Need help with wireless speeds..

Question

I just got myself a WRT54GS wireless router and i have noticed the speeds being extremely slow. I've gone through all of the threads and didn't get anything that could help.  I have tried what some mention, about changing the beacon interval to 50 and the Frag and RTS to 2304. Also i have changed the wireless channel a couple of times. Still nothing..
Now onto my connection in general, i have cable and the speeds when direct connected are very fast. I typically download at about 300kb+ and i can get mb download speeds as well.  But while hooked up wirelessly it has been going at about 20kbs. When i try and watch streaming videos and all, it will be break up and all of that..due to the slow speed.  BTW i don't believe there is anything interfering at all. The comp is in the same room as the router as well
This is my first time dealing with wireless, so any info and help would be greatly appreciated. What are some good ways to get the speeds up?  The comp i have is new as well lol  I know it limits a lot of the help, but this is a pain in the butt. Thanks
Message Edited by Ichigo on 07-22-2007 10:13 AM
Message Edited by Ichigo on 07-22-2007 11:58 AM

Answer 1

Set "SSID Broadcast" to "enabled". This will help your computer find and lock on to your router's signal.
Poor wireless connections are often caused by radio interference from other 2.4 GHz devices. This includes wireless phones, wireless baby monitors, microwave ovens, wireless mice and keyboards, wireless speakers, and your neighbor's wireless network. In rare cases, Bluetooth devices can interfere. Even some 5+ GHz phones also use the 2.4 Ghz band. Unplug these devices, and see if that corrects your problem.
In your router, try a different channel. There are 11 channels in the 2.4 GHz band. Usually channel 1, 6, or 11 works best. Check out your neighbors, and see what channel they are using. Because the channels overlap one another, try to stay at least +5 or -5 channels from your strongest neighbors. For example, if you have a strong neighbor on channel 9, try any channel 1 through 4.
Also, try to locate the router about 4 to 6 feet above the floor, in an open area. Do not locate it behind your monitor or near other computer equipment or speakers. The antenna should be vertical.
What encryption are you using?  WEP?  WPA?  WPA2?  Some systems work significantly better with one encryption system vs. another.  So try something different.  WEP is no longer recommended.  You should be using WPA or preferably WPA2.  Password (key) should not have any spaces in it.
Windows XP requires a patch to run WPA2 (= PSK2 = WPA with AES ). Go to Microsoft Knowledge base, article ID=893357 and it will direct you to the patch.
Sadly, the patch is not part of the automatic Windows XP updates, so lots of people are missing the patch.
Hope this helps.
Message Edited by toomanydonuts on 07-25-2007 05:24 AM