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I have an 802.11n compatible adapter and router set to transmit using the N protocol (all settings on auto). I'd like to find out if I'm actually using it or if I am connecting with the a/b/g protocols.

I'm using Windows 7. Router is Cisco Linksys 1200N.

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3 Answers

up vote 3 down vote accepted

Click on Network icon in system tray. Then right-click on connected wireless network & click Status.
List of Live Networks
In the next dialogue box, see the speed of network as located in following screenshot:
Wireless Network Status
If your speed is greater than 130Mbps, its 802.11N otherwise not. Some standard values for 802.11N are 150Mbps & 300Mbps. In my case, its 802.11g as speed is 54Mbps.

Update:
If you want to see clear solid indicator, simply hover over connected wireless network. You can find Radio Type in tooltip.
Tooltip of Wireless Network
In the screenshot, you can see that my Radio Type is 802.11g.

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I guess I was hoping for a clearer indicator. As I said in a comment to the other answer, it was the 54Mb that got me suspicious. Thanks for the answer. – Xenorose Jan 25 '12 at 10:36
1  
802.11n can connect at lower speeds than 150mbps. 150 is a common maximum, but often conditions force a lesser speed. – Joel Coehoorn Jul 1 '12 at 0:04
1  
This Answer is wrong. You can't tell for sure from the rates, and you got the rate threshold wrong anyway. 802.11g (and 802.11a) maxes out at 54mbps, so anything higher than that is a sign you're on something post-802.11g (could be proprietary things like bonded super-G 108mbps, or Airgo MIMO-G if you gear supports that), but not necessarily N. Also, there are many N-specific rates that are lower than A/G's max 54mbps. – Spiff Jul 1 '12 at 0:48
@Spiff See the update.. – Sachin Shekhar Aug 7 '12 at 18:22
@SachinShekhar That update is a great answer all by itself. If you edit again to remove everything that came before it and make that update your whole answer, I'd happily change my downvote to an upvote. But the idea of looking at rates is misguided, and your specific text about interpreting rates (right before your update section) is outright wrong on several points. – Spiff Aug 7 '12 at 19:17
up vote 2 down vote

On Windows 7 the status box doesn't seem to pop up but if you mouse over the connection link a box appears that says 802.11n if you are on n.

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up vote 0 down vote

Go to the Network and Sharing Center and select Change Adapter Settings. Right-click your wireless adapter and click "Status". It should say somewhere there whether you're using Wireless-N, Wireless-G, etc.

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Unless I'm missing something, the "Status" dialog doesn't tell you what kind of wireless you are using. – Nick2253 Jan 24 '12 at 21:23
It doesn't say anything about that, it does say it is connected at a speed of 54Mb which makes me suspicious that it's not N. – Xenorose Jan 24 '12 at 21:25

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