Wireless N, how fast should it be?

[imported_Jid]

I've a home network of 2 laptops and 1 desktop connected through a TP-Link Wireless N Modem/Router. With the size of files these days I'm taking interest in router speed but I'm new at this, I'm pretty sure I'm getting horrible speeds though.. the fastest a transfer between two machines ever goes for me is exactly 1MB/sec and it seems to cap there while other times it'll drop to ~500-600KB/sec.

I've checked that both machines are connected at at least 150Mbps in Wireless Network Connection status in Win7 (1 of the laptops is saying 300Mbps), I'm testing with 5-10gig video files so it's not like a thousand text files or anything like that. I've checked on a conversion website that 150Mbps should be 18MB/sec so even accounting for the fact that I'll never have optimal conditions 1MB/sec seems like something is really wrong? I was really hoping I could stream 720p or even 1080p video to the laptop which serves as an HTPC but even 720p plays choppy.

Any ideas what it could be? Where do I start troubleshooting this thing?

 

[Vincent]

I have gotten 4-8 MB/s over 802.11n when transferring from a wired connection to a laptop. I haven't measured speed when transferring between two wireless devices but I would not be surprised if this were much slower.

Does it help if the laptops are closer to the router?

 

[spidey07]

Likely interference. Change channels to 1, 6, 11 and check antenna position and other sources of interference like phones, bluetooth, microwaves, baby monitors. Anything in the 2.4 Ghz spectrum.

 

[JackMDS]

Wireless N, how fast should it be?

As fast as YMMV.

Functional 8MB is about it in most cases.

 

[wirednuts]

i always get around 3megabytes per second in the 150mbs mode... and 5-6 megabytes in the 300mbs mode (which usually connects around 270mbs)

 

[imported_Jid]

I should've clarified that my desktop is actually furthest from the router and I'm using one of those USB receivers. So, after bringing the router and laptop close to the desktop I was able to get ~3.5MB/s at times, definately an improvement and I guess I am having interference issues. Changing channels reveals 6, the default, is best so I couldn't improve anything that way.

There was something really strange though, I played with the bandwidth in the router, it was set to 40MHz which caused the laptop to read 300Mbps and the desktop read 150Mbps, when I changed to 20MHz the laptop said 150Mbps as I expected but the desktop said 72Mbps. I thought maybe 150Mbps was the receivers limit but if that was the case it shouldn't fall to 72Mbps right?

Also with the router farther away I get horrible speeds again in 40MHz but 20MHz yields a small improvement to ~1.5MB/s, I guess 300Mbps is faster but more susceptible to interference? I don't know if this USB receiver thing isn't just messed up

EDIT: Oh p.s., I live in a not too large 1bdrm apartment so I'm not dealing with huge distances, I also don't have lots of wireless devices but maybe my neighbours do

 

[imported_Jid]

Man, if I could get 8MB/sec that would be pretty amazing right now. Even 6 or actually a stable 3.5 would do, but no I'm getting 1MB/sec or less with the router in the old position.

Just about to give up, screw wireless N

 

[PurdueRy]

I agree check interference since you are in a apt. How many other 2.4GHz devices are nearby? Perhaps you should consider moving to 5GHz.

 

[spidey07]

I agree check interference since you are in a apt. How many other 2.4GHz devices are nearby? Perhaps you should consider moving to 5GHz.

I don't know how to make it more clear. The 2.4 Ghz spectrum is way too crowded, apartment complex even more so. It's becoming useless.

You may show 150+ Mbs data rate but that doesn't factor in all the noise on the channels. It's becoming worthless for wireless, truly it is. I've effectively given up on it unless you own the spectrum from an IS/Policy perspective and ban all use of that band.

Essentially, avoid this band if you want performance.

 

[imported_Jid]

Hmm.. I'll keep that in mind next time I go router/modem shopping. When my DSL contract runs out I might consider a switch and then I may need a new one. For now I'll have to keep it oldschool with my little flash drives.

What do you guys think about the USB receiver thing though? Why would it report 150Mbps when the router is set to 300Mbps and the laptop confirms that and then it goes down to 72Mbps in 150Mbps mode.. and this is with the router right NEXT to the desktop. Could the receiver be messed up? Too bad I don't have another laptop with wireless N to test this

 

[JackMDS]

Because the connection is Not via cable and the electrons do not move through Cupper.

http://www.ezlan.net/wbars.html

 

[Emulex]

65mbps versus 54mbps - mostly. somedays better - somedays worse.

 

[mosco]

Hmm.. I'll keep that in mind next time I go router/modem shopping. When my DSL contract runs out I might consider a switch and then I may need a new one. For now I'll have to keep it oldschool with my little flash drives.

