Router Anomaly: WiFi speeds much higher than wired speeds?
January 2, 2008 12:46 PM Subscribe
Router Anomaly: WiFi speeds much higher than wired speeds?
For some reason, when doing speed tests, my WiFi is getting speeds of 8000KBs, while my wired connection is stuck at 5000KBs.
I have bought a new router, changed the ethernet cables, even bought a new computer... and nothing has changed. Played with MTU settings, nothing.
Computer 1: Wired, XP, 10/100 network adapter, 5000KBs
Computer 2: Wired, Vista, Gigabit network adapter, 5000KBs
Computer 3: WiFi, Vista, Wireless G network adapter, 8000KBs
I am using the Speakeasy speed test, and the results are consistent with respect to WiFi vs. wired... WiFi is alway much faster.
My question is... is this for real, or is it possible that the wireless connection THINKS its much faster than it really is? I can't think of any other explanation given the fact that I've bought a new router and a new computer and have the same problem.
For some reason, when doing speed tests, my WiFi is getting speeds of 8000KBs, while my wired connection is stuck at 5000KBs.
I have bought a new router, changed the ethernet cables, even bought a new computer... and nothing has changed. Played with MTU settings, nothing.
Computer 1: Wired, XP, 10/100 network adapter, 5000KBs
Computer 2: Wired, Vista, Gigabit network adapter, 5000KBs
Computer 3: WiFi, Vista, Wireless G network adapter, 8000KBs
I am using the Speakeasy speed test, and the results are consistent with respect to WiFi vs. wired... WiFi is alway much faster.
My question is... is this for real, or is it possible that the wireless connection THINKS its much faster than it really is? I can't think of any other explanation given the fact that I've bought a new router and a new computer and have the same problem.
Turn off the WiFi for Computer 3 and connect it via ethernet. If Computer 3 still gets 8000 KBs then its the computer setup that is making the difference rather than the connection type.
posted by burnmp3s at 1:03 PM on January 2, 2008
posted by burnmp3s at 1:03 PM on January 2, 2008
If you're not using the same computer when testing WiFi vs wired speeds, then you're not isolating the internet connection.
posted by philomathoholic at 1:08 PM on January 2, 2008
posted by philomathoholic at 1:08 PM on January 2, 2008
I assume you mean 5000 kilobits and not KB (kilobytes) here.
A 10 megabit ethernet connection will often top out at about 1/2 net throughput in practice. What's probably happening is somewhere in your wired chain is a link that is refusing to talk at 100 megabit. This can happen due to a less than optimal cable or due to a cable that is too long (I'm guessing you don't have a super long cable, but a slightly defective cable can produce the same result). It can also happen with adapters or routers that can't talk 100 megabit (some of them SAY they can and then actually CANNOT). Honestly, my money is on a less than perfect cable. It's 2008. Adapters incapable of 100 megabit speeds shouldn't be very common anymore.
Your wireless connection, on the other hand, is not limited by this and runs at the full speed available.
posted by TeatimeGrommit at 1:13 PM on January 2, 2008
A 10 megabit ethernet connection will often top out at about 1/2 net throughput in practice. What's probably happening is somewhere in your wired chain is a link that is refusing to talk at 100 megabit. This can happen due to a less than optimal cable or due to a cable that is too long (I'm guessing you don't have a super long cable, but a slightly defective cable can produce the same result). It can also happen with adapters or routers that can't talk 100 megabit (some of them SAY they can and then actually CANNOT). Honestly, my money is on a less than perfect cable. It's 2008. Adapters incapable of 100 megabit speeds shouldn't be very common anymore.
Your wireless connection, on the other hand, is not limited by this and runs at the full speed available.
posted by TeatimeGrommit at 1:13 PM on January 2, 2008
Frist off, internet speed tests are crap. Youre inviting too many variables with those.
Secondly, your speed results make no sense. 8000KB/s is like having a t3 all to yourself. Are you saying you are getting 8mbps?
An easy way to start testing this is to download a large file from a host that isnt easily saturated. Ideally you would do this with a different router than the one you have to help isolate any potential problems. download the full java sdk from sun.com. See what your download speed is. Do this again with the wireless.
