Linksys router/WNIC never connects at full speed 11.0Mbps only...

C

CrashGawker

Gawd
Joined
May 30, 2002
Messages
630
I've got a WMP54GS wireless NIC and a WRT54GS router. I installed the card and connected and found that I was unable to connect at speeds faster than 11.0Mbps. I thought maybe there was a problem with the operating system since I had been doing a TON of tweaking over the past few months before installing the card so I installed a fresh Os today only to find that again I can't get a full speed connection to my network. It might connect at 54.0 or maybe 36.0 but within SECONDS it drops to 11.0 which is completely KILLING my network.

Anyone have any ideas what might be causing this problem and how to fix it?
 
Is the problem signal strength or wireless interference?

If your signal strength is too low, then you need to try placing the WRT54GS somewhere else, or buy a new antenna for the router or your adapter. If signal strength looks good, and you still can't achieve higher speeds, then the cause is probably interference.

Did you eliminate the following?
  1. 2.4GHz cordless phones;
  2. 2.4GHz wireless video / monitoring systems;
  3. Bluetooth (2.4GHz) keyboards and mice;
  4. Flourescent lamps near your routers / nic.
That's the first step to eliminate interference with your 802.11g network. Of course, if you live in an apartment or condo, you're still subject to the interference caused by your neighbors.

With most drivers, Windows XP will report 54Mbps anytime that you connect with 802.11g. However, that has nothing to do with the actual sync rate.

Wireless sync with 2.4Ghz wireless video system on

The x.x.x.112 system is the Playstation3 in my living room. The x.x.x.102 is a PC in an office downstairs. That particular office has a lot of RF interference when certain equipment is on. I turned that equipment on for the above screenshot, and XP showed 54Mbps with signal strength of 4 bars. But look at the actual sync speed, as reported by the D-Link router. The wireless errors reported on the D-Link's status page increment regularly.

The below screenshot is with that equipment turned off. The signal strength is similar, and Windows reports the same 54Mbps, but the actual sync speed is very different. Wireless errors, as reported on the D-Link's status screen, are largely eliminated.

Wireless sync with 2.4Ghz wireless video system off

I live in a suburban neighborhood, so there is a fair amount of distance between my home and the next. Hence, interference from other peoples' 2.4GHz devices, such as cordless phones, cordless mice/keyboards, wireless video cameras, and the like is kept to a minimum. If you live in an apartment complex, there is almost certainly more interference in the 2.4GHz spectrum, even if you see only one or two 802.11g networks. Also remember that Windows will only show wireless networks that broadcast their SSID; many enthusiasts disable their SSID broadcast for security reasons.
 
CrashGawker said:
internals.jpg
Click to expand...
Oh my.

If the rest of your room is anything like that, RF interference is probably off the charts. :D
 
Why is half that tree in there. :p

Run Netstumbler to find any other wireless network nearby then log the channel number.

Log into your router and try changing the wireless channel to an unpopulated one or one that gets the best signal.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top