How to improve wireless internet speed?

P

plyer3

Limp Gawd
Joined
Jul 20, 2008
Messages
132
Ok here's the situation. I have Comcast Blast internet plan which gives me 50/20 speeds. I recently had to move downstairs and no longer enjoy the speed I get from having my laptop connected via Ethernet. When I moved downstairs I was getting horrible speeds, from 43 Mbps to like 1.xx Mbps.

I then decided to upgrade my Asus N56U to an Asus AC-66U, also my modem Motorola SB6121 to SB6141. Also placed my modem and router to about the center of the house, as best as I could place it.

My speed improved, I now get from anywhere around 10-20 Mbps on download. My upload around 10 Mbps, but can drop to 1.xx Mbps as well. I'm still not satisfy. For some reason, I feel like it lags whenever I try to go to a site or watch a movie. As soon as it "starts" loading, it loads instantly after that if you know what I mean? Like it would take 3-4 seconds then instantly load the website or video.

I know it's not the range.....I mean I even hooked up an Asus repeater/extender and had it placed downstairs but I didn't see any improvements from that so I got rid of the repeater. The repeater was about 10-15 ft vertical down from the AC-66U. The repeater was less than 50 ft from my room downstairs.

My other solutions are the Powerline Network Adapter Kit or have Comcast come and run an Ethernet cable to my room downstairs. I just got the Actiontec powerline network kit from Amazon for $20 on its lightning deal so I may give that a try soon.

Comcast is coming to install additional outlets for upstairs soon so I told them to run an ethernet and they said not a problem. Install fee was the same either way. If tech were able to run an Ethernet from router to my room, can't I just get one of those Desktop Switch and share that Ethernet with the PS4 and laptop?


The AC-66U was set up using the default settings. Channnels are done by Auto, and nobody really uses the internet. I just want better speeds for my computer and PS4.


Thanks, I know a bit about the basics but never really got into anything beyond this.
 
Last edited:
If you haven't performed a basic wireless survey...you're just throwing darts around randomly and hopping something sticks.

Running a physical cable will work, MoCA networking as well. Not all powerline (homeplug AV) equipment is the same. Most of it is quite terrible. You generally get what you pay for.

It really sounds like you're just buying stuff and randomly hoping something works.


Install inSSIDer on your laptop, and run a survey from a preferred location where you want stuff to work and post the results here.... that should give us an idea of what kind of wireless environment you have and what kind of tactics can be used. If your wireless can not be improved we can suggest some alternatives. A physical wire will always be the best option....not the cheapest or most practical.
 
Mackintire said:
If you haven't performed a basic wireless survey...you're just throwing darts around randomly and hopping something sticks.

Running a physical cable will work, MoCA networking as well. Not all powerline (homeplug AV) equipment is the same. Most of it is quite terrible. You generally get what you pay for.

It really sounds like you're just buying stuff and randomly hoping something works.


Install inSSIDer on your laptop, and run a survey from a preferred location where you want stuff to work and post the results here.... that should give us an idea of what kind of wireless environment you have and what kind of tactics can be used. If your wireless can not be improved we can suggest some alternatives. A physical wire will always be the best option....not the cheapest or most practical.
Click to expand...

What information from inSSIDer do you? I installed it and looking at my SSID now. It's on channel 6 with link scores ranging from 39 to 51, although hit stays around 41-45. Signal is around -60 dBm.

Max Rate: 216
Co-Channel: 0 Networks
Overlapping: 3 Networks

Next closest network has similar signal strength, most likely from neighbor. They're on Channels 1, 10, and 11.
 
You'll want to choose the channel that has the least amount of interference, aka highest link score. But before you do anything please read onward.

Also your wireless configuration is causing some of your grief. Go into your router and change (channel width) to 20Mhz.

Your link rate will drop from 216 to 144, your link score should go up and your number of overlapping channels should drop. Not viewable directly in inSSIDer your usable throughput will also go up.

Once you have changed your channel width. Go back into inSSIDer and see if you can figure out what channel will be give the least interference. You want to choose the one with the weakest overlapping signal. Your valid choices are 1,6 and 11.

From your description Channel 6 may be your best bet. Your channel width looks to be the biggest issue causing your problems.

Also go to the router and take the left and right antennas and tile them 45 degrees to the left and right. Tilt the center antenna 45 degrees backwards. That should help with your signal getting downstairs a bit. The antenna is radiating the strongest at a 90 degree angle from the direction of the antenna. So if they are sticking straight up your strongest radiation pattern will cover the floor that the router exists on. Tilting the antennas at 30-45 degree angles should project a little more of the signal downstairs and upstairs. Also those short factory 2db antennas like to radiate out and up in a spherical radiation pattern......(downward not as much)
 
Last edited:
I've changed the channel width to 20Mhz

Numbers from inSSIDer
Max Rate: 216
Co-Channel: 0
Overlapping: 2 Networks
Signal: -52 to -58 dBm
Link score: 58-68ish, does go up to 81 once a while.

Channel 6, looks like I'm currently the only one on channel 6 in the nearby area.

I do notice a boost in ping, down, and up from speedtest.net
 
You still have 2 overlapping networks.


Channel 1...bleeds over up into channel 3 and down below 1

Channel 6...bleeds down to 3 and up to 9

Channel 11 bleed over to channel 14 and down to 9

If you have 0 overlapping networks you would have no interference and your link score would probably be higher.

inSSIDer may be giving you some inaccurate data from your previous session as your link rate is still showing 216.


You're off to a good start....
 
I exited the program and opened it twice, still shows Max Rate as 216.

Ok I see what you mean by those channels now. I checked another SSID on the list, 3rd in the list that's on Channel 1 and it has 1 overlapping networks with 1 co-channel network now. Should I try channel 1?

