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Old-school Wi-Fi Is Slowing Down Networks, Cisco Says

Posted by Soulskill on from the only-support-tech-less-than-three-months-old dept.

alphadogg writes "The early Wi-Fi standards that opened the world's eyes to wire-free networking are now holding back the newer, faster protocols that followed in their wake, Cisco Systems said. The IEEE 802.11 standard, now available in numerous versions with speeds up to 6.9Gbps and growing, still requires devices and access points to be compatible with technologies that date to the late 1990s. But those older standards — the once-popular 802.11b and an even slower spec from 1997 — aren't nearly as efficient as most Wi-Fi being sold today. As a result, Cisco thinks the 802.11 Working Group and the Wi-Fi Alliance should find a way to let some wireless gear leave those versions behind. Two Cisco engineers proposed that idea last week in a presentation at the working group's meeting in Los Angeles. The plan is aimed at making the best use of the 2.4GHz band, the smaller of two unlicensed frequency blocks where Wi-Fi operates."

11 of 254 comments (clear)

  1. so what about all my old devices? by alen · · Score: 5, Interesting

    and i mean the ones that sell the same device over many years like a game console. PS3, xbox 360, wii u, nintendo 3ds, etc
    and then you have something like printers. sure it's only $100 or $250 but no one wants to buy a new printer just to buy a new wifi router

    1. Re:so what about all my old devices? by Antipater · · Score: 4, Insightful

      I'm willing to bet there'd be a $2 adapter for your old printer.

      --
      Everything is better with chainsaws.
    2. Re:so what about all my old devices? by dj245 · · Score: 4, Insightful

      and i mean the ones that sell the same device over many years like a game console. PS3, xbox 360, wii u, nintendo 3ds, etc and then you have something like printers. sure it's only $100 or $250 but no one wants to buy a new printer just to buy a new wifi router

      If you want to gain the advantages of the newest router you might, GASP, just have to run a wire to it. You might even have the inconvenience of having to relocate it next to the printer. Oh the humanity.

      Things that absolutely need wireless tend to be mobile. Mobile equipment which only takes 802.11b was probably obsolete years ago. For everything that doesn't move, it should be wired anyway.

      --
      Even those who arrange and design shrubberies are under considerable economic stress at this period in history.
    3. Re:so what about all my old devices? by Bacon+Bits · · Score: 5, Funny

      I'm willing to bet there'd be a $2 adapter for your old printer.

      So do I. I'm also willing to bet printer manufacturers will sell it for $80.

      --
      The road to tyranny has always been paved with claims of necessity.
    4. Re:so what about all my old devices? by knarf · · Score: 5, Informative

      For everything that doesn't move, it should be wired anyway.

      Strange as it may sound to you there are actually reasons to have stationary things connect to the network through a wireless adapter. One good reason would be the simple fact that some of us live in areas where lightning plays havoc on infrastructure, especially telephone lines. If you connect to the 'net through ADSL you'll start seeing the wisdom of having as few wired connections between your modem and your network. While it is more or less impossible to protect the modem from a direct strike and usually inconvenient to protect the router, all other equipment should preferably be connected wirelessly or suffer the wrath of Thor.

      This is no idle talk, I have personally lost three modems, two routers, three Thinkpad T23 network adapters, one Intel SS4200 server network interface and one HP Jetdirect card to lightning strikes. The damage always came from the telephone line and was carried through the wired network to the victims. Nothing ever happened to any wireless device, ever.

      --
      --frank[at]unternet.org
    5. Re:so what about all my old devices? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

      what have you done to Thor, are you a desendant of his brothers.?

    6. Re:so what about all my old devices? by phoenix_rizzen · · Score: 5, Interesting

      Ever considered spending $20 on a surge protecting power bar that includes RJ11 plugs? They're designed specifically for this, and go between the wall outlet and the ADSL modem.

      Coupled with surge protectors on ask the AC adapters, you'd be set.

    7. Re:so what about all my old devices? by tlhIngan · · Score: 5, Informative

      If I have a 802.11b print server on my network, it might work fine. However, when I get home with my new 802.11n laptop & want to get on the web at 50mbit, that obsolete device can slow down my Netflix streaming because it hogs the channel for longer while someone prints to it.

      More to the point, a single user in a public Wifi area (stadium, coffee house, etc) with 802.11b would cause EVERYONE to have a slower connection. Their device is now obsolete and should not be permitted on the network.

      Except, you fail to realize one point.

      802.11 devices on the same channel are all affected. Even if they are on separate networks.

      It doesn't matter that your 802.11n network is fast. If your neighbour has an 802.11b device on the same channel on their network/strong, your network slows down.

      802.11 has channel signalling that applies to everyone on the channel, regardless of the network. Everyone obeys it as cooperation gets you better throughput than interference.

      So even if your network is 802.11ac compliant, as long as someone within range is on the same frequency, your network will slow down to accommodate their network.

      It's also why early "G-only" networks were doomed - just because your network only allows G clients in, someone on the same frequency using B forces G to downgrade.

      Just because two users are on two different networks, doesn't mean they can't influence each other. It's a shared medium.

      So your neighbour who's very happy with their 802.11b printer will still force your fast 802.11ac or 802.11n network to slow down until you change the channel, or helpfully upgrade their equipment.

    8. Re:so what about all my old devices? by Bloke+down+the+pub · · Score: 4, Funny

      And then send it back because it doesn't fucking work.

      --
      It's true I tell you, feller at work's next door neighbour read it in the paper.
  2. Re:Do anyone care about 2.5GHz speed? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Yeah, until you can't go through a thick wall, you know, like how people used to build houses before cardboard and sawdust were acceptable?

  3. This is a non-problem. by ZorinLynx · · Score: 4, Insightful

    All the newer, faster equipment supports the 5GHz band. Use a dual-radio access point, and set aside the 5GHz band for n/ac only. Run legacy devices on 2.4GHz. Use different network names for 2.4 and 5GHz so that people put their newer stuff on 5GHz.

    Easiest way to do this is have "networkname" and "networkname_fast". People whose devices support 5GHz will probably use the fast one. Those with only 2.4GHz-only devices won't even see the "fast" one and use the regular one. Everyone should be (relatively) happy.

    5GHz has been a godsend for WiFi performance. Sure, it doesn't penetrate as far as 2.4GHz, but in managed setups this is wonderful. Spend a little bit more on additional access points and have MUCH better performance.