Increasing speed of wireless connection?

[Super Warrior]

Ok i connect wirelessly to a router across my house, and while i don't get fantastic speed that far away, normally its still pretty nice most of the time. Lately though it has been slow as hell(5.5mps, low signal range).

Here's the thing: when i disconnect and go to look up the available wireless access points, the router says signal strength is GOOD and shows 3 out of 5 bars lit up. Yet when i connect i only have 1 bar most of the time and get a low signal.

Is there some kind of option we don't know about thats keeping my comp from getting the speed it should have?

Any suggestions would be GREATLY appreciated.

[redwudz]

For an experiment, bring the router and PC closer. If your signal doesn't improve, then you have a problem. Other than that, try moving the router around while checking the signal. You may find a better position for it close to where it presently is. You can also buy outboard antennas for most PC interfaces and some routers that could boost the signal strength.

And if your router isn't encrypting the signal, you may also have someone else using your connection, which could cause a slowdown.

[Super Warrior]

For an experiment, bring the router and PC closer. If your signal doesn't improve, then you have a problem. Other than that, try moving the router around while checking the signal. You may find a better position for it close to where it presently is. You can also buy outboard antennas for most PC interfaces and some routers that could boost the signal strength.

And if your router isn't encrypting the signal, you may also have someone else using your connection, which could cause a slowdown.

I checked for spyware & viruses with AVG, all clean. For encryption i think i have WEP.

And i don't think i can position things any better.

[edDV]

5.5Mb/s sustained maximum is typical for a B connection.

[Super Warrior]

5.5Mb/s sustained maximum is typical for a B connection.

And about as fast as a dial-up connection, sometimes slower?

Usually i get 11-18mbps at lowest.

[Super Warrior]

Ok my connection is better now, i usually get 3 out of 5 bars, 18-24mbps, and a "good" signal.

Maybe my ISP was just having a bad few days.

[Krispy Kritter]

You're ISP has no bearing on your signal level with your router. Your signal level is showing your connection quality to your router which shouldn't change regardless of the router even being connected to the internet. Low signal levels could be a sign of hardware issues (router or NIC), distance between the two, or just interence from an outside source. You can try changing channels in your router, which sometimes helps (all routers default to channel 6 and most users don't change them).

Data transfer rates are affected by your signal quality and/or the amount of traffic with the router. You may want to use different/better security on your router. Most routers also allow you to login and check the users connected, which will show you if someone is using your connection. Regardless of the number of users or the amount of traffic to/from your router, the signal level shouldn't change. Signal levels and the amount of traffic are seperate.

[TBoneit]

Antenna orientation can affect signal strenth too. Example most laptops have the antenna in the screen.

[thecoalman]

Super[/url] Warrior]

5.5Mb/s sustained maximum is typical for a B connection.

And about as fast as a dial-up connection, sometimes slower?

Usually i get 11-18mbps at lowest.

Ummm no, dial up is 56kbps , 5.5mbps is 5500kbps or almost 100X faster.

That's about the max for a lot of typical cable connections.

[Super Warrior]

Ummm no, dial up is 56kbps , 5.5mbps is 5500kbps or almost 100X faster.

That's about the max for a lot of typical cable connections.

Not on mine. When my wireless connection says its at "5.5mbps", it is going really *SLOW* for me.

Slower than when using dial-up. As in i'll click on stuff and i'll be lucky if anything happens.

You're ISP has no bearing on your signal level with your router. Your signal level is showing your connection quality to your router which shouldn't change regardless of the router even being connected to the internet. Low signal levels could be a sign of hardware issues (router or NIC), distance between the two, or just interence from an outside source. You can try changing channels in your router, which sometimes helps (all routers default to channel 6 and most users don't change them).

Data transfer rates are affected by your signal quality and/or the amount of traffic with the router. You may want to use different/better security on your router. Most routers also allow you to login and check the users connected, which will show you if someone is using your connection. Regardless of the number of users or the amount of traffic to/from your router, the signal level shouldn't change. Signal levels and the amount of traffic are seperate.

