3Com Wireless 11g Access Point (Performance Question)

Exact model number is: 3CRWE454G72.
Software version: 1.02.11 (latest)
Connected to: Speedtouch 510 (V3) DSL Router (serving three other wired
machines).

This AP was bundled with a 3Com 11g PC Card which I don't use because I've
got a Centrino notebook. Wireless capability is built-in, albeit 11b, so I
have to use WEP as opposed to WPA encryption.

Query is: the manual says there's a performance hit if I use 128bit
encryption (rather than 40bit/64bit encryption), but it doesn't say what
the performance hit relates too.

Anybody know? If it only affects top-end LAN speeds, I'm not bothered. If
it affects internet speed, I am bothered. It'd just be good to know.
--
Lee J. Moore

It will have to be a big hit to affect internet speeds!!

LAN speed will suffer but you will probably only notice on large file
transfers.


eusty
UK Broadband Usergroup : http://www.uk-bug.net

(¯`·._.· All Outgoing Mail Scanned Virus Free ·._.·´¯)


Lee J. Moore wrote:
> Exact model number is: 3CRWE454G72.
> Software version: 1.02.11 (latest)
> Connected to: Speedtouch 510 (V3) DSL Router (serving three other wired
> machines).
>
> This AP was bundled with a 3Com 11g PC Card which I don't use because I've
> got a Centrino notebook. Wireless capability is built-in, albeit 11b, so I
> have to use WEP as opposed to WPA encryption.
>
> Query is: the manual says there's a performance hit if I use 128bit
> encryption (rather than 40bit/64bit encryption), but it doesn't say what
> the performance hit relates too.
>
> Anybody know? If it only affects top-end LAN speeds, I'm not bothered. If
> it affects internet speed, I am bothered. It'd just be good to know.

On Sun, 04 Jan 2004 17:23:24 +0000, eusty wrote:

> It will have to be a big hit to affect internet speeds!!

So it will only affect top end speeds rather than response times?
I was worried about the latter, thinking the performance hit might be
due to the time it takes to encrypt/decrypt.

> LAN speed will suffer but you will probably only notice on large file
> transfers.

/me rushes off to enable 128bit WEP.

Cheers.
--
Lee J. Moore
Somewhere between Hillbridge and Oldcastle

Lee J. Moore wrote:
> Exact model number is: 3CRWE454G72.
> Software version: 1.02.11 (latest)
> Connected to: Speedtouch 510 (V3) DSL Router (serving three other
> wired machines).
>
> This AP was bundled with a 3Com 11g PC Card which I don't use because
> I've got a Centrino notebook. Wireless capability is built-in,
> albeit 11b, so I have to use WEP as opposed to WPA encryption.
>
> Query is: the manual says there's a performance hit if I use 128bit
> encryption (rather than 40bit/64bit encryption), but it doesn't say
> what the performance hit relates too.
>
> Anybody know? If it only affects top-end LAN speeds, I'm not
> bothered. If it affects internet speed, I am bothered. It'd just be
> good to know.

If you're using XP I think there's a WPA update on Windows Update

--
Steve Parry

http://www.gwynfryn.co.uk

http://wrexhamseals.tripod.com

Steve Parry wrote:

> Lee J. Moore wrote:
>> Exact model number is: 3CRWE454G72.
>> Software version: 1.02.11 (latest)
>> Connected to: Speedtouch 510 (V3) DSL Router (serving three other
>> wired machines).
>>
>> This AP was bundled with a 3Com 11g PC Card which I don't use because
>> I've got a Centrino notebook. Wireless capability is built-in,
>> albeit 11b, so I have to use WEP as opposed to WPA encryption.
>>
>> Query is: the manual says there's a performance hit if I use 128bit
>> encryption (rather than 40bit/64bit encryption), but it doesn't say
>> what the performance hit relates too.
>>
>> Anybody know? If it only affects top-end LAN speeds, I'm not
>> bothered. If it affects internet speed, I am bothered. It'd just be
>> good to know.
>
> If you're using XP I think there's a WPA update on Windows Update

Oh, I thought WEP was 11b (hardware) specific. So WEP isn't limited by
Centrino's integrated 11b chipset, but by the OS? I didn't notice anything
at Windows Update earlier today but XP Pro on my notebook is bang up to
date so I'll get it out and check the connectoid settings shortly. See if
it lets me enter WEP details.

Thanks.
--
Lee J. Moore

Lee J. Moore wrote:
//
<big snip>
> date so I'll get it out and check the connectoid settings shortly. See if
> it lets me enter WEP details.

