Apple to charge $1.99 for 802.11n downloads

Stan Beer
Saturday, 20 January 2007 07:41

Your IT - Home IT

Apple has confirmed that it intends to charge customers a nominal US$1.99 for a software download which will enable the super fast 802.11n wireless technology laying dormant in their Intel Core 2 Duo and Xeon based Macintosh computers.

The data throughput of 802.11n, rated at 540 Mbit/sec, is almost 50 times faster than the 11 Mbit/sec 802.11b, and 10 times as fast as the 54Mbit/sec 802.11a and 802.11g. The indoor range of the 802.11n standard is also greater, rated at 50m compared to the 30m of the other 802.11 standards.

Mac users can download software to access 802.11n wireless networks for US$1.99, a fee which Apple has imposed in order to comply with GAAP (generally accepted accounting principles).

At Macworld in San Francisco two weeks ago, Apple released its new generation Airport Extreme base station, which supports 802.11n and sells for US$179.