has 2 Linksys wireless USB 'b' devices that connect to it, which 2 of my TiVos use to get their daily updates. I wanted to keep all of this stuff off the 'n' network since I heard it would slow it down. I call this 'g' network Zodiak. I can see both networks in my AirPort menu, and can select either.
In addition, I have an xBox that I connected directly to one of the wired ethernet ports on the 'n' base station, and I have a Linksys switch that is wired to the 'g' base station.
My only complaint is that I can't get to all of this stuff that is on the 'g' network. Which means, if I want to print something, I need to change my network, if I want to play iTunes out of my stereo speakers, I need to change the network, and if I want to use my TiVo to display photos, I need to change networks. I was hoping I'd still be able to get to that stuff since the 'g' network is hard wired into the ethernet port of the 'n' network. Oh well. I'm only on a 6MB Comcast service, so perhaps I'll try mixing the 'g' network in and seeing how bad it affects performance.
I'm getting 2.5 mb/sec on a hard drive transfer...can't imagine that being much worse on 'g'.

Configuring WDS w/ Airport Extreme Dual-Band 802.11n & Express 802.11g

I currently have an Airport Extreme Dual-Band 802.11n Model: A1301 (located downstairs) and an older Airport Express 802.11g Model: A1084 (located upstairs) which I had been using to stream iTunes to my upstairs stereo (which worked flawlessly). Recently a friend of mine recommended that I reconfigure my network to a Wireless Distribution System setup which would allow me to create a remote wireless node which improves my wireless signal strength upstairs, allows an interface to Airplay to play our music from our iPod's/Pad's and also provides an hard-wired Ethernet connection for my newly delivered Network Extender for my cell phone. So I followed the URL: support.apple.com/kb/HT4262 to assist in this conversion and found that I was unable to configure my network as desired. While this documentation is very good, there is one snafu that I worked out that finally allowed a successful setup. Follow the instructions for:
- Connecting a WDS main base station to the Internet
- Configuring a WDS main base station
- Configuring a WDS remote base station (See last line of instructions for the correct WDS Main ID)
Ensure all Wi-Fi base stations are powered on and allow them time to appear in the AirPort Menu Extra.
From the AirPort Menu Extra, select an 802.11g Wi-Fi base station to configure as a WDS remote.
In AirPort Utility, select the WDS remote Wi-Fi base station in the Base Station Chooser, and click Manual Setup.
Select the AirPort icon from the Toolbar, and click on the Wireless tab.
From Wireless Mode select Participate in a WDS network.
Click on the WDS tab.
From WDS Mode, select WDS remote.
Enable Allow wireless clients (see the first note below).
If not already supplied, enter the 2.4Ghz AirPort ID of the WDS main, then click Update.
There are two Apple ID's for the dual-band Extreme (2.4 & 5.0Ghz). Be sure to use the 2.4Ghz ID which is listed under the "Summary Tab" of the utility. What is confusing is that in the AirPort Utility, when you position the mouse cursor over the graphic of the Extreme on the left-hand side of the GUI, you are presented with a yellow dialog box which displays the 5Ghz ID and this can be misleading especially when you are trying to connect to an older 2.4Ghz Express ...

