how many computers can share broadband over airport?

#1 Fri, 13 Sep 2002 - 12:51

If i hook my cable modem (or even DSL, T1, or whatever) up to an airport, how many macs can share this connection without it being too slow? thanks

ben

#2 Fri, 13 Sep 2002 - 13:40

Any connection has a fixed bandwidth. That said, if you have a 1mbps connection, 5 clients would spread out to 5 X 200kbps(~25 kiloBYTES/sec, the number your browser shows) each. I have a G4DP on a DSL modem and share that connection with my iBook via Airport. No base station, airport card in the duallie also. My DSL is 512 kbps and the only time I hit the limit is when I'm downloading something big on both Macs. Otherwise I see about 400kbps on a single download.

#3 Fri, 13 Sep 2002 - 13:41

lots. I don't think the limit is anything you could reach in a residential setting. might check appple.com/airport for more. maybe they have an exact figure.

#4 Fri, 13 Sep 2002 - 13:53

50 users on the newer Airport, I think 11 or 12 on the graphite.

http://www.apple.com/airport/

#5 Fri, 13 Sep 2002 - 15:25

I'm sending this to the networking forum, since it's a networking question

BTW, it's 10 on the old, 50 on the new.

#6 Sat, 14 Sep 2002 - 13:40

Quote:

Originally posted by Scotttheking:
BTW, it's 10 on the old, 50 on the new.

Is it 50 because Apple SAYS it's 50, or is it really, truly 50?

In theory, the DHCP server typically hands out a class C address meaning the limit is actually 253 hosts.

Are Apple saying 50 because they're artificially limiting the box to 50, or are they saying that because by the time more than 50 users get online, you're dividing the bandwidth up so much that the user experience degrades?