MAYBE theres interference of some kind but i don't know what it could be, and i've checked network connections on my ISP online to see if anyone else was on it. It only showed my comp and a family member's connected.

There are times when i'm getting Nice speed, like right now, and then instances where it slows to nearly dead such as earlier.

[edDV]

802.11 b has peak burst 11Mb/s, sustained max ~5.5Mb/s.

Actual will be below that depending on many factors that slow it down. Every bad/missing packet must be resent, then bad/missing packets from the resend need to be resent again and so it goes.

[thecoalman]

Super[/url] Warrior]


Not on mine. When my wireless connection says its at "5.5mbps", it is going really *SLOW* for me.

I was just pointing out that 5.5mbps is not equivalent to 56k.

[Krispy Kritter]

The only way to begin ruling things out is by testing. If your router has RJ45 ports for LAN, then you could test router and ISP speed using the LAN whenever your wireless is having issues. If not, then you could connect your modem directly to your PC and check the speed/performance. However, since you mentioned your signal level changing, I suspect you are only having wireless issues, NOT modem/ISP issues.

[oldandinthe way]

Wireless LANs are subject to interference from many sources. Cordless phone and other electronic devices using the same frequencies. Other users who may be using the same channel on their router.

If you are using Channel 6, the likelihood is you are seeing competition from other users. Its the default on almost every router. This is intermittant, only reducing your throughput if there is traffic on the other net.

Check all of the networks which may be in your area and their channels. If your wireless software does not have this function you need to find a software wireless sniffer.

WiFi is a cruddy technology, given the limitations of frequency and bandwidth. Most users do not have the knowledge to troubleshoot it, and the maker's of equipment if they provided proper documentation would scare the hell out of those users.

P.S. Many laptops with built in Wi-Fi have crummy antennas.

[mats.hogberg]

Last week, I was tearing my hair out, as my to that point very reliable connection suddenly started to get disconnected quite frequently. After a few days, I discovered the source of my troubles: My cell phone! As soon as I put the phone at my desk (with the computer on the floor below; like 0.6-0.7 m between WiFi card antenna and phone) - I lost connection. Put it 2 meters away - all fine.

/Mats

[oldandinthe way]

Mats

Not an uncommon story. It's too bad it takes a brainstorm to find the answer. No one warns wifi users.

[Super Warrior]

Yeah i dunno what was up fellas, but i'm getting NICE signal speed right now.

I've no idea what could've changed between back then and now

If you are using Channel 6, the likelihood is you are seeing competition from other users. Its the default on almost every router. This is intermittant, only reducing your throughput if there is traffic on the other net.

If i changed the channel, to say chann 5, maybe things would be better?

[edDV]

Super[/url] Warrior]Yeah i dunno what was up fellas, but i'm getting NICE signal speed right now.

I've no idea what could've changed between back then and now

If you are using Channel 6, the likelihood is you are seeing competition from other users. Its the default on almost every router. This is intermittant, only reducing your throughput if there is traffic on the other net.

If i changed the channel, to say chann 5, maybe things would be better?

Get netstumbler and see what channels all your neighbors are using. Steer to a clear channel. G connections use multiple channels.

[oldandinthe way]

And remember to check from all of the areas of your home where you may use the computer.

Your neighbor's signal may only be strong enough to interfere in certain rooms.

[AlanHK]

Your neighbor's signal may only be strong enough to interfere in certain rooms.

If it is interference, try changing the channel your access point uses. Try that anyway. There should be an option in its config.

[CobraPilot]

I made one of these almost-free do-it-yourself directional antennas for my router and improved my wireless signal enough to be glad I did.

www.freeantennas.com/projects/template2/

I made two of the reflectors and used them to "sandwich" a sheet of aluminum foil between the two. I glued the foil to the "back" and then glued the "front" to the foil.

This link shows how the same antenna could be used with a USB wireless network device. www.usbwifi.orcon.net.nz/cardwifi.jpg

This link has over 80 DIY antenna ideas: www.usbwifi.orcon.net.nz/

[edDV]

For commercial solutions see these links. Just don't point directional antennas at neighbors.

http://www.hyperlinktech.com/
http://www.radiolabs.com/

[mats.hogberg]

I made one of these almost-free do-it-yourself directional antennas for my router and improved my wireless signal enough to be glad I did.

