Droid & Wireless N

[pudah]

I thought that the Droid wasn't supposed to support 802.11n wi-fi.. just b&g. I upgraded my home network to n, and set it to fixed N only for optimal speed. I added a 802.11g access point just so the Droid could connect to the wi-fi as well. It all works just fine, but then I try to connect to the N router just to try it and it works fine. Anyone have any thoughts as to how the heck this is working?

 

[Sleeve]

Some brands of network gear can save their settings but not apply them. The N access point might still be running mixed mode.

 

[wsbsteven]

I noticed that also. My router says the Droid is Wireless N but the Droid only gets G speeds and slows down the network to 54Mbps. I think the Droid wireless is N in the hardware but only B&G are active. I have two access points setup for G and N only access so I just keep my Droid on the G one.

 

[pudah]

The router is in N only with a range of 20-40hhz. It is updated and functional, not just saved. I have other b/g only devices like a PS3, another laptop, a pda, etc and none can connect to the N router...only yhe Droid and my N laptops.

 

[Technoman]

The router is in N only with a range of 20-40hhz. It is updated and functional, not just saved. I have other b/g only devices like a PS3, another laptop, a pda, etc and none can connect to the N router...only yhe Droid and my N laptops.

Your DROID is "aware", and therefore can manage on it's own!!!
:icon_eek::icon_eek::icon_eek::icon_eek:

 

[Sleeve]

Given the garbage speedtest.net results I get on wifi g, I don't see much point messing around with N even if the Droid thinks it's connected. I can't get to the practical maximum on g. I can't even get to my broadband connection's maximum.

Although, being able to run your router in dedicated N is good for getting 300 speed between your N laptops.

 

[pudah]

Maybe so, but my point is more about trying to figure out how the droid can function on a N connection.

 

[bastosero]

It should be backwards compatible that way for some, BUT you won't be able to use the N speed from a G adapter/receiver. That's not uncommon at all.

 

[pudah]

It should be backwards compatible that way for some, BUT you won't be able to use the N speed from a G adapter/receiver. That's not uncommon at all.

... but it shouldnt be backwards compatible if the mixed mode is turned off, and it is not with any other b/g device. The only way I can think of that a device could use the internet from a wifi connection to a 802.11n only router is if the device has a n adapter itself. Im wondering if some Droids do and some don't or what the deal is. Mine is a refurb replacement from VZW with a late date code.

 

[bastosero]

Some g adapters are n compatible. So, I'm guessing the one that the droid has is compatible with it. It's not really uncommon, and it mixed mode doesn't have to be on. The g adapter just won't be able to use the n's "full throttle" of speed.

 

[bastosero]

Try to research what hardware the Droid uses and it might shed some light into this topic also.

 

[masterxchief]

My router is on N and G mode and when I connect my Droid over wifi, the router shows it running on N.

 

[pudah]

Some g adapters are n compatible. So, I'm guessing the one that the droid has is compatible with it. It's not really uncommon, and it mixed mode doesn't have to be on. The g adapter just won't be able to use the n's "full throttle" of speed.

I see... but why would it be N compatible, meaning it has the hardware capability of connecting with N, only to throttle back to G speeds. It seems kind of backwards. I have read a lot of conflicting things about the Droid wireless hardware. Some things state it is b/g/n without software support for N, some say it is just b/g, some say the G doesn't work, etc..

 

[Sleeve]

I've moved one of my wireless N access points from mixed mode to 2.4ghz N only and my Droid connected successfully. It is showing my Droid on a 64mbps speed. I have laptops on the N that are in the 200s.

However, my son's iPod Touch 2nd gen can also connect. I was actually running the AP in mixed for the iPod and Droid and for my family of iPhone users who visit. Seems I don't need to do that.

I know nothing about the wireless N spec, but this seems pretty odd. I know my access point's documentation says to use N only mode if possible for performance reasons. It has a specific mode for mixed b/g/n and I am sure that is off, it reboots when I make radio changes.

I'm wondering if there is some sort of compatibility spec in 2.4 ghz N. I run both 2.4 and 5ghz N. I know that almost nothing can see the 5ghz N, and that's the way I like it, that's my media network for Netflix, tversity, the Tivos and the Xbox 360s. But it seems that things I thought had no N ability are able to see the 2.4 N.

Baffled.

 

[DavePDX]

My router is on N and G mode and when I connect my Droid over wifi, the router shows it running on N.

My D-Link DAP-1522 wireless N bridge/access point is configured the same as you and reports that my Droid is running on N. I believe that is a D-Link software error in reporting that as when I've connected other wireless-G notebooks to the network they have shown up as connected by the N protocol when in fact they are only capable as wireless-G. YMMV.