wireless N backwards compatibility...

Nakatomi2010

So, I'm planning on upgrading my internal network, primarily for speed increases wirelessly for transfering files around internally within a network... I'm contemplating going to Wireless N but I don't know about its backwards compatibility... If a G device connects to an N network, does the entire network go to down to G, like G goes to B, or are we able to have variable speeds now?

In summary, if a G device connects to an N network, or even a B device, will I lose the highspeed advantage of 'N'? (Needs to be a HIGH speed transfer rate to accomodate my 1TB worth of data that needs backing up on my server here at home...)

JWFokker

To my knowledge, if a G device connects to the network, the entire network then runs on the G spec. This may have changed with newer products, but all the Pre-N hardware I've bothered to look at defaults to G in a mixed spec network. However, if a B device connects, it does not slow the entire network down. G and N devices will continue to run at G spec.

Nakatomi2010

I went ahead and bought it to test it myself... I bought the WRT350N and the WMP300N, and the card is currently connected at a steady 162mbps, so its three times faster, and my wife's laptop, the Wii and my pocket PC is not slowing anythign down... So its backwards compatibility seems to be a bit moot....

Pheezer

I know I've read a few times that B spec devices in a G network definitely result in a decrease in speed, but I haven't read anything about N networks, one way or the other.