Q: how can I tell if my computer will accept an 802.11n router?

Click on your type of Mac here - http://www.apple.com/support/mac/ and then click on Tech Specs and look up your model.  That will tell you what capabilities it has.

My late 2008 MacBook Pro has 802.11n, so it has been in machines for more then just a few years now.  Apple started adding it back when 802.11n was still in draft form - it was appearing in MacBook Pro's as early as 2006.

This web site will give you details of your Mac from its serial number.

http://www.powerbookmedic.com/identify-mac-serial.php

It will give lots of details including the spec of the wifi.

One thing to keep in mind is that the 802.11 specs are backward compatible so an 802.11ac should work with any of the previous standards, you will not get the speed of the new standard but it should work as good as what you have at the moment. If your router is 802.11g and your Mac is an n, you should see a speed increase if your internet connection is faster than the 802.11g standard.

Under "About this Mac", just post back with your "Model Identifier" from the very top entry in the hardware summary.  We can figure it out from there.

You can also put your serial number in here - https://selfsolve.apple.com and the Apple summary should say what model you have.

Yes it can All Routers are Backward compatible and can be used  with older computers that are 802.11 a, b, g,

All of the Airport Exterme Routers that are new will support 802.11 a, b, g, n, ac.

and will work on any of the of the older computers. Oh, I almost forgot it doesn't matter the manufacture or the brand All Routers are Backward Compatible.

Cheers

Don

That is how it should work, however it is always best to check the specs before purchase. They are usually written on the box and easy to find.

For instance, not a recommendation, but look at the specs for the Apple AirPort Extreme, see link, it notes Wireless, security and compatibility of the device.

https://www.apple.com/uk/airport-extreme/specs/

Has noted in both my posts I say "should work" that is why I suggest checking the specs but I think you would be unlucky to select a new router and it not work with older devices, my new Airport Express works with my iPod g, and the iPad n, iMac and MacBook Pro n.

kimismyname wrote:

 

So am I to understand that it really doesn't matter about the age of the iMac and compatibility? That if I am using the 802.11g/2.4GhHz that I can just go and shop without paying attention to a,b,g,n,or ac as regards compatibility?

Compatibility is almost assured, in that yes, it will connect.  But if your connecting device is only capable of 802.11g speeds, then buying and connecting it to an 802.11n router is somewhat pointless - it will just default down to 802.11g speeds.  The 802.11 standards are backwards compatible, so that older devices can always still connect, but unless you actually have some 802.11n capable devices, or your current router is actually failing in some way, buying one seems a waste of money to me.

The 802.11 standards are always being enhanced, so it really only makes sense to update your network hardware if you can take advantage of newer standards, or your current network hardware is failing.  Otherwise, its best to wait until you really can take advantage of the newer features, and then buy the latest router hardware possible.

If you have a mix of 802.11g and 802.11n devices, then it might make sense to upgrade to a new, simultaneous dual-band router.  That would be one that supports connections, at the same time, on two frequency bands - 2.4GHz and 5GHz.  That way, you may be able to configure things to keep the 802.11g devices on the 2.4GHz band only, and the the 802.11n devices on the 5GHz band only, so your throughput speeds are optimized.

I have my Netgear router set up that way (WNDR4500, aka NetGear n900) - 802.11g devices @ 2.4GHz and the 802.11n devices @ 5GHz.

As Micheal as pointed out, is there a reason you feel you need a new router?

Well you usually find out when you try it, one thing is the 5Ghz signal does not travel as far as the 2.4Ghz ones, but they suffer less inteference and can be faster.

If the signal is good with the 802.11g router throughout the house there is a good chance that a 2.4Ghz will be OK, but router performance differs and I can give no hard a fast rules on what will perform the best.

The wireless access point I use is the Airport Express, the lastest version, and it covers my small house very well. It does not extend into my garden very far and I use another AEp to extend the wireless to the garden in summer.

This does have other implications in that it can reduce the speed but it works for me.

If you can buy the router on a trial, Apple store normally have a 14 day return policy in the UK, not sure about other areas, it would allow you to test and be happy with the item. No doubt other suppliers offer similar return policy.

Edit.

Just noticed it seems as I am suggesting a 2.4Ghz, I am not, if you are buying new you may as well get the lastest technology as it is backwards compatible.

The organic material in the walls is not the big issue - it is more about what wiring, ducting, piping and such run through them and are in the line of sight between your router and your device(s).  Also, big appliances against walls and in the way (stoves, refrigerators, washer/dryer and such) can be a problem.

While it adds expense, keep in mind that you can use multiple devices to bridge distance if necessary, so you can bridge two Apple Airport Extremes if you need to extend wifi signal - see http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4260.

You can do this with other devices as well, not just Apple wifi routers, but if it is something you think you may want to do, check carefully the models you look at to be sure they do support such a setup (the cheaper a wifi router, the fewer features it may support so bargain-basement priced devices often do have limitations).

Most reputable electronic stores will have a unconditional return period although it may be fairly short (Apple's is 14 days), but if a device was a complete bust for your specific configuration, you should be able to return it.

Keep in mind too that even for 802.11g speeds, most peoples bottleneck is their actual ISP connection to the internet, not their internal network hardware.  So where you really see the improved speeds as you upgrade will be between your own devices - sharing files and data between your own devices on your own internal network is much faster over an 802.11n connection than an 802.11g.  But if your ISP is capped at say, 10-15Mbps, then the fact that your 802.11n router can hit 100+Mbps is moot as far as the internet goes.

I have an 1886 Victorian an there is No Problem if you purchase a Good Wireless Router. If you don't choose an Apple product be sure you get one that has an antenna. The reason is because Apple uses the best equiment available while others do not.

Cheers

Don