What do you guys think about the USB receiver thing though? Why would it report 150Mbps when the router is set to 300Mbps and the laptop confirms that and then it goes down to 72Mbps in 150Mbps mode.. and this is with the router right NEXT to the desktop. Could the receiver be messed up? Too bad I don't have another laptop with wireless N to test this

Are you sure the usb adapter is 2 stream(300mbits)?

 

[PUN]

i get about 9MB-10MB from my N to another N device...it depends on the files.

 

[PurdueRy]

i get about 9MB-10MB from my N to another N device...it depends on the files.

That's about what I get, varies between 8.5MB and 12MB/s depending on the alignment of the stars.

 

[imported_Jid]

Are you sure the usb adapter is 2 stream(300mbits)?

bought it a while ago before I knew any of that but I'm pretty sure it can't do 300Mbps, that is what I figured when I saw 150Mbps while the laptop was 300Mbps. What I don't get is the 72Mbps it reads when the router is in 150Mbps mode, I expected it to read 150Mbps still since that is single stream correct? But it just reads 72 even with the router really close. I think I'm just being nitpicky here, a better receiver won't get this network to do what I was hoping anyway (stream at least 720p video).

At least thanks to this thread I reoriented the router and switched it to 20MHz, it seems to give me a pretty consistent ~1-1.5MB/sec.

 

[imported_Jid]

That's about what I get, varies between 8.5MB and 12MB/s depending on the alignment of the stars.

Wow, I can't even get half that speed with the damn things nearly touching eachother.

 

[mosco]

bought it a while ago before I knew any of that but I'm pretty sure it can't do 300Mbps, that is what I figured when I saw 150Mbps while the laptop was 300Mbps. What I don't get is the 72Mbps it reads when the router is in 150Mbps mode, I expected it to read 150Mbps still since that is single stream correct? But it just reads 72 even with the router really close. I think I'm just being nitpicky here, a better receiver won't get this network to do what I was hoping anyway (stream at least 720p video).

At least thanks to this thread I reoriented the router and switched it to 20MHz, it seems to give me a pretty consistent ~1-1.5MB/sec.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IEEE_802.11n-2009

At 150Mbps mode, the router is operating using a single 20mhz channel (no bonding). If you have a single stream client, the max rate you will see is 72. So chances are that usb client is single stream.

 

[mosco]

Wow, I can't even get half that speed with the damn things nearly touching eachother.

I have a WNDR3700 and the matching netgear 5ghz access point and I have gotten as high as 17MB/sec windows file transfer for a single large file.

 

[imported_Jid]

Hey guys, decided to walk down to the convenience store and pick up a patch cable to connect straight to the modem/router which I relocated to the bedroom (desktop location).. not sure why I did that since I could've kept using wireless

Anyway, not changing anything I get 3.5MB/sec right now which might sound crappy to you 12MB/sec guys but 1080p MKV streams perfectly fine which makes me very very happy . I was so fixated with the USB receiver thing because I was thinking it was garbage but now it looks like the laptop receiver isn't doing much better, maybe my router ain't all that good or the interference is just that bad. I'll play with settings maybe I can get a bit more out of my network but for my needs I'd say mission accomplished.

Thank you for the help!

 

[Rubycon]

I have a WNDR3700 and the matching netgear 5ghz access point and I have gotten as high as 17MB/sec windows file transfer for a single large file.

Yes with 5GHz it's possible to hit 200Mbps (actual) BUT your range is quite limited. Those speeds drop very fast once you distance yourself even a few meters out.

 

[Vincent]

Download a program called inSSIDer and it will show you the frequencies that your neighbors are using. Choose the one where you will see the least interference.

 

[imported_Jid]

Now she's goin, changed back to 40MHz, changed something called "Control Sideband" to "Upper" this made the most difference, Channel 7 works best now, DTIM Interval don't know what this is but changing from 1 to 3 seems to have helped.. now I get ~9MB/sec.

Finally!

 

[PUN]

I have a WNDR3700 and the matching netgear 5ghz access point and I have gotten as high as 17MB/sec windows file transfer for a single large file.

WNDR3700 N speed is ridiculously high...i should switch from wrt610n

 

[Synomenon]

How do I do these file transfer tests?

I just got a Linksys E4200. The PC is an Acer laptop with an Intel Centrino Ultimate-N 6300 wifi card. I'm using the E4200's 5GHz radio and Windows shows 405 to 450Mbps up to 40ft. away with walls in between.

I know what Windows shows isn't a reliable indicator of the actual network speed, but for the first time ever, Windows is showing the speed of up to 450Mbps. The highest I ever saw on a Linksys E3000 was 250 to 300Mbps.

I also have a Linksys WET610N wifi bridge on a TV downstairs and before with the E3000, the 5GHz signal was only around 30%. With the E4200 the 5GHz signal is now around 65%.