Effect of using a WIFI network on NAS performance?

[MacYost]

I am considering a QNAP TS-219P+ or Synology DS211(+) because they are both the best value for money in performance and features. As I concluded from the NAS Charts on SmallNetBuilder. I will be using it over a 802.11g network, which will be upgraded to a 802.11n network in the near future.

Recently someone suggested that my wireless network will always be the bottleneck in this setup. I understand now that a 802.11n network (approx 100 Mbits/sec) will only support data transfers of approx. 12 MBytes/sec.

Am I concluding correctly that my NAS will not need to have a higher that 12 MB/s writing or reading speed, because it will be crippled down by my WIFI network anyway? So I can buy a cheaper NAS ("last year's model"), with less performance than the latest models?

Thanks for your insights!

 

[teknojnky]

Am I concluding correctly that my NAS will not need to have a higher that 12 MB/s writing or reading speed, because it will be crippled down by my WIFI network anyway? So I can buy a cheaper NAS ("last year's model"), with less performance than the latest models?

essentially, yes.

and if I recall correctly, 12mbs is optimistic (meaning, your real world use will likely be even slower).


you really really really are much better off using gbit ethernet, especially if you intend to do alot of file xfers, but at a minimum you will want to do the initial copy the data over to the nas via gbit.

 

[f41yaz]

so theres no point in me getting the synolgoy ds212 over the netgear readynas ultra 2 for better speeds as it will be crippled down by the wifi?

ds212 is £40 more, is it worht it, than teh ultra 2??

 

[patrickgerry]

If you only have wireless then the statement is true. Wired connections can benefit from 80-100Mbps file transfers or even more. This is based on the performance of the QNAP 259 pro+.

 

[stevech]

above, beware ambiguous bits vs. bytes in the numbers (80Mbps probably means 80MBps).....

bps = bits per second
Bps = bytes per second.

bps = Bps times 8

NAS should connect to network via wired cable for speed and reliability.

 

[patrickgerry]

yes I meant at least 80MBps when wired.