How can I achieve 150mbps constant speed on wifi?

[awaisuk]

Hello,

I am thikning of getting 150mbps internet. I currently have 60mbps and I usually get full speeds when using 5ghz on my intel 6200 card in my laptop. I am using Asus rtn66u router.

I remember in the past, I had got 150mbps using the same router and laptop card, but I would get max about 100mbps speeds over wifi 5ghz.

I do get full speeds over wifi when I am right beside the router, but I need to have wifi full speeds.

Do I have to invest in AC Router and AC laptop card to achieve these speeds? Or is there a cheaper way?

Would purchasing a laptop AC networking card, and using it with Asus RT N66U router make a difference in speeds?

Advice appreciated.

 

[azazel1024]

Missing a little detail here.

WHERE do you want to achieve that speed?

Are you saying that you are currently getting 100Mbps in a location and you'd like to get 150Mbps? Try 2.4GHz 40MHz. That doesn't work for you, then yes, you'll need to switch to 11ac.

That or get another access point in located it closer to where you need 150+Mbps speeds.

5GHz performance drops off quickly with range indoors because walls block it a lot more readily than 2.4GHz. 11ac does however significantly improve 5GHz performance (speed, not range).

As for a new wifi card, that router is 3:3 capable, so swithing it up to the Intel 6300 which supports 3 spatial streams would improve performance, about 50% higher through-put, give or take some.

You'd need to add another antenna in the laptop at the same time, but they are plentiful and cheap.

Otherwise, simply having an 802.11ac wifi card will not improve performance with an 11n router.

 

[awaisuk]

On 2.4 I cannot even get 60mbps. If I stand in front of the laptop with the same setup as I have now, I can get full speeds. But where my laptop is located, I do not get full speeds.

Well what access point can I get? (Dont know much about them)

 

[abailey]

You have one of the fastest, if not the fastest wireless N router available (Asus RTN66u). You are really pushing its envelope to try to get 150Mb/s consistent speed, even very near the router. Look at this chart for example: http://www.smallnetbuilder.com/lanwan/router-charts/view
You will see that of all the routers tested in the wireless N category, yours is the fastest, but its average download speed is less than 140Mb/s. This goes down to less than 100 in the 2.4Ghz band. If you really want consistent speeds at or above 150Mb/s in wireless then you will need to move to a wireless AC router (or WAP) and wireless AC client.

 

[awaisuk]

How would I setup WAP? Is that a cheaper option? What Wireless AC Client do you recommend for my laptop? I hear Intel 7260 has some problems..

 

[stevech]

150Mbps you seek...
We are talking about the IP protocol's net speed after all overhead of WiFi, and with no competition for air time with neighbors' WiFi.
To do this, you'll need about 300Mbps WiFi connection speed. That's hard to do. Barely possible at close range with a client device with better than 802.11n, a short path to the router, etc.

In a practical sense, where the user device is battery powered and a handheld, that speed isn't needed.

If the device is a desktop or some such, even the latest HomePlug AV2 or MoCA can't deliver that net IP layer yield.

802.11ac if used on client and WiFi router, and the path length is very short, nearly line of sight, etc., might get that rate, absent competition from neighbors' busy WiFi. But if you're that close, one wonders why HomePlug/AV or MoCa wouldn't be good enough. Or cat5 cable, the flat/thin kind, under a carpet or baseboard, is an option.

Expectation management.

 

[theveterans]

How would I setup WAP? Is that a cheaper option? What Wireless AC Client do you recommend for my laptop? I hear Intel 7260 has some problems..

Best and probably one of the most expensive solution to get constant 150 Mbps all throughout the house is to buy 2 - 3 RT-AC68U or R7000. Set 1 as the router and the other 1 as Wireless Bridge (aka Client Bridge for maximum throughput) and the last one as an AP using long Ethernet connection (powerline or MoCA isn't recommended since they can't deliver consistent 150 Mbps) for extended 5 GHz range without losing throughput. Finally, upgrade all your devices with ASUS USB-AC56 or Intel 7260 (IMO, less than 1% of users experience problem with that card but I never had problem with it) to get 350 - 500 Mbps throughput.

Cheapest option is to buy Intel 7260 and a AC1200 router (make sure it has Gigabit Ethernet port since some models only have Fast Ethernet). You'll get your 150 Mbps internet up to 3 rooms (depending on wall material or thickness) on 5 GHz band but definitely not throughout the whole house unless your house is only 1000 SQFT.