Wireless Speed

whardman · 07-28-2006, 11:12 AM

Any one have any tips on speeding up a wireless-g connection? I tested the speed and I only get around 16Mbps while connected at 54Mbps. Is this normal for a wireless connection? It has about the same speed even when next to the WAP so distance is not an issue.

crazijoe · 07-28-2006, 11:50 AM

Some wireless routers and APs can be equiped for QoS. You might want to check the configuration on the AP.

whardman · 07-28-2006, 01:32 PM

There is no QoS on the AP.

BTW, the AP is Linksys WAP54G and the adapter is Linksys WPC54GS V2. And firmware / drivers are up to date.

crazijoe · 07-28-2006, 08:30 PM

Well I'm kinda at a lost. Does it do the same whether encryption is on or off?

whardman · 07-29-2006, 08:28 AM

No encryption: 20Mbps
WEP: 19Mbps
WPA (TKIP): 16Mbps
WPA (AES): 15Mbps

Connected @ 24Mpbs WPA (TKIP) weak signal: 11Mbps

Any Ideas???

BTW, antenna alignment made no effect on speed.

**johnwill** · 07-29-2006, 01:31 PM

If you're getting 20 mbit transfers using 802.11g, everything is normal. The 54mbit specification is just the raw bit rate, but there is lots of overhead that chews up half that bandwidth. In addition, 802.11b/g is half-duplex, further sapping the transfer speeds.

It would help if you told us what you're actually measuring and exactly the tools you're using.

whardman · 07-29-2006, 03:16 PM

I would expect some overhead but I just thought that that was too much. I was using NetCPS to measure the raw speed with nothing using the wireless connection. Using this I was able to get ~80Mbps on a 100Mpbs connection.

BTW, as a warning NetCPS uses MBps (bytes not bits).

**johnwill** · 07-30-2006, 07:21 AM

Real data transfers over 802.11b/g will never exceed about 1/2 the raw bandwidth in my experience, and with any kind of encryption enabled, they'll be even slower. Also, the wireless equipment in use will have a big effect on speeds using encryption, since it's a somewhat compute intensive process. Some wireless equipment is simply better than other models.

07-28-2006, 11:12 AM	#1 (permalink)
whardman Registered User Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Cincinnati, Ohio Posts: 617 OS: Windows XP My System	Wireless Speed Any one have any tips on speeding up a wireless-g connection? I tested the speed and I only get around 16Mbps while connected at 54Mbps. Is this normal for a wireless connection? It has about the same speed even when next to the WAP so distance is not an issue.

07-28-2006, 11:50 AM	#2 (permalink)
crazijoe Registered User Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Omaha, The Center of the Universe Posts: 7,632 OS: WinXP, Win2K3 My System	Some wireless routers and APs can be equiped for QoS. You might want to check the configuration on the AP. __________________ Microsoft MCSA + Messaging, MVP, A+, Network+ http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b3...other/Help.jpg Do you want a real Republican? HDD diagnostic tools / HDD data recovery software

07-28-2006, 08:30 PM	#4 (permalink)
crazijoe Registered User Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Omaha, The Center of the Universe Posts: 7,632 OS: WinXP, Win2K3 My System	Well I'm kinda at a lost. Does it do the same whether encryption is on or off? __________________ Microsoft MCSA + Messaging, MVP, A+, Network+ http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b3...other/Help.jpg Do you want a real Republican? HDD diagnostic tools / HDD data recovery software

07-29-2006, 01:31 PM	#6 (permalink)
johnwill Manager, Networking Forums Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: S.E. Pennsylvania, US Posts: 41,657 OS: Windows 7, XP-Pro, Vista, Linux Blog Entries: 1	If you're getting 20 mbit transfers using 802.11g, everything is normal. The 54mbit specification is just the raw bit rate, but there is lots of overhead that chews up half that bandwidth. In addition, 802.11b/g is half-duplex, further sapping the transfer speeds. It would help if you told us what you're actually measuring and exactly the tools you're using. __________________ If TSF has helped you, Tell us about it! or Donate to help keep the site up! Microsoft MVP - Windows Desktop Experience

07-30-2006, 07:21 AM	#8 (permalink)
johnwill Manager, Networking Forums Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: S.E. Pennsylvania, US Posts: 41,657 OS: Windows 7, XP-Pro, Vista, Linux Blog Entries: 1	Real data transfers over 802.11b/g will never exceed about 1/2 the raw bandwidth in my experience, and with any kind of encryption enabled, they'll be even slower. Also, the wireless equipment in use will have a big effect on speeds using encryption, since it's a somewhat compute intensive process. Some wireless equipment is simply better than other models. __________________ If TSF has helped you, Tell us about it! or Donate to help keep the site up! Microsoft MVP - Windows Desktop Experience

07-28-2006, 01:32 PM	#3 (permalink)
whardman Registered User Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Cincinnati, Ohio Posts: 617 OS: Windows XP My System	There is no QoS on the AP. BTW, the AP is Linksys WAP54G and the adapter is Linksys WPC54GS V2. And firmware / drivers are up to date.

07-29-2006, 08:28 AM	#5 (permalink)
whardman Registered User Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Cincinnati, Ohio Posts: 617 OS: Windows XP My System	No encryption: 20Mbps WEP: 19Mbps WPA (TKIP): 16Mbps WPA (AES): 15Mbps Connected @ 24Mpbs WPA (TKIP) weak signal: 11Mbps Any Ideas??? BTW, antenna alignment made no effect on speed.

07-29-2006, 03:16 PM	#7 (permalink)
whardman Registered User Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Cincinnati, Ohio Posts: 617 OS: Windows XP My System	I would expect some overhead but I just thought that that was too much. I was using NetCPS to measure the raw speed with nothing using the wireless connection. Using this I was able to get ~80Mbps on a 100Mpbs connection. BTW, as a warning NetCPS uses MBps (bytes not bits).