My network is only running at G speeds

[SurferLu]

I have an old Belkin router that was called pre-N.
My network consists of a Mac Pro on ethernet and an Xbox on ethernet, plus 3 Macbook Pros on wi-fi and an old Windows XP pc upstairs using a Belkin N usb adapter. The Macbook Pros also run Windows 7 via Bootcamp as well as Mac OSX 10.6
I am on Virgin broadband, and everything works pretty well, although sometimes I have to restart the router (once a couple of weeks or so).

I installed a small program called wifi scanner and it reports that the network is running at 54mbs G which surprised me, since I thought that it would be running faster since it was a pre-N model router and Virgin is supposed to be a good broadband.

I am considering getting a new router, either a Belkin Play with dual band N or a Netgear, maybe a 3700, or an Apple airport extreme.
The Belkin is about £90 while the other two are about £130-140.

Someone told me that I should not worry about the G 54mbs speed of my current setup because most broadbands don't even max out that wireless speed, so the only benefit I will see is if I am transferring files between computers on my network rather than what I get from the internet.

If that's the case then it seems pointless to get a new router since moving files among the computers is not something we do.
What I was hoping for is a faster internet and greater signal distance in case we are outdoors in the yard or upstairs.

Can anyone please offer some advice on whether my setup would benefit from a router upgrade and perhaps which router they might recommend?

 

[stevech]

(on so-what if your WiFi is sooo much faster than your Internet service...)
If that's the case then it seems pointless to get a new router since moving files among the computers is not something we do.

It is, for this case, pointless.
But the retailer and manufacturers would appreciate getting your money.

Your desire for improved range and speed come mostly from better antennas on the WiFi router and/or the PC. Better can mean an external USB WiFi adapter elevated.

Better range and speed can also be had by improved placement of the WiFi router.

Lastly, the holy grail for what youwant to do is to add one or more WiFi Access Points (APs). An AP can be rigged from any old WiFi router. The AP goes closer to the weak signal area and connects by cat5 cable and/or ethernet over power line, or my fav, MoCA (ethernet via cable TV coax, coexisting with TV).

 

[thiggins]

Best case actual throughput for 802.11g is in the mid 20 Mbps range. If your Internet connection is that speed or higher, N might help. But an N router only provides higher throughput to N clients. It has little benefit to G clients.

 

[Osamede]

Yes, but from what he is saying it seems all his client are N clients (macbook pros have wireless, xbox is hardwired and PC has N adapter). So why is his network operating at 54Mbs (G speed) according to the scanner?

I would say check the settings on the router to make sure you are
- running N only (shut off the B and G compatibility)
- using WPA2 setting with at least PSK (if you dont use that setting then the wi fi caps you at 54MBS)

But if you are doing all that already then it means there are other setting wrong in the router - or the router itself is falsely advertising capability to run and N speed when it cant.

 

[thiggins]

WMM must be enabled too. 5 Ways To Fix Slow 802.11n Speed, Fix #4.

 

[SurferLu]

Yes, but from what he is saying it seems all his client are N clients (macbook pros have wireless, xbox is hardwired and PC has N adapter). So why is his network operating at 54Mbs (G speed) according to the scanner?

I would say check the settings on the router to make sure you are
- running N only (shut off the B and G compatibility)
- using WPA2 setting with at least PSK (if you dont use that setting then the wi fi caps you at 54MBS)

But if you are doing all that already then it means there are other setting wrong in the router - or the router itself is falsely advertising capability to run and N speed when it cant.

As far as I know, all of the clients are N.
I don't really know how to turn off b and g compatibility.
I don't use any security settings. I use the mac address control to only allow the computers and equipment we have to access the network.
Would that be causing it to use a g speed?
The router is fairly old- maybe 4 or 5 years.
It's definitely a Belkin pre-N model with 3 antennas on the top.
The modem is the one you get from Virgin.
Could that be limiting the speed?
Would it be a good idea to remove the Virgin modem and get a router with modem and stick the Virgin cable into that instead?

 

[thiggins]

As far as I know, all of the clients are N.
I don't really know how to turn off b and g compatibility.
I don't use any security settings. I use the mac address control to only allow the computers and equipment we have to access the network.
Would that be causing it to use a g speed?
The router is fairly old- maybe 4 or 5 years.
It's definitely a Belkin pre-N model with 3 antennas on the top.
The modem is the one you get from Virgin.
Could that be limiting the speed?
Would it be a good idea to remove the Virgin modem and get a router with modem and stick the Virgin cable into that instead?

You can keep your modem. You should get a N router. "Pre-N" is a very different beast and most likely causing your problem.

Read the manual for whichever router you get so that you can properly configure it. I recommend you use WPA2/AES security. Relying on MAC Address control is not really secure since MAC addresses can be easily spoofed.

 

[teknojnky]

I thought that N requires wpa2, else it falls back to g.

 

[thiggins]

I thought that N requires wpa2, else it falls back to g.

High link rates are enabled with no encryption or with WPA2/AES only. WEP and WPA/TKIP limit to 54 Mbps max link rate.

 

[overdrive31]

Most of the time wifi scanning tools report incorrect link speeds, even the wonderful Inssider reports the wrong link speed. Do not use the scanner to determine link speed at all unless you find a scanner that is never wrong. Only use the wifi driver, Windows XP should show the connection in the task tray just right click and select status or run the belkin connection manager to see what speed it reports, and for Mac OSX hold down Option while clicking airport menu and it will show link rate. Windows running in bootcamp should only show a virtual ethernet connection that just reports something like 100mb link even when using a slower wireless G connection on the host OS, so don't use it to determine link rate at all.

 

[stevech]

The WiFi air link speed, in each direction, varies frequently depending on signal strength, fades and interference.

 

[stevech]

WPA/TKIP limit to 54 Mbps max link rate.

Why is this? Because TKIP's scheme is so old?

 

[thiggins]

Why is this? Because TKIP's scheme is so old?

As per the 802.11n standard, use of WEP or WPA/TKIP will prevent use of the higher link rates.