Very slow speed at pc fast down the line

[davidc]

I have been getting extremely slow browsing and downloading speeds for the last couple of days - like 15kbps for downloading - on my home wireless set up. This has made using the net virtually impossible.  I have another BT line though with a wired connection and thought I'd run the BT Speed test for the wireless connection.  This produced the following results:

Configured throughput speed is 16000kbps
Download speed achieved: 9525 kbps
DSL connection rate: 18334kbps downstream.
DSL connection rate: 1196kbps upstream
IP Profile: 16000kbps

These numbers are about the same as I get from my (BT) wired connection - but why is this speed not reaching my pc?

My router is a Netgear DGN1000 wireless N (brand new) and the receiving desktop uses a usb dongle - WN111v3 (not so new - but same problem when using a WG111).

My desktop receiving network connection is showing 4 green lights (out of 6).  I would have this suggests a pretty good signal strength but the signal quality showing in the Netgear connection shows that the wireless network signal has a quality of just 40-60%.

I am baffled by this.  Obviously the adsl speed my wireless router is seeing is not reaching my desktop pc.

Please can someone give me some advice on this.   Thanks.

[DorsetBoy]

I have another BT line though with a wired connection and thought I'd run the BT Speed test for the wireless connection.  This produced the following results:

Umm ...... are you saying you have two BT landlines and both are ADSL enabled?  If so one line could be working ,the other have a fault. Reading your post it sounds as if you tried to test the wireless connections speed on the second adsl line ........... 

You need to hardwire the problem system to its router and then run your tests.

[esh]

Agreed. Eliminate wireless as a problem first. Generally on 'g' specification wireless with an average signal I get about 2MB/s (that's 16Mbit), but obviously ethernet can find out if it is a wireless issue, which would not be surprising. I've seen wireless cards go in PCs and cause phenomena such as you see.

[sn]

My desktop receiving network connection is showing 4 green lights (out of 6).  I would have this suggests a pretty good signal strength but the signal quality showing in the Netgear connection shows that the wireless network signal has a quality of just 40-60%.

I am baffled by this.  Obviously the adsl speed my wireless router is seeing is not reaching my desktop pc.

Please can someone give me some advice on this.   Thanks.

You may wish to try channel 13 on your router. Just far enough from 11 to reduce any conflicts with other routers and not used much.

I use this free utility to spot other routers (though it won't spot non wifi interference from phones)

Netsurveyor

[Rik]

What others have said, get an ethernet cable and take the wireless out of the equation as a first step.

[davidc]

Thanks very much for your replies and suggestions.  Here is where I have go to:

I have x2 BT owned landlines coming in to the house, both have adsl on them - one ADSL service is provided by IDNet and the other by BT.  I am using the BT landline's adsl in a wired connection.  I am using the IDNet adsl as a wireless network - the modem/router is on the first floor of the house and serves a laptop on the second floor and a desktop on the groundfloor.  Both laptop and desktop use dongles.

The speed I get on my BT broadband wired adsl is about 9.65Mbps down and 1Mbps up.

So, I brought the laptop to sit next to the wireless router on the first floor.  I got a full set of green network lights on the Netgear smart wizard and got speeds of 13.73Mbps down and 914Kbps up.  IP Profile was 16000kbps.

Next I wired the laptop to the wireless router and got speeds of 13.44Mbps down and 1Mbps up - same IP Profile.

Browsing speed was fine.

Then I went downstairs to the ground floor desktop and got speeds between 3 and 5Mbps down and 800-900kbps up.  Four green lights were lit on the Netgear smart wizard.

BUT - downstairs browsing speed was still very slow and indeed stopped after a short while - I was unable to load new web pages and Windows update wouldn't complete. The adsl was internittent.

I don't understand what is happening here.  I am getting good speeds at the router with apparenetly decent network connection strength but still slow browsing.

I am using a wn111v2 dongle with the downstairs desktop rather than the WG111 one - is this the right thing to do?  I have assumed that N will give me better wireless coverage than G.

Is it worth me reinstalling Windows 7?

I will try changing the channel - it is currently on channel 6 (not 11).

Thanks for your help with this.

Oh yes, and I have cleared my temp files, history and cookies.

[Rik]

It sounds like it could be interference from a neighbour, David, so change to 1 or 11 and see if that helps.

[davidc]

Rik - how do I change channels?  Do I do this on the wireless router?

[Rik]

You do. What make/model do you have?

[esh]

Yes, it's a router setting. Check Network configuration - Wireless (I am unfamiliar with the router itself, but have seen other Netgears). It may be in advanced wireless settings.

(It's a Netgear DGN1000, Rik)

[Rik]

Sorry, esh, still trying to wake up from spending half the night searching for a missing alarm fob - it's a long story.

[Gary]

I think its just in wireless settings, it is in mine. (Netgear DDND3300) I find that using the 5Ghz spectrum I get almost full speed and no interference from the crowded 2.4Ghz spectrum, it may be worth getting a 5GHZ router to pair up with your DGN1000 and use that for what devices have the 802.11n designation now its out of Draft.

[davidc]

Thanks.  I have moved the channel to 11 and will see how that goes.  I also reinstalled W7 and that seems to have helped too.  My channel setting was on Auto before I moved it to 11 - does it matter which channel I choose?  What differentiates them?

Gary - can you tell me please exactly what equipment I should get and what I should attach it too.  I am happy to buy an additional router if that will help but as you'll have gathered I'm a novice and need to be pointed at exactly what I need.

Thanks.

[Rik]

1, 6 and 11 have the most separation, David, less overlap should mean less interference from other networks.

[esh]

Don't forget there is always homeplug -- ethernet over your home's power lines, which isn't so bad either (I get a few MB/s on that). You can get a pair of those devices for under £50 as an alternative.

[Rik]

Good point, esh. 

[Glenn]

The 200mbs model that I use, work very well.

[davidc]

Thanks for your help.