Maximum PC

I think I may have asked this before a month or two ago, so please accept the apologies for a potential "double post" in advance...

Anyway, I've got a situation where I need Wireless-N speeds (300Mbps) but can't run a wire, so my only option is Wireless. Now, the computer that is going to need the Wireless adapater only has a USB 2.0 port. Is this fast enough to provide for streaming?? Or is USB2.0 too slow for this? (I know USB2.0 runs at 480Mbps, and HD streaming requires around 300Mbps), but considering the 480Mbps is a maximum and not neccesarily an actual speed, is using a Wireless-N USB2.0 adapater going to be fast enough to receive streamed HD video?

I stream high bitrate titles from my media servers to an isolated HTPC using an 802.11n 300 Mbps USB 2.0 adapter.

This also worked with a 150 Mbps adapter as well, but would occasionally stutter.

I would suggest one of the 5 GHz dual band adapters and routers for best throughput.

n0b0dykn0ws

HD streaming is not going to require 300mbps, not even close. More like 25mbps (obviously this can vary a bit, up or down, depending on the codec), which is why wireless G is unreliable. Very few wireless G systems can achieve 25mbps reliably, if at all, so wireless N becomes necessary. Unless you have an unusually bad wireless environment, I would think most ppl could achieve 70-80mbps (measured). And obviously USB 2.0 @ 480mbps, even taking into account some inefficiencies, is not going to be a problem.

N will be fine as long as your within range where it doesn't have to drop to slower speeds. Most of the time bluray seems to be around 30Mbps. Also remember that wifi is a half duplex media, so 300Mbps you are referring to is if you did full duplex (which you can't) on N wifi. So really if everything was perfect in theory your best speed would be 150Mbps (but don't plan on that). I think that is where you are getting the 300Mbps number from (since G can't really handle it you have to go to N).