[UK-CONTEST] XP Home vs Professional

[Peter Bowyer]

Clive

For a home user, the wireless networking built in to Windows XP Home
is identical to that in XP Professional. There are differences in the
way Pro handles roaming between networks, but you don't need that in
your circumstances.

Having said that, I always avoid using wireless unless I'm forced to -
if you can arrange for an ethernet cable, do so - they can be as long
as you need them to all practical purposes in a home environment.
There's way less to go wrong with wired ethernet.

Dual core is another matter, and as it seems you already know, you
need XP Pro to take advantage of a dual core or dual processor PC.

HTH

Peter G4MJS

On 24/08/06, Clive Whelan <clive.whelan at btinternet.com> wrote:
> Hi list
>
> I recently replaced my old Dell desk top with a dual core
> Pentium 3.0Ghz machine, and confess to being very
> disappointed with the performance- at least in respect of
> stability.
>
> The machine does all the usual domestic stuff- WP,
> Spreadsheet etc- as well as serve as the contest driver. To
> this end it now uses no hardwired serial ports at all, but
> relies upon third party USB converters including ICOM C-IV
> interfaces from PIEXX and microHam. Also the microKeyer from
> the aforementioned uses virtual USB serial ports for all
> control within N1MM logger. These all work pretty well in
> their own right, as they did under the Dell.
>
> I also use a Linksys Wireless G device for connecting to the
> BT 2500V Wireless modem router. However, the latter has been
> giving me so much grief, that I have latterly run an
> Ethernet cable across the shack at great risk to life and
> limb, in respect to tripping over the cable! The connection
> is so much more reliable and faster, even though previously
> the 2.4Ghz antennas were only about 3ft apart. The jury is
> still out on whether this will reduce the aggro. when using
> other apps. and increase stability.
>
> A non radio friend tells me that XP Home is very poor in the
> field of wireless networking, and although it does work, it
> should not be considered for a "serious" system. Just
> looking at what the machine is doing, it's clear that my
> system is far from simple. Additionally I am pretty much
> convinced, that although the USB to serial protocols do seem
> to work well, that they present a large processing overhead
> to the system, even a dual core processor. I therefore
> wonder if I should consider upgrading to XP Pro. Clearly if
> this were a low cost option, I would do it without second
> thoughts, but sadly that is not the case. Therefore the
> perspective of anyone who has personal experience in the
> area would be welcome.
>
>
> tia
>
>
> 73
>
>
> Clive
>
> _______________________________________________
> UK-Contest mailing list
> UK-Contest at contesting.com
> http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/uk-contest
>


-- 
Peter Bowyer
Email: peter at bowyer.org