I tried that too, and it possibly (it always fluctuates some) took my signal from something like 74 to 75%. Obviously, YMMV! But since it's free, it's perhaps worth a try.

/Mats

[DarrellS]

I installed this netstumbler program and everytime I start it up, it says "no wireless adaptors found". Is it not supposed to see the adaptors that are in my house (I have two) and only my neighbors?

Also, since seeing this thread and downloading the netstumbler program, I've been checking my network lately through Windows and at certain times I am seeing a computer called Sunnie-pc. I have no idea who this is. If I click on the computer it says that "The server Sunnie-pc could not be found on my network. Is this the FBI or the police or is this one of my neighbors stealing my internet connection. I've never seen this computer on my network until we moved here in the last month.

[AlanHK]

I installed this netstumbler program and every time I start it up, it says "no wireless adaptors found". Is it not supposed to see the adaptors that are in my house (I have two) and only my neighbors?

Also, since seeing this thread and downloading the netstumbler program, I've been checking my network lately through Windows and at certain times I am seeing a computer called Sunnie-pc. I have no idea who this is. If I click on the computer it says that "The server Sunnie-pc could not be found on my network. Is this the FBI or the police or is this one of my neighbors stealing my internet connection. I've never seen this computer on my network until we moved here in the last month.

"Wireless adaptors" refers to the receiver in or connected to your PC, not the access points. If it can't find that, it can't work at all. Stumbler is not compatible with all wireless adapters, read the FAQ and see if your hardware is listed.

As for "Sunnie PC", sometimes it seems Windows remembers old connections, but they are long gone in reality. If you get Stumbler working it should tell you something about that. Sometimes access points can be detected, but are too weak (far away) to make a coonection.

I assume your wifi access point is connected to a router (or is built into it).
If so, you should be able to access a status page on the router that shows you all the connections made to it, and probably a log of past connections. Possibly your access point has its own status page, read the manual.

I hope you have WPA passwords enabled.

One of my neighbours has an open access point, the name appeared to be a default manufacturer's name, so Googling that I found its manual and default passwords... of course he hadn't changed these either so I could log in the router and see all the connections that had been made. If I wanted to be a jerk I could have locked him out of his own router, but I contented myself with snooping (note: I didn't penetrate his PC, just the router, I'm no black hat).

[mats.hogberg]

Surely a neighbor "stealing" your connection. At times, some of our computers picks the wrong wireless connection at startup (I usually see 4-5 wireless connections that's not mine) and connects to some neighbours open network - So it's not certain Sunnie-pc even knows he's on your network.
If you're uncomfortable with this, use encrypted connection (WPA).

/Mats

[DarrellS]

I guess I'll have to learn how to set up the encryption. I was just lucky that I figured out how to get us connected to the internet when I bought the router a couple of years ago.

I looked under my routers' settings and there are six computer addresses listed and I only know who three of them are. Sunnie-pc is on the list.

[edDV]

I guess I'll have to learn how to set up the encryption. I was just lucky that I figured out how to get us connected to the internet when I bought the router a couple of years ago.

I looked under my routers' settings and there are six computer addresses listed and I only know who three of them are. Sunnie-pc is on the list.

If you have file sharing turned on, Sunnie-pc can read your shared files.

[DarrellS]

I lost my fear and went to my router page and set the encryption for WPA and set the password for both my Airlink adaptors. There were multiple defaults, multiple Linksys and 5 or 6 other users when I went to set the adaptor password.

[AlanHK]

I lost my fear and went to my router page and set the encryption for WPA and set the password for both my Airlink adaptors. There were multiple defaults, multiple Linksys and 5 or 6 other users when I went to set the adaptor password.

If you haven't already, also set or change the password for the admin page of the router.

With non-default passwords and WPA on, you're not invulnerable, but it will take at least a few hours work for a hacker to get in. Plenty of neighbours give a softer target.