As a result of a thread in OT, I decided to run some benchmarks on my network at home. Here are the results.
First, some info on the hardware running the network:
Internet connection is RoadRunner cable. Wireless tests done approx 50-60ft from WAP inside house...no direct line of sight.
Firewall/VPN Gateway
Astaro V4
celeron 400
256mb Pc133
4Gb 5400rpm
WAN NIC: 10/100
LAN NIC: 10/100
DMZ NIC: 10/100
Access Point
Linksys WAP54G
Laptop
Celeron M 1.3
512mb DDR 266
30Gb 4200rpm
Wireless: Intel 2200
Wired: Broadcom 10/100/1000
External FTP
ftp.us.kernel.org
Internal FTP
Pentium III 733
64mb PC133
Wired 10/100
Internal Switches
DMZ Dlink 10/100 5 port
LAN Dlink 10/100 8 port
VPN
PPTP, Astaro box is termination point.
Wireless Security Setuo
1. No SSID broadcast
2. WPA security on WAP, using RADIUS authentication against freeRadius
3. Wireless network is on a separate subnet from my wired network and physically separate using Astaro
5. No DHCP in wireless zone
6. MAC address filtering on Wireless
7. PPTP VPN required to access internal wired network
First two test will compare the download speeds from kernel.org from the wireless and the wired network using the laptop. All wireless traffice is going from the laptop to the WAP, then to the Astaro box, then outside. All wired traffic goes through the Astaro box and then outside.
Transfer 1:
Laptop in DMZ to external FTP on Wireless no VPN
Network Status Excellent at 54Mbs
Server: ftp.us.kernel.org
Test File: linux-2.6.11.3.tar.gz size: 46,590,231
Result
226 Transfer complete.
ftp: 46768465 bytes received in 153.95Seconds 303.79Kbytes/sec.
Transfer 2:
Laptop in LAN to external FTP on Wired no VPN
Server: ftp.us.kernel.org
Test File: linux-2.6.11.3.tar.gz size: 46,590,231
Result
226 Transfer complete.
ftp: 46767827 bytes received in 120.79Seconds 387.17Kbytes/sec.
The next two tests compare transfers from the DMZ to the LAN using the stated security settings. Transfer 3 uses the VPN and Transfer 4 does not.
Transfer 3:
Laptop in DMZ to internal FTP on Wireless with VPN
Network Status Excellent at 54Mbs
Server: ftp.cyberfrogs.net
Test File: linux-2.6.11.3.tar.gz size: 46,590,231
Result
226 Transfer complete.
ftp: 46767827 bytes received in 27.61Seconds 1693.93Kbytes/sec.
Transfer 4:
Laptop in DMZ to internal FTP on Wireless no VPN
Network Status Excellent at 54Mbs
Server: ftp.cyberfrogs.net
Test File: linux-2.6.11.3.tar.gz size: 46,590,231
Result
226 Transfer complete.
ftp: 46767827 bytes received in 18.98Seconds 2464.45Kbytes/sec.
Test five is a transfer with the laptop on the wired network and in the same subnet, just as a comparison.
Transfer 5:
Laptop in LAN to internal FTP on Wired no VPN
Server: ftp.cyberfrogs.net
Test File: linux-2.6.11.3.tar.gz size: 46,590,231
Result
226 Transfer complete.
ftp: 46767827 bytes received in 5.38Seconds 8696.14Kbytes/sec.
Conclusions
1. Well for startes I should disable security entirely on the wap for a few min and test that as well (find out how much overhead due to WPA?) but I am in no mood to that today.
2. Since the tests were not run 10-15 times a piece due to lack of time, its going to be hard to say where the discrepency came from. However, tests 1 and 2 are pretty close, and since I have no control over the traffic on the ftp.kernel.org side I can only attribute the difference to more traffic when test 2 was run. Logic would dictate that if there was a difference that it would have to be in favor of the wired card, and it was not....result, wireless security no effect on internet browsing.
3. For Test 3 and 4, again, I ran them a couple times and they looked similiar...I'd say the VPN adds a bit of overhead to transfers. I can clearly see this when streaming movies (2gb/hr) recorded in SageTV from the LAN to the DMZ...using the VPN I get a studder now and then. When the VPN is not being used I don not get these stutters. It's not a huge difference and it doesn't bother me (you're threshold may vary)....result, I prefer the extra security of the VPN when I need to access my wired network. I'm sure plenty of people enable file/printer sharing across the wireless....might be ok for them....not me.