My Express is the A1264 802.11n model. My Extreme is the A1354 model.
The most crucial issue is the the Tivo, because the Premiere only works with Ethernet (I dont' have and wont' buy the upgraded wireless doohickey), but of course I would prefer that the Express also act to extend the signal, and I particularly want it do so using WEP access (or nothing, see below), since I have a second Tivo which ONLY works wirelessly and which ONLY works using WEP, not WPA.
Since there were so many different issues and needs going on, I was excited about the Dual Band because it meant I could potentially get 5G speeds for my iPad and perhaps the Tivo Premiere connection, while allowing a completely separate band for the OLD Tivo.
The other option I've been trying out (to accommodate the Tivo2 that can't handle WEP) is having no security, but making the networks hidden.
A third option I tried to make work was to create a "guest network" for just the Tivo2.
But what I'm finding out (it's what I always struggle with...networking is a nightmare.) is that if you take one from Column A, Column B disappears, so to speak.
The way it used to work on the non-dual band Extreme was as I mapped above, and the Tivo2 and my iPad used the wireless signal with no problem while the Express was Ethernet connected to the TivoPremiere, but it did so using WDS, which doesn't even seem to exist as a possibility, forget teh fact that it undermines the speed boost (so I read)
I've frankly never been able to understand the differences between the various modes and structures, and believe it or not I'm very smart and very comfortable with computers and Macs, having worked on them for 25 years.
And one of the biggest reasons I've had such a hard time is because of the many times that I have updated after making changes, Airport Utility tells me it worked, but nothing happens and then after too much frustration I end up unplugging and shutting down every single piece of equipment and rebooting everything and then it DOES work. Sometimes. But I can't be doing that every time I make one tweak, I'll go insane!
And the number of pin-resets I've done on the Express, the Dual band, and even the cable modem would make your head spin!
So there's my story. Kinda. Does it make any sense? At least in terms of my goals?
Your help is more appreciated than you can imagine.

Airport Express 802.11n and 802.11g clients?

Hi,
I hope this is the right place to ask this question.
Setup:
1. At this time I have a main AE 802.11g base for wireless surfing.
2. I have a second AE 802.11g connected to the hi-fi system. This second AE station is connceted as a client into the wireless network of the main AE base.
Question: could I keep this setup after replacing 1. with an AE 802.11n base (and keep the AE 802.11g client for streaming)?
Thanks you,
Andre

I would still have one more question.
Are theses assumptions correct?
1. If the AE 802.11g client is switched off, the network will work at full speed (802.11n)
2. Turning on the AE 802.11g client would slow down the network at 802.11g level
3. switching the AE 802.11g client off again would lead to a recovery to full speed 802.11n
I am asking this because I do the music streaming only occasionally, must of the time I am using my MBP for work,
Thank you,
Andre

Airport Extreme (802.11n) with Airport Express/Extreme (802.11g/b) ?

If the 802.11n airport extreme is the main router, and used in conjunction with older airport extreme/express (single antenna); what will happen?
Will the network drop to the 802.11g speeds?
Will the benefits of MIMO be lost?

According to this Macworld.com article:Once you add 802.11g or 802.11b devices to the network, the performance of the entire network will be affected; it won’t be reduced all the way down to the slower performance of the respective older standards, but performance won’t be as fast as a single-standard network. (And 802.11b devices will affect performance to a greater extent than 802.11g devices will.)

Extend Airport Extreme 802.11g with Airport Express 802.11n

I bought a new AE 802.11n and I want to extend my network from my old Airport Extreme 802.11g. I can't figure out how to do this.

Unfortunately, the newer "n" AirPorts and older "g" AirPorts are not compatible if you are trying to configure the AirPort Express to "extend a wireless network" using wireless only.
The "extend a wireless network" function and feature is only found on newer "n" AirPorts.
If you can connect the AirPort Express to the older AirPort Extreme using a permanent wired Ethernet connection, it is possible to configure the Express to provide more wireless coverage that way.
Using an older, very difficult setup called WDS, it might be possible to configure the Express using wireless only, but the end result would be a network that provides only half the speed of your older "g" AirPort Extreme, so this is definitely not recommended due to the severe performance drop that will occur on the network.

I recently switched from LinkSys to Airport Express 802.11n. I love it, but I can't get the Wii to talk to it so I can stream NetFlix. I've found MANY discussions on this, but it's still not clear to me. Anybody have a step by step so I can fix it?

