QuickerTek nCard

Reviewed by Wayne LeFevre

Introduction

I am a switcher. I purchased a Mac mini last year when it first went Intel. Therefore, I was very disappointed when I found out that the 802.11n backwards compatibility with the past Macs did not extend to the non–Core 2 Duo machines. You can imagine the excitement I had when QuickerTek was expanding past antennas and transceivers and actually moving into Airport cards.

The nCard replaces your current Airport card installed inside your computer, though QuickerTek has the PCMCIA card in the wings due in July for your PowerBook. My Mac mini kit included the nCard, an external antenna, external antenna cable, a screwdriver and instructions. The 802.11n standards need a second antenna for the MIMO to operate correctly.

QuickerTek describes MIMO as Multi-Input Multi-Output, meaning both the Base Station (or Router) and the Mac (or PC) must have multiple antennas to employ something called "spatial-multiplexing". This is most important in the speed department, think of it as having a 4-lane highway instead of a 2-lane highway, and having plenty of traffic for the former!

Getting Started

Installation - Not for the faint of heart. Your present Airport card will need to be replaced. Luckily, QuickerTek has professional installation for just a few dollars more. Otherwise, tools are included, though a putty knife will be needed for the Mac mini. The nCard is a direct replacement for your present 802.11b/g card, and QuickerTek has an nCard for all your older Macs including the mini, iMac, Mac Book/Pro and even a PCMCIA card for older PowerBooks.

I had only a few trip–ups when installing the card into my Mac mini. After replacing the card, I initially forgot which connector the original antenna connected to. The QuickerTek instructions could be a little more informative, as they are simply photocopied, difficult to view the pictures, and do not have a lot of detail. I called tech support and was informed which connector to connect the original antenna and which one to connect the newly provided antenna. The next problem I had was installing the support software to turn on the n capabilities of the card. The software provided on the CD needed the original Apple "n" upgrade software in the root directory in order to install. Whether or not the QuickerTek software needed to be installed or not, it was included and the instructions told me to run the installer. I had to extract Apple's upgrade software out of the Base Station Extreme installation package, place that into the root directory, then run QuickerTek's CD in order for everything to install correctly. Now on the QuickerTek website, it states "Since this wireless upgrade uses standard parts, no drivers or other changes need to be made, nor are additional steps required to use the higher speed 'n' upgrade." So, I'm not quite sure if they still include the installation software or not.

Using the Hardware

After everything was sorted, I placed the ABSE into "n" only mode and the Mac mini connected right up. What surprised me was the poor readings I was getting in iStumbler when in 5 GHz mode. I was getting a signal of around 35%, and the Base Station was only about 12 feet away, behind one indoor wall. I understood that putting the Base

Station into 5GHz Wide mode and you would get twice the distance and a lot less interference than the 2.4 GHz mode. I spoke with Rick Estes from QuickerTek and was quickly schooled differently. When I put the Base Station into 2.4 GHz "n" only, I get a signal of 80%+. Unfortunately, every time we use our portable phone the network drops off.

Throughput with the nCard is terrific. If you are interested in the 802.11n and have, or have been looking into getting the new Base Station, than you know about the speed increases and advantages. So this reviewer will just tell you that the QuickerTek nCard works as advertised and works just as well as the card in my Core 2 Duo iMac. With the new PCMCIA card, and now I see that they are offering a PCI card and a USB solution, there is now a way for all older machines to be on the "n" bandwagon.

The only drawback I see is the price. The nCards are not an inexpensive upgrade and can cost as much as the Airport Base Station Extreme itself. However, if you need or want to be on a fast, wireless network, of all the same bandwidth and type, the QuickerTek nCard is the perfect solution for older Macs.