4. Test 5 is just there as a comparison....not much to say other than the obvious....10/100 wired is still better than wireless
First, some info on the hardware running the network:
Internet connection is RoadRunner cable. Wireless tests done approx 50-60ft from WAP inside house...no direct line of sight.
Firewall/VPN Gateway
Astaro V4
celeron 400
256mb Pc133
4Gb 5400rpm
WAN NIC: 10/100
LAN NIC: 10/100
DMZ NIC: 10/100
Access Point
Linksys WAP54G
Laptop
Celeron M 1.3
512mb DDR 266
30Gb 4200rpm
Wireless: Intel 2200
Wired: Broadcom 10/100/1000
External FTP
ftp.us.kernel.org
Internal FTP
Pentium III 733
64mb PC133
Wired 10/100
Internal Switches
DMZ Dlink 10/100 5 port
LAN Dlink 10/100 8 port
VPN
PPTP, Astaro box is termination point.
Wireless Security Setuo
1. No SSID broadcast
2. WPA security on WAP, using RADIUS authentication against freeRadius
3. Wireless network is on a separate subnet from my wired network and physically separate using Astaro
5. No DHCP in wireless zone
6. MAC address filtering on Wireless
7. PPTP VPN required to access internal wired network
First two test will compare the download speeds from kernel.org from the wireless and the wired network using the laptop. All wireless traffice is going from the laptop to the WAP, then to the Astaro box, then outside. All wired traffic goes through the Astaro box and then outside.
Transfer 1:
Laptop in DMZ to external FTP on Wireless no VPN
Network Status Excellent at 54Mbs
Server: ftp.us.kernel.org
Test File: linux-2.6.11.3.tar.gz size: 46,590,231
Result
226 Transfer complete.
ftp: 46768465 bytes received in 153.95Seconds 303.79Kbytes/sec.
Transfer 2:
Laptop in LAN to external FTP on Wired no VPN
Server: ftp.us.kernel.org
Test File: linux-2.6.11.3.tar.gz size: 46,590,231
Result
226 Transfer complete.
ftp: 46767827 bytes received in 120.79Seconds 387.17Kbytes/sec.
The next two tests compare transfers from the DMZ to the LAN using the stated security settings. Transfer 3 uses the VPN and Transfer 4 does not.
Transfer 3:
Laptop in DMZ to internal FTP on Wireless with VPN
Network Status Excellent at 54Mbs
Server: ftp.cyberfrogs.net
Test File: linux-2.6.11.3.tar.gz size: 46,590,231
Result
226 Transfer complete.
ftp: 46767827 bytes received in 27.61Seconds 1693.93Kbytes/sec.
Transfer 4:
Laptop in DMZ to internal FTP on Wireless no VPN
Network Status Excellent at 54Mbs
Server: ftp.cyberfrogs.net
Test File: linux-2.6.11.3.tar.gz size: 46,590,231
Result
226 Transfer complete.
ftp: 46767827 bytes received in 18.98Seconds 2464.45Kbytes/sec.
Test five is a transfer with the laptop on the wired network and in the same subnet, just as a comparison.
Transfer 5:
Laptop in LAN to internal FTP on Wired no VPN
Server: ftp.cyberfrogs.net
Test File: linux-2.6.11.3.tar.gz size: 46,590,231
Result
226 Transfer complete.
ftp: 46767827 bytes received in 5.38Seconds 8696.14Kbytes/sec.
Conclusions
1. Well for startes I should disable security entirely on the wap for a few min and test that as well (find out how much overhead due to WPA?) but I am in no mood to that today.
2. Since the tests were not run 10-15 times a piece due to lack of time, its going to be hard to say where the discrepency came from. However, tests 1 and 2 are pretty close, and since I have no control over the traffic on the ftp.kernel.org side I can only attribute the difference to more traffic when test 2 was run. Logic would dictate that if there was a difference that it would have to be in favor of the wired card, and it was not....result, wireless security no effect on internet browsing.
3. For Test 3 and 4, again, I ran them a couple times and they looked similiar...I'd say the VPN adds a bit of overhead to transfers. I can clearly see this when streaming movies (2gb/hr) recorded in SageTV from the LAN to the DMZ...using the VPN I get a studder now and then. When the VPN is not being used I don not get these stutters. It's not a huge difference and it doesn't bother me (you're threshold may vary)....result, I prefer the extra security of the VPN when I need to access my wired network. I'm sure plenty of people enable file/printer sharing across the wireless....might be ok for them....not me.
4. Test 5 is just there as a comparison....not much to say other than the obvious....10/100 wired is still better than wireless
Facebook
Twitter