Speed-Boosted Wi-Fi.

This article evaluates several enhanced and speed-boosted 802.11g devices: AirStation 125 High-Speed Mode Wireless Cable/DSL Router with AOSS from Buffalo Technology; Linksys Wireless-G Router with Speed Booster from Cisco Systems; and AirPlus XtremeG DI-624 from D-Link Systems. The second generation of 802.11g promises speeds of 108 to 125 megabytes per second (mbps). The high-speed wireless mode is non-standard: in order to get the promised speed increases, the user have to utilize both cards and routers that have the same type of speed-boosting technology, currently selling in two competing variants: 108 and 125 mbps. Though all these devices are certified Wi-Fi G compatible that simply means they will perform in the standard 54-mbps 802.11g mode with G cards and routers from other vendors. Super G has been criticized in the past for using so much of the Wireless Fidelity band that other networks in the vicinity, which normally would seek out and use non-overlapping channels to avoid interference problems, could be affected. Users should probably not be buying these routers in the first place. When reliable and compatible Wireless Fidelity service for typical broadband connections are needed, an inexpensive 802.11g router will provide all the speed required.