Now lets test your local thoroughput. Install filezilla on your desktop. use an ftp client to download files from it. Examine your speeds using the different interfaces.
5mbps wired does kind of sound like you may have a wired adapter (do you have any hubs or switches) stuck at 10mbps. You'd get about 5-7 usable mbps bandwidth on a 10mbps connection.
posted by damn dirty ape at 2:08 PM on January 2, 2008
Secondly, your speed results make no sense. 8000KB/s is like having a t3 all to yourself. Are you saying you are getting 8mbps?
An easy way to start testing this is to download a large file from a host that isnt easily saturated. Ideally you would do this with a different router than the one you have to help isolate any potential problems. download the full java sdk from sun.com. See what your download speed is. Do this again with the wireless.
Now lets test your local thoroughput. Install filezilla on your desktop. use an ftp client to download files from it. Examine your speeds using the different interfaces.
5mbps wired does kind of sound like you may have a wired adapter (do you have any hubs or switches) stuck at 10mbps. You'd get about 5-7 usable mbps bandwidth on a 10mbps connection.
posted by damn dirty ape at 2:08 PM on January 2, 2008
Also its worth noting that you might have a 5mbps connection but you are getting on your neighbors wireless, thinking that it is yours, who has an 8mbps connection.
posted by damn dirty ape at 2:11 PM on January 2, 2008
posted by damn dirty ape at 2:11 PM on January 2, 2008
First off, i second/third the above posters in that you should make sure you're connecting to the right wireless connection and make sure that you run the test a couple of times on each until you get a fairly consistent number. These speed tests do seem to vary.
Now, one thing it could be is the link speed. Your ethernet card probably has the speed setup as "auto negotiate" or similar so that it detects what speed it should connect up to the router (100Mbps full duplex/10Mbps half duplex, etc). It could be that this negotiation is failing, and the card is defaulting to the lowest setting (10Mbps half duplex) which could hinder your download speed. It is unlikely that this is the cause, since you are having this problem on multiple computers but it is possible that the router is having auto-negotiation issues.
You can check the link speed by going to start->settings->network connections then right click on your "Local Area Connection" and select "Status". There will be a "Speed" item listed there.
If it's showing up low, or you want to set it manually just for kicks you can right click on your "local area connection" and click properties. At the top of the properties dialog, it will say "Connect Using: " and show which network card it's using. Click "Configure" on the network card. Go to the advanced tab. On here somewhere (it differs for each network card), you should have a way to set the Link Speed & Duplex type. Click okay, okay, etc and go back to the network connections. You may have to disable & enable the connection to get it to work (right click on "local area connection" and select enable/disable as appropriate).
posted by escher at 4:34 PM on January 2, 2008
Now, one thing it could be is the link speed. Your ethernet card probably has the speed setup as "auto negotiate" or similar so that it detects what speed it should connect up to the router (100Mbps full duplex/10Mbps half duplex, etc). It could be that this negotiation is failing, and the card is defaulting to the lowest setting (10Mbps half duplex) which could hinder your download speed. It is unlikely that this is the cause, since you are having this problem on multiple computers but it is possible that the router is having auto-negotiation issues.
You can check the link speed by going to start->settings->network connections then right click on your "Local Area Connection" and select "Status". There will be a "Speed" item listed there.
If it's showing up low, or you want to set it manually just for kicks you can right click on your "local area connection" and click properties. At the top of the properties dialog, it will say "Connect Using: " and show which network card it's using. Click "Configure" on the network card. Go to the advanced tab. On here somewhere (it differs for each network card), you should have a way to set the Link Speed & Duplex type. Click okay, okay, etc and go back to the network connections. You may have to disable & enable the connection to get it to work (right click on "local area connection" and select enable/disable as appropriate).
posted by escher at 4:34 PM on January 2, 2008
This thread is closed to new comments.
So it doesn't really answer the question, but another experience may help to substantiate /some/ theory.
posted by fjardt at 12:57 PM on January 2, 2008