All the others including mine have 3 overlapping channels and up.

Also, my 5Ghz is on. That's on 20/40/80 MHz and Auto Channel. Not sure if this would affect anything.....only my iPhone 5s and MacBook Pro retina can use 5Ghz network. My main laptop only uses the 2.4 network.
 
Ok, I just changed my channel to 1

The Link score has changed to a constant 80-83. 0 Overlapping networks. Co-Channel had 2 but dropped to 1 network now.....

Everything else looks the same.

Thanks, looks like there seems to be a major difference with the 20MHz mainly. I do notice websites loading faster without that first 3-4 sec lag.

Thanks again for your help! I'll prob still have Comcast run that Ethernet if they can when they come install the outlets.
 
No problem.

Knowing is half the battle. Your 5Ghz equipment isn t going to affect your 2.4Ghz stuff.


80-83 is much better.


I have idiot neighbors as well, one of them changes his channel every few weeks forcing me to change mine so my stuff works well.

Later,

Mackintire
 
Looks like I'll have to use this program more to monitor my wireless network more, good piece of information to know. It's great learning new stuff like this.

I'm satisfied with this speed for now.

Goodnight
 
Ok, I decided to try the Auctiontec powerline adapter kit and surprisingly it works perfectly. Getting speed of 33/10 Mbps using it on my laptop.

Bumping this thread for an answer on the best way to share the Ethernet on the other end. Should I plug in my Asus repeater into it and share the connection via Ethernets between my laptop and ps4? Or would something like one of those 5-port desktop switch work?
 
I am also on Comcast 50Mb/s and I use the Actiontec MOCA bridge kit to connect my basement to the third floor. I get about 95Mb/s and 2-3ms latency with encryption enabled, if the devices had 1Gb interfaces it would be much higher. Powerline isn't even close, but if you must use it I would use a switch with decent QoS for all your devices and at that point you might as well have purchased the MOCA bridge.
 
Last edited:
My house is taken care of now, the powerline works fine for now.

Now for my parents' house in nyc.....I need to get another router since Verizon Fios' modem/router sucks. Gets 15 Mbps on a 75 Mbps plan...
 
There's lot going on in this thread so I'll leave a few comments.

If your can not get 75Mbps when directly connected to the FIOS router, Verizon needs to replace your actiontec router (and they will, if you ask them).


MoCA (ethernet over cable in your house) comes in two specs currently 1.1 and 2.0 1.1 is rated at 270Mbps, but some dig dong manufacturers pair it with fast ethernet ports that only run at 100Mbps. If you buy the model with Gigabit ports you'll see the faster 270Mbps speeds. MoCA works quite well as connections and noise are not usually a problem.

MoCA 2.0 devices should start showing up later in 2014. Netgear as a product page with a unreleased WiFi extender that is MoCA 2.0


Powerline ethernet aka Homeplug comes in AV, AV+ and AV2 specs.
Avoid anything spec'd as AV !!!!
AV+ and AV2 are about the same if you have crappy wiring and long distances.
AV2 can be twice as fast as AV+ when both adapters are placed on the same electrical phase.
AV2 can also use the electrical ground as a communication signal. This enables AV2 adapters to work in places where older homeplug devices could not function.


Do not use Powerline ethernet if you have Arc Fault breakers.
Do not plug in a Powerline ethernet adapter into a surge protector.


Breakdown:

AV typically 10-20Mbps (Listed as 200Mbps) if it works at all.

AV+ typicall 10-45Mbps (Listed as 500Mbps) when on the same electrical phase.
If you are using 3 or more adapters you may see speeds as high as 90Mbps combined throughput across all the adapters.

AV2 typically 10-85Mbps (Listed as 600Mbps) (up to 160Mbps under ideal connections for a single stream) If you are using 3 or more adapters you may see speeds as high as 180Mbps combined throughput across all the adapters.



For streaming video, or any situation where you are streaming UDP packets:

Using a physical Ethernet cable is the best option
MoCA is the second best choice
Powerline networking (Homeplug) is the third best choice
Wireless is your final choice


The one caveat to the list above is that you must maintain enough bandwidth for your application to work correctly.

A 30Mbps homeplug conection will have far better performance than a 30Mbps wiring less connection. MoCA usually hits its rated speed almost every time at 95Mbps or 270Mbps.

Homeplug is 100% dependent on the quality of your home's wiring.

I am using a AV2 homeplug connection to connect to my third floor. My 80Mbps homeplug connection is more consistent than my 144Mbps wireless connection and in some instances, such as when I am running duplex traffic it is faster.
 
According to you, then I shouldn't be using the powerline for the NYC house. The house has recently be remodeled and I believe they had to install Arc fault breakers.....

Well I guess the best choice is just to get a better wireless router and change the channels to get the best link score as I had success w earlier.

My original option was to use the powerline to get the wireless router on the second floor, Verizon decided to put the box in the basement.......


I have to have wireless for NYC house so physical ethernet is out of the question.
 
Actually I just found out that every room has a coaxial output......

Looking at some options right now......I'm not sure how Verizon FIOS works compared to my comcast in AR. Couldnt I use the MoCA and set up a second wireless modem on the second floor and disable the wireless on the Verizon modem/router?
 
plyer3 said:
Actually I just found out that every room has a coaxial output......

Looking at some options right now......I'm not sure how Verizon FIOS works compared to my comcast in AR. Couldnt I use the MoCA and set up a second wireless modem on the second floor and disable the wireless on the Verizon modem/router?
Click to expand...


Yes you could use MoCA, infact they make MoCA connected APs.

AV2 works with Arc Fault breakers (using the ground line for transmissions) but you'll never see anything faster than 40Mbps and that is a best case scenario.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top