Wireless N?

[Mike44]

Okay, sort of a take-off of an old thread here (from this one http://www.construction-resource.com/forum/showthread.php?t=2912) but I really didn't want to start that debate all over again!! Lol. And I certainly hope to not start it again here!!!

Anyways, since they are starting to come with some newer wireless technology, I thought I would ask you guys about what you think about it. Now, I'll just start out by saying that "yes, wired networks are far superior" but I would just like to ask about the wireless N technology here (as an upgrade from wireless G). They say 14x faster? True? False? Promotional gimmick? Lol.

Then there's also the thing where it says it is uses gigabit technology? Does that mean I need cat6e wiring coming from my modem into the router then? Because wouldn't cat5e wiring sort of 'limit' it then? Or does it even matter at all ;)?

Okay, thanks guys!

Mike

[giddonah]

Wireless N is better than G. It's also not a finished standard, so there are a few different kinds. If your WAP is compatible with the card in your notebook (or desktop), then you're good to go. G has been a standard for a while now, and is the accepted standard. Nearly everywhere I go has G. Routers that have N mostly also have G (and even B). Same with notebook cards. If you really need more speed and really can't get wired, then N certainly looks like an option.

Gigabit is ethernet and requires wires. A wireless router that has gigabit will have that on the lan ports, but will only support wireless A, G, and/or N.




oh yeah, and Cat5e is good enough for gigabit. It was thought that Cat6 was going to be the next standard, but 10gig ethernet won't run on cat6 for more than 50ft or so and really requires Cat6a. I'm still looking for someone who can max out a gigabit lan at home. Even HD cable over cat5 will give you 4 HD streams on one fast ethernet (100baseT). That's 40 simultaneous HD streams at a time on a gigabit network. I'd like to see that.

[HDNord]

What equipment is needed to push HD over Cat5e or Cat6? I'm considered having a second HD satellite receiver at a hub and would like the option to send it to 3 or 4 different locations (not at the same time). I have extra Cat5e, Cat6, & RG6 in the walls. Would be very difficult to run HDMI or component wires to all those rooms.

[giddonah]

The cable company does it digitally with their own boxes. They compress the video to MPEG3 (soon to use MPEG4) and send it over ethernet.

If you want to do it yourself, you use baluns. You are limited by the 8 conductors though. Over one cat5 you can send component + digital audio (coax spdif), or analog audio (pair of rca's) and composite. If you can decode the digital audio at the tv (receiver with digital coax input) then you can use just one cat5. If not, you need to send the component over one cat5 and the analog audio over another cat5 giving you a grand total of four baluns for each tv. Good ones aren't cheap, but this method saves on wire and labor and is essentially the only way to go if the tv is more than 200' or so from the equipment. Even then, you're limited by the quality of balun as far as how well it can push the signal at a certain distance. The lower the resolution, the farther you can send the signal.

If you have one cat5 and two coax, you can use one pair of baluns for the component video, and the two coax for the analog audio. I'm not sure how well this would work for the audio though, I've never tried it. I'm not sure if it would work that well if the coax are different lengths (which does make a big difference in component video).

Be advised though, that currently HDMI is the only way to get full 1080p to a display. Component will give you 1080i or 720p. The only sources that will output a true 1080p signal though, are Bluray and HDDVD (and a computer if you want to get technical). Personally, I think the difference between a good dvd player and bluray is amazing. 1080p is unreal at very large display sizes. I've seen a 110" front projection setup look like a plasma. If you're in the 40" range or so though, the difference is harder to see.


Edit:

http://www.wholehouseaudiocontrol.com/dept.asp?d_id=5646&l1=5646

the BVD30's are new. I'll be bringing them up at our company Christmas party tonight ;)

[Mike44]

Thanks giddonah. I actually decided to do a wired network in my house and have purchased some Leviton products to use. The previous owner ran cat5e wires through the house when it was built. But he only ran 1 into each room!!! But still, I'll use that wire when I do my network. I'll be posting pictures of it in the 'Show Off' forum so you guys can see it!!

Mike

[spearbuilders]

SIIG makes a great cat5 to hdmi extenders. They are about $100 a set Model: CE-H20111-S1