wireless network speed issues

[Batman88]

So recently time warner cable gave us a free upgrade from 15 Mbps to 50 Mbps. Only issue is it requires my wireless modem to change to 5ghz band to use the 50 Mbps speeds. Its an issue because unfortunately, the only cable is in the living room so the signal doesn't reach into the rooms due to all the walls and such. Turning it to 2.4ghz band only gives max speeds of like 15 Mbps. Here's what I don't get though. With the 2.4 band, i am able to get around 3/5 bars on my desktop from the farthest rooms. Which I thought wouldn't be an issue but my speeds are ridiculously bad. Like 5 Mbps on a good day and less than 1 on a bad. So i turned one of my old wireless routers into a repeater. I get perfect signal but my internet speeds are still about the same. What am I doing wrong here? And is my best option to get a long cable to move my modem to the center and change it to 5ghz band? or is there anything else I can do?

 

[Mussels]

with the 2.4GHz signal, what are your settings?

Wifi b g or N? what security type and encryption?

your wifi client, is it b g or n?

 

[Batman88]

So for the motorola surfboard wireless modem, im making it run 2.4ghz band (since the 5ghz band cannot reach my rooms at all) is pretty much running at default settings that come with the thing. Its mix compatibility mode so it can be b, g, or N. The wireless router i'm using as a repeater is the linksys wrt54g (with the dd-wrt firmware on it). Since that repeater only accepts b or g connection, i'm guessing everything is on that. Using WPA2-PSK with AES encryption

 

[Mussels]

the repeater is the problem. wifi G at only 54Mb will not get you the speeds you are looking for - and repeaters in general slow things right down.

 

[Batman88]

I tried ditching the repeater earlier today but it seems my connection speeds are still about the same with or without it. Its slow and spotty. And it still shows 3-4 bars out of 5 for my connection strength so i'm confused. Only when i move right next to the modem, i get the 12-15 Mbps speeds and the connection is stable.

 

[Mussels]

what client is that with.

i can manage 19MB/s (about 150Mb) over my 5Ghz wifi N 300 network - 15Mb/s (just under 2MB/s) of speed still sounds to me like you're on 54g somehow.

 

[eidairaman1]

I tried ditching the repeater earlier today but it seems my connection speeds are still about the same with or without it. Its slow and spotty. And it still shows 3-4 bars out of 5 for my connection strength so i'm confused. Only when i move right next to the modem, i get the 12-15 Mbps speeds and the connection is stable.

Bar strength isnt synonymous with max bit rate. Adjust the wifi channel. Do you have internet only or with tvs?

 

[Batman88]

That's true. I've scanned the area to see which channels are used most and avoided those. Only internet.

 

[eidairaman1]

That's true. I've scanned the area to see which channels are used most and avoided those. Only internet.

You could have a bad splitter from the coax drop (main line) outside or inside attic. Or rg59 cable or loose fittings, bad barrels...

 

[Batman88]

But I recently had a guy come in to check from TWC and everything is fine if I connect to the modem via Ethernet cable or if I'm really close to the modem for WiFi.

 

[Mussels]

But I recently had a guy come in to check from TWC and everything is fine if I connect to the modem via Ethernet cable or if I'm really close to the modem for WiFi.

its possible your router just has crap wifi. if you can confirm that you're on wifi N with WPA2-PSK AES encryption and you're getting decent connection rates on multiple wifi devices, but not the throughput - then you may simply need a better router/wifi AP connected up via ethernet, but placed closer to you.

 

[eidairaman1]

Sounds like a modem limitation. Isps can only really guarantee max bit rates over ethernet, im unsure how difficult it would be to run a ethernet passthrough jack from where the modem is to where you need a secondary router.

 

[Batman88]

Hmm its a wireless modem that time Warner cable gave me called the Motorola surfboard. I'm not too sure how to check if WiFi is on N but when I place my mouse over the little icon it says radio type: 802.11n so that's right right? I disconnected the repeater as well.

Yeah its not the best modem by a long shot haha. Unfortunately my apartment mates don't really want to spend on anything. I'm thinking of just getting a coaxial cable to extend the modem over to the center of the apartment. Then I can keep it on the 5ghz band maybe.

 

[eidairaman1]

Hmm its a wireless modem that time Warner cable gave me called the Motorola surfboard. I'm not too sure how to check if WiFi is on N but when I place my mouse over the little icon it says radio type: 802.11n so that's right right? I disconnected the repeater as well.

Twc and comcast use the same equipment. Might think about a new modem