Could anyone here confirm what the chipset in the macbook(not pro) is? Broadcom, Atheros, etc????

thanks,

-dev

[PB PM]

Its the Airport Extreme, just like every other Mac airport card, so whoever makes those, makes the card that is in the Macbook.

[Partial]

yes and in addition to that, it is simply amazing. Works so much better than the latest powerpc products in terms of wireless range!

[k squared]

But do you think the improved range is due to better antenna placement or chipset?

[doublem9876]

I've heard it's due simply to the fact that the MacBook has a plastic encasing (as opposed to the MacBook Pro's).

[Brad]

...which should give it the same range and reception as the plastic iBooks.

[Partial]

Originally Posted by k squared But do you think the improved range is due to better antenna placement or chipset?

Better antenna placing. The difference is night and day, and I believe the chip and plastic are the exact same. Perhaps its a bigger antenna?

[Brad]

tensdanny38: to exactly which PowerPC products are you comparing the MacBook's wireless?

[chucker]

Originally Posted by PB PM Its the Airport Extreme, just like every other Mac airport card, so whoever makes those, makes the card that is in the Macbook.

"AirPort Extreme" is just branding, and doesn't refer to any particular chip or implementation, but merely to the fact that it's Wireless LAN ("AirPort"; this term predates "WiFi"), and that it's 54 MBit/s ("Extreme"), rather than 11. Many PowerPC-based Macs implemented a Broadcom chip on a MiniPCI daughter card. Many implemented it right on the motherboard. (I believe it's a BCM4712KFB or similar in both cases.) The Intel Macs, however, use an Atheros 5424. One notable difference is support for 802.11a, although Apple doesn't actually let you use this. (Not sure if the Boot Camp drivers do.)

[Partial]

Originally Posted by Brad tensdanny38: to exactly which PowerPC products are you comparing the MacBook's wireless?

iBook 12" 1.2 ghz G4

[Partial]

Originally Posted by chucker "AirPort Extreme" is just branding, and doesn't refer to any particular chip or implementation, but merely to the fact that it's Wireless LAN ("AirPort"; this term predates "WiFi"), and that it's 54 MBit/s ("Extreme"), rather than 11. Many PowerPC-based Macs implemented a Broadcom chip on a MiniPCI daughter card. Many implemented it right on the motherboard. (I believe it's a BCM4712KFB or similar in both cases.) The Intel Macs, however, use an Atheros 5424. One notable difference is support for 802.11a, although Apple doesn't actually let you use this. (Not sure if the Boot Camp drivers do.)

How do you know everything?

[chucker]

Originally Posted by tensdanny38 How do you know everything?

I don't have a life.

[Maciej]

We all have to make sacrifices somewhere.

[chucker]

Originally Posted by Maciej We all have to make sacrifices somewhere.

Now that's what I call being euphemistic.

[PB PM]

Originally Posted by tensdanny38 iBook 12" 1.2 ghz G4

My 14" iBook often picks up wireless signals that PC uses, with A/B/G wireless don't pickup. Maybe they improved the chipset in the last generation of iBooks.

[kgarchar]

my macbooks antenna picks up way more signals than the ibook ever did

[blakbyrd]

Originally Posted by kgarchar my macbooks antenna picks up way more signals than the ibook ever did

I'll second that.

[bassplayinMacFiend]

Last night I set up my MacBook and it had strong connections to four different wireless networks. Four! Three of them required passwords but the fourth was a Linksys router that was taken out of the box and turned on. At least, that's what I'm guessing since the network was named linksys.

Anyway, my HP laptop could only barely detect one of these four WiFi networks (Broadcom chipset) and my previous PowerBook didn't detect any of them. Needless to say I'm quite impressed with the WiFi reception of my new MacBook, especially since I didn't have to dig my original Airport out of mothballs and try to set it up last night.

[brassguy]

so does the MacBook have better reception than the MacBookPro?

I've seen several times written that people think that the metal on the MBP makes the range not as good as on the reg MB.

If this is true, how much better is the MB than the MBP in the wireless network detection and strength department?

Is MBP airport still better than older mac laptops?

[World Leader Pretend]

Maybe because Apple designed the MacBook to have great reception, even designed to be better than the MBP. Apple is using the MacBook to showcase portability and usability. I got an email from Apple (one of their mass mailings) and it specifically was showcasing the MB's wireless abilities.

Maybe they were designed to be the best?

[Partial]

Originally Posted by brassguy so does the MacBook have better reception than the MacBookPro? I've seen several times written that people think that the metal on the MBP makes the range not as good as on the reg MB. If this is true, how much better is the MB than the MBP in the wireless network detection and strength department? Is MBP airport still better than older mac laptops?

I have word for a reliable user that the airport on a 15" mbp is significantly better than a first-gen 15" al book. Significantly. Like 2 bars on the al book to full bars on the mbp.

The MacBook crushes the mbp. Crushes it. Much, much better range.

[Partial]

Originally Posted by World Leader Pretend Maybe because Apple designed the MacBook to have great reception, even designed to be better than the MBP. Apple is using the MacBook to showcase portability and usability. I got an email from Apple (one of their mass mailings) and it specifically was showcasing the MB's wireless abilities. Maybe they were designed to be the best?

Nah, they did all they could to give the mpb great range (and it is stellar range) by moving the antenna. It is simply the aluminum enclosure that is inhibiting it from going further.