I recently switched from LinkSys to Airport Express 802.11n. I love it...but now I my Wii can't see it so I can stream NetFlix. I have found MANY discussions on line about this...but it's still not clear to me. Anybody have a step by step way to fix this? Thanks! Jim Matherly

Well, the Airport Express is also compatible with 802.11a, 802.11b, and 802.11g. If your Wii is unable to connect to the wireless network, I recommended changing the wireless security of your network.
Open Airport Utility, select your Airport Express and click Edit. Navigate to the Wireless tab and change your security from WPA2 Personal to WPA/WPA2 Personal. Then click Update on the bottom right.

Airport Drives Me CRAZY! New 802.11n Network Slower Than Old 802.11g/b

I've been using Macs since 1988 and consider myself an advanced user. However, every time I setup a new Airport wireless network or re-configure an existing one, I feel like a helpless newbie trying to figure out how to open a folder on my desktop. No matter how many times I read the manual or the help files or these forums, I can never grasp what seems like it should be a simple path from A to B to C.
Anyway, here's my current situation: I've been successfully (I think) running a 6 year old AP Extreme Base Station [AE] (in my home office addition) and 2 Airport Expresses [AX] (one AX roughly 15 feet from the base station--through sheetrock, and the second AX roughly 30 feet from the first AX--through sheetrock and some wooden stairs. (so roughly 45 feet from AE to 2nd AX). It wasn't the speediest thing going but it did the trick with older Macs.
I recently bought a MacBook Pro which supports 802.11n. I most often use this laptop at the point in the house furthest away from the AE (Base Station) The AE (Base Station) is in my home office connected to my MacPro desktop (see #1 below). In addition, the family iMac is also in that room furthest from the AE. Using the new MacBook Pro with the old 802.11/g/b network turned out to be painfully slow. I was experiencing the same slow network connection my family has complained about for years with their older Macs and 802.11g/b.
I decided it was time to upgrade the whole network, if only to speed up my MacBook Pro connection. Bought new 802.11n Airport Extreme (MC340LL/A) and 2 new 802.11n Airport Expresses (MB321LL/A). Setup did not go smoothly. Again, my normally competent Mac persona was reduced to a babbling three-year-old. Had three different Apple techs on the phone trying to help me through it. Got different, contradictory instructions from the last two. Finally got all three units working, only to find that not only does my MacBook Pro seem even more sluggish than when connected to the old 802.11g/b network, but my wife tells me web pages are taking at least twice as long to load as with the old network.
As concisely as I can lay this out:
*1. Airport Extreme (Base Station)*
Connected via Ethernet from its WAN port to my Comcast cable modem. One Ethernet (LAN) port on that AE is then connected via Ethernet to my Netgear 8-port Ethernet switch. Ethernet from switch to Ethernet port 1 on my MacPro. (MacPro does NOT have an Airport card because I forgot to order one. Also I confirmed that this setup was functional by connecting to the AE wirelessly with my MacBook Pro showing the name I'd given the new network prior to adding the two AX's to the mix).
Some Airport Extreme settings of note (all accessed via "Manual Setup" button):
Airport Tab > Summary
Version 7.5.1
Wireless Mode: Create a wireless network
Channel: 149 (Automatic), 1 (Automatic)
Wireless Clients: 3
Airport Tab > Base Station:
Allow Setup over WAN: Unchecked
Airport Tab > Wireless:
Allow this network to be extended: Checked
Airport Tab > Guest Network:
Nothing checked
Airport Tab > Access Control:
MAC Address Access Control: Not Enabled
Internet Tab > Internet Connection:
Connect Using: Ethernet
Ethernet WAN Port: Automatic (Default)
Connection Sharing: Share a public IP address [Think this one is probably wrong]
Internet Tab > TCP/IP:
Configure IPv4: Using DHCP
Internet Tab > DHCP:
Shows Beginning & Ending Address
Internet Tab > NAT:
Enable default host at: Unchecked and blank field
Enable NAT Port Mapping Protocol: Checked
Internet Tab > Advanced
Didn't touch anything here, so all at defaults
*2. Airport Express #1: Living Room Express (Closest to AE (Base Station)*
Airport Tab > Summary
Version 7.4.2
Wireless Mode: Extend a wireless network
Connect using: Wireless Network
Channel: 1 (Automatic)
Wireless Clients: 1
Airport Tab > Base Station:
Allow Setup over the Internet using Bonjour: Unchecked
Airport Tab > Wireless:
Wireless Mode: Extend a wireless network
Allow wireless clients: checked
Airport Tab > Access Control:
MAC Address Access Control: Not Enabled
Internet Tab > Internet Connection:
Connect using: Greyed-out, not selectable
Connection sharing: Greyed-out, not selectable
Internet Tab > TCP/IP:
Configure IPv4: Using DHCP
Shows IP Address
Internet Tab > Advanced
Didn't touch anything here, so all at defaults
*3. Airport Express #2: Dining Room Express (Furthest from AE (Base Station)*
Airport Tab > Summary
Version 7.4.2
Wireless Mode: Extend a wireless network
Connect using: Wireless Network
Channel: 1 (Automatic)
Wireless Clients: 2
Airport Tab > Base Station:
Allow Setup over the Internet using Bonjour: Unchecked
Airport Tab > Wireless:
Wireless Mode: Extend a wireless network
Allow wireless clients: checked
Airport Tab > Access Control:
MAC Address Access Control: Not Enabled
Internet Tab > Internet Connection:
Connect using: Greyed-out, not selectable
Connection sharing: Greyed-out, not selectable
Internet Tab > TCP/IP:
Configure IPv4: Using DHCP
Shows IP Address
Internet Tab > Advanced
Didn't touch anything here, so all at defaults
SETUP/GOALS:
With Airport Extreme (Base Station) as the starting point, have the two Airport Express units with the strongest, fastest signal possible, provide Internet access (and file sharing, iTunes speakers capability) to three Macs (one older iMac, one older PowerBook and my new MacBookPro). Again, I believe my new MacBook Pro is the only one with 802.11n support, so I don't expect the other Macs to take advantage of the speed boost offered by the three new 802.11n devices.
+Any and all help with this will be greatly appreciated. Thanks!+

