Basic (?) Wireless Question

[JBurnett]

Hi

Can someone explain to me in simpleton terms why my wireless speed (LAN??) is not as fast as what the Internet Speed is rated at?

 

[R4lNM4N]

Due to the nature of wireless signals, the connection is simply not as "lossless" as the wired connection that comes into your location. Wireless signals need to travel through air, walls, appliances, other wireless interference etc. Losing about half of your bandwith from just a few feet away is normal.

 

[USAFRet]

One word: Radio
As mentioned above, there can be a LOT more interference, due to a lot of factors.

A Cat5e ethernet cable will give you gigabit speed out to 100 meters.
Now...take your laptop, standing right next to the router. You may get something approaching whatever magical advertising number is printed on the WiFi adapter box.
Now walk away, measuring your performance. The farther out you get, the slower it gets. Eventually, you get nothing.

Now add in a typical house. Rooms, walls, kitchen, other devices...who's cooking something in the microwave?
Interference. With that interference, the WiFi adapter and router have to resend the same bits several times. So the time to transmit something takes much longer.

 

[JBurnett]

One word: Radio
As mentioned above, there can be a LOT more interference, due to a lot of factors.

A Cat5e ethernet cable will give you gigabit speed out to 100 meters.
Now...take your laptop, standing right next to the router. You may get something approaching whatever magical advertising number is printed on the WiFi adapter box.
Now walk away, measuring your performance. The farther out you get, the slower it gets. Eventually, you get nothing.

Now add in a typical house. Rooms, walls, kitchen, other devices...who's cooking something in the microwave?
Interference. With that interference, the WiFi adapter and router have to resend the same bits several times. So the time to transmit something takes much longer.

I tried to Edit this post before the answers rolled in. Does this change anything:

Hi

Can someone explain to me in simpleton terms why my wireless speed (LAN??) is not as fast as what the ISP's Internet Speed is rated at?

1) I have a Verizon Quantum Gateway router. [800 mbps]
2) My NIC Card is: Dell Wireless 1505 Draft 802.11n WLAN Mini-Card. [300mbps max]
3) I live in a multi-family dwelling. (channel sharing interference?)
4) Wirelessly I get approximately 80mbps Up & Down.
5) Wired directly with Ethernet Cable (can't be permanent option) = 100mbps- which is correct.

What to do?

Thank you

(also, I'm 10' away computer > Router, unobstructed)

 

[R4lNM4N]

One word: Radio
As mentioned above, there can be a LOT more interference, due to a lot of factors.

A Cat5e ethernet cable will give you gigabit speed out to 100 meters.
Now...take your laptop, standing right next to the router. You may get something approaching whatever magical advertising number is printed on the WiFi adapter box.
Now walk away, measuring your performance. The farther out you get, the slower it gets. Eventually, you get nothing.

Now add in a typical house. Rooms, walls, kitchen, other devices...who's cooking something in the microwave?
Interference. With that interference, the WiFi adapter and router have to resend the same bits several times. So the time to transmit something takes much longer.

I tried to Edit this post before the answers rolled in. Does this change anything:

Hi

Can someone explain to me in simpleton terms why my wireless speed (LAN??) is not as fast as what the ISP's Internet Speed is rated at?

1) I have a Verizon Quantum Gateway router. [800 mbps]
2) My NIC Card is: Dell Wireless 1505 Draft 802.11n WLAN Mini-Card. [300mbps max]
3) I live in a multi-family dwelling. (channel sharing interference?)
4) Wirelessly I get approximately 80mbps Up & Down.
5) Wired directly with Ethernet Cable (can't be permanent option) = 100mbps- which is correct.

What to do?

Thank you

(also, I'm 10' away computer > Router, unobstructed)

It's not unobstructed. It still has to go through the air. It really is that simple. What other wireless waves are going through the air? Who knows...your neighbors WiFi, the family across the street using baby monitors? The fact that you are getting 80% of what your rated speed from 10 feet away is great. You could go buy some $300 wireless router but you still won't get 100% speed that you are rated at.

If there was any interference from someone nearby using the same channel, you would be getting less than 80Mbps. Wireless equipment these days is smart enough to automatically change channels anyway. It's normal. If you must have 100Mbps, all the time, then run a CAT5e (or better)cable around the room and plug it in. Honestly though, unless you're downloading very large chunks of data, the difference b/w 80Mbps and 100Mbps will be unnoticeable.

 

[USAFRet]

OK....I also have Verizon FiOS, and that same Quantum gateway router.
So...it says "800 mbps". That theoretical speed exists only between you and the router. It has nothing to do with your connection to the outside world.

Your plan that you pay Verizon for is 100/100?
And you're actually getting 80mbps via WiFi? That is actually pretty good.

Don't stress over that last 20. Distance, interference from other users and devices, and that theoretical '300 mbps' is actually half that...150 in each direction. Under ideal lab conditions that you will never ever see.