Weird Wireless

[Matthew Gallant]

OK, I've searched on Google on a variety of keywords and phrases and had no luck, so here's my situation:

1. I have an 802.11N dual-band router. I have a desktop, a notebook, and a wireless bridge on the 5GHz band.

1. I can hit my internet bandwidth cap on my cable modem easily, 16mbps, with a wired connection to the router. So no problems upstream that I can see.

2. I can transfer files wirelessly between my desktop and notebook at around 50 or 60 Mbps.

3. Here's the mystery: wireless access to the internet from my desktop on the 5GHz band seems to max out at about 5Mbps and is more often 3.5Mbps.

4. Here is the really weird part: my upload speed to the internet is always higher than the download speed. When I test at that average 3.5Mbps download, I invariably get 5Mbps upload rate (which I believe is the rate cap).

What is going on? If I was transferring files between computers at the same speed I was accessing the internet, I could chock it up to interference, but that's fast. A wired connection to the router is fast, so it's not the cable modem.

[Skipper]

Matt,
If your router has the capability to show associated clients, do so just to see what you have connected. Second, turn off the bridge. Now increase the distance from your laptop to the router slightly and test again.

Personally I think it might be your bridge, but it could just be that the router doesn't handle wireless throughput well. I don't know what model you have though.

[Matthew Gallant]

I've got a Linksys 600WRTN. The bridge is Linksys' dual-band N bridge, the WGA600N.

With the bridge off, I've only got my computer and Angie's computer connected. Hers is on the 2.4GHz band. Turning the bridge off does seem to help a little, getting me up to 8 or 9 Mbps minimum, and 13 on one test. Thanks!

Is there something that can be tweaked on the bridge that might make things smoother? I've got my Xbox and PS3 hooked up to it (through a switch). I guess I could run wire to the switch if need be.