What can I do to speed up my wireless internet speed?

[Vithar]

I use a powerline connector from time to time and I get 100 MBPS on that and when I plug my computer into my router again I get 100 MBPS but when I use my wireless adapter I only get 50 MBPS. What can I do to get 100 MBPS out of my wireless adapter?

 

[Mopower]

Get a 802.11 N router and adapter.

 

[Elf_Boy]

Use N or AC, spend lots of money on top of the line router and wireless adapter, or run ethernet cable.

I work in the industry. WiFi is very nice and convenient, however do not count on it for speed or a constant connection. Far to many things to list can and will interrupt your signal no matter what you do.

Out of curiosity, for what do you need the speed? Have a specific use? Just want to get the best you can? Likely 50 is over what your ISP is providing anyways.

*EB*

 

[Mackintire]

I use a powerline connector from time to time and I get 100 MBPS on that and when I plug my computer into my router again I get 100 MBPS but when I use my wireless adapter I only get 50 MBPS. What can I do to get 100 MBPS out of my wireless adapter?

The advice you have been given is sound and will give you better performance than what you have currently.

But you should know that you are functionally quoting a Apples to Oranges comparison.



MBps, Mbps and Mbps are three different things.

MBps is Mega Bytes per second.

mbps is milli bits per second.

Powerline's negotiated rate, an Ethernet negotiated rate and a wireless negotiated rate....may all have the same number but totally different performance.


Mbps or Mega bits per second is typically what all three are usually rated at.

Powerline adapters that negotiate at 100Mbps have a usable data throughput of about 20-30 Mbps or 2.5-3.75 MBps total bandwith adding up a potential of both directions of data flow at the same time.

Ethernet is not rated the same way. 100Mbps ethernet can move 200Mbps of data per second or 100Mbps in each direction. That's approximately 12MBps in either direction or 24MBps total.

Wireles is a half duplex protocol. Assuming you see a 54Mbit connection, and are using WPA -PSK encryption you have approximately 23Mbps of usable bandwidth or 2.8MBps to share between all your wireless devices. Since wireless is half duplex similar to powerline all data combined will not add up to a number higher than 2.8 MBps.

If you have a correctly configured 20Mhz wireless N system, with a good signal you would negotiate a rate of 144Mbps of which approximately 88Mbps of which is usable for data transfer. Dividing by 8 to get MBps you get 11MBps.

In the case above wireless N gives you 3-4 times the usable speed.


Technically if you live on an island have can get a 40Mhz wireless N setup to negotiate at 300Mbps you can have almost 180Mbps of throughput. That the closest to 100Mbps ethernet as you can currently get on wireles. As you then have 180Mbps of usable throughput compared to the 200Mbps of usable throughput on ethernet. In practice running wirelesn N at a 40Mhz channel bandwidth is about as easy as a 400lb man eating a twinkie while tightrope walking across Niagra falls (Horseshoe falls).

This concludes this evenings lessons and I bid you goodnight.

 

[diizzy]

In short, you'll very rarely get over 100mbit using wireless (11n).
//Danne