Atheros vs Intel Wireless Cards Speed Comparison

[ulrich.von.lich]

"Super AG® mode delivers up to 108 Mbps raw data rate with typical end user throughput exceeding 60 Mbps" I found it on Ebay.

Does it mean Atheros cards can be twice as fast as Intel cards??? Then why would people still use Intel cards?

And sorry if it sounds stupid but does 108 Mbps mean the theoretical maximum download speed is 108MB per second

[bill bolton]

Does it mean Atheros cards can be twice as fast as Intel cards???

No.

It means that particular card supports a non-standard WiFi mode ("super-g") which requires a matching access point.

Then why would people still use Intel cards?

Because they generally work much more reliably across a wider range of access point equipment than Atheros cards.

And sorry if it sounds stupid but does 108 Mbps mean the theoretical maximum download speed is 108MB per second

No, it only means that the theoretical maximum link speed is 108Mbps. Various protocol overheads mean that data throughput is much less, even under optimal conditions.

The same applies to all 802.11 sub-standards. The advertised speed for the standrd is just the maximum raw link speed under optimal conditions.

Cheers,

Bill B.

[Wiz]

Then why would people still use Intel cards?

Because they generally work much more reliably across a wider range of access point equipment than Atheros cards.

I guess there is no right or wrong answer to this, but my experience is the opposite. I find the Atheros to work much better in general compared to the Intel. I believe most people use Intel because most laptops got that adapter by default.....like most Thinkpads. Some also want a Centrino even if they doesn't necessarily know what the centrino concept actually is.

[gunston]

Atheros...
i support it

[lifrancis]

I have used both Atheros and Intel cards, Atheros card is by far better than Intel. With my Atheros Super G card, I can have faster speed with my router that support Super G. With other AP/routers, it falls back to 54 Mbps, but reception is still better than Intel.

I have replaced the Intel wifi card in my T41 with broadcom card, it also works extremely well, far better than the original Intel card.

[bin.dong]

Atheros card is by far better than Intel.

True. If you use Linux, you'll know. Atheros will work out of box but Intel, you have to config it.

[sktn77a]

For clarification, I'm not aware that any IBM-labelled Atheros 11a/b/g cards support 108Mbps. I believe they are all limited to 54Mbps. A non-IBM Atheros card might work with a non-IBM driver, after the 1802 hack. Anyone who's done this care to comment?

As a general rule, you can expect about 1/2 the specified wireless data transfer rates in general, day-to-day use. I think the expression is "YMMV"

[ulrich.von.lich]

For clarification, I'm not aware that any IBM-labelled Atheros 11a/b/g cards support 108Mbps. I believe they are all limited to 54Mbps. A non-IBM Atheros card might work with a non-IBM driver, after the 1802 hack. Anyone who's done this care to comment?

The Atheros card I found on Ebay does have an IBM FRU number [39T0429] and supports 108Mbps.


Having an IBM FRU# = No incompatibility error??

[DarkMark]

I can't find that part number on the lenovo site.
Have you actually got that card?

I was thinking of geting it, but was unsure about it because, I can't find the P/N.

[ulrich.von.lich]

Have you actually got that card?

No, I think I'll stick with my Intel 2200 since I don't have a special router.

But is it possible to have an IBM FRU number without being made by IBM?

[sktn77a]

But is it possible to have an IBM FRU number without being made by IBM?

Not unless it is a deliberate fake (which is not beyond the realm of possibility). But it is more likely that the seller is assuming it is 108Mbps-capable when in fact it may not be (the atheros chip is capable of 108Mbps but the early IBM implementations were not).

I recall there were a lot of posts on this earlier this year or last year.