{quote}With the AirPort Extreme, in the AirPort panel, Wireless tab, click on the button for "Wireless Network Options", check the box for "5 GHz Network Name", and enter a different network name. (That can be trivially different, such as the name of the main network suffixed with an underscore and the digit 5.) Once configured that way, connect your "N" gear to each network in turn to see if one is any better than the other. (If you're wondering what effect this would have, it allows segregating your "N" gear from the older gear to prevent the older gear from slowing down your network. However, distance and interference from things like walls may negate any advantage.){quote}
William: I was gone most of yesterday, but had a chance to implement your recommendations today. I added the 5 GHz network as you suggested, but in order to connect to that at all with my 802.n11 MacBokk Pro, I need to be within a few feet of the AE (base station). If I try to access that network even from the next room (well within reach of both the AE and the livingroom AX, I get one bar and "failure to connect" messages just trying to logon to that network.
However, I did some experimenting that (as of right now, anyway) resulted in much faster network access, not only from my MacBook, but also from the older iMac which is the furthest Mac from the AE. According to my wife, that iMac is "loading web pages faster than I've ever seen them!"
Here's what I did:
1. Moved all three units to places where it seemed they would have the least amount of interference with the clearest path from unit to unit, also raising the height of both AXs from about 2-3 feet from the floor to about 5-6 feet from the floor.
2. Changed one setting on the AE (base station): Wireless Tab > Wireless Network Options > Multicast Rate ---> Changed this from Low to High.
I have a feeling the location shifts made the real difference, but I will try changing the multicast rate back to "Low" just to see what happens.
Paul