I mean WPA!

(Easily done.)
--
Lee J. Moore

Lee J. Moore wrote:
> Steve Parry wrote:
>
>> Lee J. Moore wrote:
>>> Exact model number is: 3CRWE454G72.
>>> Software version: 1.02.11 (latest)
>>> Connected to: Speedtouch 510 (V3) DSL Router (serving three other
>>> wired machines).
>>>
>>> This AP was bundled with a 3Com 11g PC Card which I don't use
>>> because I've got a Centrino notebook. Wireless capability is
>>> built-in,
>>> albeit 11b, so I have to use WEP as opposed to WPA encryption.
>>>
>>> Query is: the manual says there's a performance hit if I use 128bit
>>> encryption (rather than 40bit/64bit encryption), but it doesn't say
>>> what the performance hit relates too.
>>>
>>> Anybody know? If it only affects top-end LAN speeds, I'm not
>>> bothered. If it affects internet speed, I am bothered. It'd just
>>> be good to know.
>>
>> If you're using XP I think there's a WPA update on Windows Update
>
> Oh, I thought WEP was 11b (hardware) specific. So WEP isn't limited
> by Centrino's integrated 11b chipset, but by the OS? I didn't notice
> anything at Windows Update earlier today but XP Pro on my notebook is
> bang up to date so I'll get it out and check the connectoid settings
> shortly. See if it lets me enter WEP details.
>
> Thanks.

I may be wrong but I've seen it on at least one laptop I've updated
recently

--
Steve Parry

http://www.gwynfryn.co.uk

http://wrexhamseals.tripod.com

On Sun, 04 Jan 2004 20:07:19 +0000, Steve Parry wrote:
//
>> Oh, I thought WEP was 11b (hardware) specific. So WEP isn't limited
>> by Centrino's integrated 11b chipset, but by the OS? I didn't notice
>> anything at Windows Update earlier today but XP Pro on my notebook is
>> bang up to date so I'll get it out and check the connectoid settings
>> shortly. See if it lets me enter WEP details.
>>
>> Thanks.
>
> I may be wrong but I've seen it on at least one laptop I've updated
> recently

You're not wrong! It turns out I had to update the Intel Centrino
wireless driver to make it WPA capable. Toshiba hadn't provided one for
my laptop yet (hence the confusion) so I got it from Tosh USA (released
last month). Only then did the WPA patch appear at Windows update.

I've now switched to WPA-PSK or something. Time for me to catch up on
some reading about this. Thanks again for the pointers.
--
Lee J. Moore
Somewhere between Hillbridge and Oldcastle

In article <bt9olo$4t113$(E-Mail Removed)>,
(E-Mail Removed) says...
> Lee J. Moore wrote:
> > Exact model number is: 3CRWE454G72.
> > Software version: 1.02.11 (latest)
> > Connected to: Speedtouch 510 (V3) DSL Router (serving three other
> > wired machines).
> >
> > This AP was bundled with a 3Com 11g PC Card which I don't use because
> > I've got a Centrino notebook. Wireless capability is built-in,
> > albeit 11b, so I have to use WEP as opposed to WPA encryption.
> >
> > Query is: the manual says there's a performance hit if I use 128bit
> > encryption (rather than 40bit/64bit encryption), but it doesn't say
> > what the performance hit relates too.
> >
> > Anybody know? If it only affects top-end LAN speeds, I'm not
> > bothered. If it affects internet speed, I am bothered. It'd just be
> > good to know.
>
> If you're using XP I think there's a WPA update on Windows Update
>
>
Here is a link to it, http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=826942
I don't think that this gets downloaded automatically with Windows
update.

HTH

On Sun, 04 Jan 2004 22:59:14 +0000, Andrew wrote:
//
>> If you're using XP I think there's a WPA update on Windows Update
>>
>>
> Here is a link to it, http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=826942
> I don't think that this gets downloaded automatically with Windows
> update.

As I discovered earlier, it does get downloaded automatically provided
your wireless adapter is WPA capable.

Before 9pm this evening, my Centrino chipset was only WEP capable.
The XP WPA update wasn't automatically available.

After 9pm, I installed the Centrino chipset driver that enabled WPA.
The XP WPA update suddenly appeared in the list of Windows Updates.

So, the moral is, ensure your wireless drivers are up to date because
installing the XP patch alone wont enable WPA for some wireless users.
--
Lee J. Moore
Somewhere between Hillbridge and Oldcastle