I have a home network with the following components and network capabilities.
- AirPort Express (A1264): 802.11a/b/g/Draft N = ?
- Mac Mini 2011: 802.11n = 54-600 Mbit/s
- MacBook Air 2014: 802.11ac = < 1 Gbit/s
When copying files between the Mini and the Air (using rsync over ssh) I get maximum transfer speeds of about 1 MByte/s, which is a major disappointment.
Actually, I get better download speeds from the Internet (2.5 MByte/s, limited by my type of broadband subscription) than between the two Macs.
I assume the Express is the major bottleneck, however my questions around this are as follows:
- What could possibly explain the ridiculously slow transfer speed of 1 MByte/s?
- Can the speed be improved by software adjustments? (I have the latest firmware)
- What is the maximum speed of the Express, given the "Draft N" specification?
- If I buy the newest Express with 802.11ac, what kind of speed can I expect?
- If I also buy the newest Mini with 802.11ac, what kind of speed can I expect?
- Is there anything else non-evident that would get in the way of optimal speeds?
Best Answer
If working to transfer between two Apple machines, you should know that other connections can be used: you can simply use a Ethernet LAN cable, and plug directly into the network port on both machines (using dongle if necessary). You do not need to use a 'patch' cable, as the network ports will self-configure properly. You can also use USB-C, Firewire or Thunderbolt as network connections. All of these options are far faster than using pretty much any WiFi.
For using other cables, its best to use Apple's Migration Assistant. You can also use Target Disk Mode, which allows you to simply mount the other Mac hard drive on your new Mac.