802.11n (5Ghz) / UK / Performance

Hi,
I have an Airport Extreme upstairs and 2 x Airport Expresses downstairs (one is extending the network, the other is an ethernet bridge).
When I try and setup the extreme as 802.11n (5GHz only) I get dreadful coverage to downstairs (my MacBook and Expresses can't see it at all). I can connect in the same room via my MacBook but that's about it. With b/g compatibility all is fine again but I really want to boost my internet speed to the lounge where the expresses reside (by boosting the household wireless overall).
I saw old posts about changing country so you can use wide channels etc ... and I've tried some other country settings but the same problem with coverage. Is this a UK restriction - the lack of wide channels means a lack of coverage / performance under 802.11n only?
Thanks in advance for any advice ...

Higher frequency 5 GHz signals are absorbed by any obstructions, walls, etc much more quickly than 2.4 GHz signals. You really almost need line-of-sight between the computer and AirPort Extreme because the 5 GHz signals have much less penetration and distance power.

Step-by-step guide to upgrading a MacBook Core Duo from 802.11g to 802.11n.

Hardmac.com has post a step-by-step guide on how to upgrading a MacBook Core Duo from 802.11g to 802.11n using an 802.11n card from the Mac Pro desktop. The upgrade was also tested and confirmed to work with the AirPort Extreme 802.11n at 802.11n speed.
There is no reason that a similar upgrade shouldn't also work with the MacBook Pro.
http://www.hardmac.com/articles/71/

Hardmac.com has post a step-by-step guide on how to
upgrading a MacBook Core Duo from 802.11g to 802.11n
using an 802.11n card from the Mac Pro desktop. The
upgrade was also tested and confirmed to work with
the AirPort Extreme 802.11n at 802.11n speed.
There is no reason that a similar upgrade shouldn't
also work with the MacBook Pro.
http://www.hardmac.com/articles/71/
Gino,
Interesting how the Apple 802.11n Enabler installed on the MacBook with no problems using the CD that comes with the AirPort Express.
I must try that.
Thanks for the post!
William

S8-50 Tablet connects only to 802.11g networks not 802.11n

My S8-50 table will only connect at 802.11g speeds to any wi-fi network. I tested this with multiple routers and the tablet will not connect at all if the router is set to 802.11n only mode. The wi-fi networks were using WPA2 AES/CCMP at the authentication method. The S8-50 wi-if adapter is listed as 802.11bgn so it should connect at 11n. Has anyone else run into this issue and is there a way to fix it?

If you are referring to the fact that it's not connecting to a 5GHz network it won't as the WiFi module is not a DUAL one ... It will connect to bgn networks but only in 2.4 GHz band.

Can I force 802.11g instead of 802.11n?

A coffeehouse I frequent seems to have buggy 802.11n wifi -- I can't maintain a connection with my MacBook Pro, while my friend's iBook G4 has no problems with its 802.11g card.
So...
Is there a way to force my MBP to connect using G instead of N? This is a case where I can't reconfigure the router itself, so it's either force a G connection or frequent a different coffeehouse.

I bought Linksys wireless vs. paying for Apple's and they have a mode to select, e.g. lock out other protocols. You'd think Apple would too.
Here's a cheap and easy way as well - use a Linksys WRT54G router as a WAP set in G only. Connect it to your router with a cable and set it in a location ideally even closer to where you get the dropouts and it will act as a WAP vs. a router. Cheaper than actually buying Linksys' own WAP.
Simple to do - connect via ordinary cable to a port on the Linksys NOT the WAN port, set a static IP on it outside the range of the DHCP addresses assigned by your router and disable DHCP on the Linksys. It then becomes a WAP. Great way to extend networks and in your case to have a WAP forced to 802.11G. There is a setting for that - from B/G mixed to G only. $50 and a few minutes to set up. Yuo set up a separate SSID and password for WPA-2 and select it with your MBP.

Video Streaming Performance : 802.11G vs. 802.11N

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