Transferring large files over 802.11b isn’t really worth it. It’s faster to (1) burn a CD with the files and walk to the other computer (2) go to the store and buy an ethernet cable to wire the computers together (3) put the computers next to each other and type the text out on one computer while reading from the other.
4) Get a FireWire cable and transfer files using that. I don’t know if you can hook a Mac up to a PC using one, but Mac-to-Mac transfers are meant to be ridiculously easy (though I haven’t tried it myself yet): http://www.meyerweb.com/eric/thoughts/2004/07/21/firewire-transfer/
I actually knew about that before I even got a Mac, it’s what I get for hanging out with that bad apple crowd for so long. Haven’t tried it with a PC yet. Wouldn’t there be filesystem issues?
I have the same issues transfering files from my windows machine to my mac. Perhaps your having this same issue Matt? I think it’s the SMB shares, not the overall speed of 802.11b itself. Perhaps I am wrong.
No 802.11b is really slow. I top out at about 400K/sec. It may be worse because the computers are right next to each other so there’s radio interference or something when they’re both going.
I’ve found that if I pull over large amounts of individual files it seems to go quicker than if I ask for a single large file. Not sure if that’s even what’s happening, but it’s just what I notice.
I always hook into a 100mbps switched connection to my home network when I’m dumping large files off of the laptop. 802.11b, while adequate for the majority of my day-to-day needs, is too slow for me when it comes to moving large files around.
My lovely new router supports 802.11g, though. I’m SO tempted to buy a .g PC Card just to try it out.
You know what I just found out about 802.11G though? (I have a G router myself.) If there is a single B client on the system the whole network drops down to B speeds. So you only get the speed benefits if every client is G.
You could try FolderShare. I stumbled across this gem a while ago and have been more than happy. I’m only running the personal version, but the professional version allows syncing of only the parts of the files that have changed, as well as compression. Very cheap and very easy to use. I use it to sync files up on my work and home PCs.
Matt,
I don’t know if you comment on Friday July 23, 2004 @ 3:19 am is completely accurate. It would seem to me that two identical systems (meaning hardware and software configuration) would send and receive at the same rate. However, once these configurations change you can see dramatic differences, due to changes with the system resources. For this to be true your Hub or Router speed must match the speeds of your NIC card.
Now in my case I have a laptop that has a 54Mbps Wireless Card. I interface with my wireless router which also works up to 54 Mbps. The computers attached to this have 11 Mbps NIC’s. The other router also works at 11 Mbps and the NIC’s at their ends are 11 Mbps. The point I am trying to make is the following: from my laptop the only connection that reaches speeds up to 54 Mbps is from my laptop to the wireless router. Since everything else operates at 11 Mbps this is the fastest they can transfer those little ones and zeros.
If you have a lot of network activity (Intranet and Internet) on your end this is going to slow down your transfers as well.
I think he’s right, I just bought a WAP that operates at the b level and the first thing some people in the IT dept. told me if that if I ever get anything faster but still use b devices on it Ill pull down the speed of the entire network.
On another note, Im dissapointed to hear this, Ive been reading about your Linux desktop and the backup utility youve been using an Im duplicating it, which is why I bought this WAP, but if b is so slow, I wonder if Ill become frustrated with it and just lay a line.
I have to agree with this — believe it or not, in the fast-paced world we live in, 11Mbps just isn’t fast enough to make the wait bearable for big files. Streaming music, surfing the web, small files, etc though are great! Otherwise I plug in the 100Mbps ethernet with one of the most convenient little devices I’ve bought for my laptop — a Crossover Adapter — it makes any ordinary cable into a crossover cable! Genius! Highly reccomended for those who have one or more laptops and one or more desktops.