How do different WLAN speeds work together?

Question

If I have an access point which supports 108 Mbps connections, and a client which can handle it too, how will the speed be affected by lower speed standard clients?
Will the access point degrade to a slower speed if an 11g 54 Mbps client or a 11b client would connect, respectively?

Answer 1

Hi nitro2k01, I'm not sure your exact question got an exact answer yet... and one answer is just plain wrong that it won't happen... the answer is yes, if you run in mixed mode with 11Mbps b clients and 54Mbps and 108Mbps clients, the slower speed clients will "set the pace" and significantly affect the performance of the faster clients.

Also realize that because of the way the wireless protocols work (CSMA/CA in particular) that even if you have ALL 54Mbps clients, you still won't ever get more than about half that in throughput even with excellent signal quality/strength.

Answer 2

If the access point supports both standards, it will communicate to each device at their speed. I have not had a 108M connection but I used to have a 11g and 11b client. The 11g client went up to 56 while the 11b went at a slower speed.

Answer 3

Since no 2 computers transmit and receive at exactly the same speed, the faster one has to reduce its speed to match the slower one. The slowest computer on a WLAN can degrade total service, but how much depends more on the efficiency of the WLAN's design.

Answer 4

Yes it will be affected, it will only go as fast as the card can go, and you have to make your that your "b" connection is compatible with your "g" router.

Answer 5

Who cares how the do it, they just do.

Don't worry about one slowing down the other... it won't happen.

Enjoy