File Transfer Speeds over a Wireless network

Hi,
I have a Netgear based wireless network connecting a desktop PC and a
laptop. Equipment is: DG834G router, WG311 PCI adaptor in the desktop,
WG511 PC card in the laptop

When I transfer files from the laptop to the desktop I am only achieving
transfer speeds of between 250 and 350 kbytes/s (both computers are showing
excellent connection signals). This means that large file transfers take
forever.

Is this a fairly typical transfer speed or should I be expecting better.
If the latter what can I do to speed things up.

Any help/suggestions will be very gratefully received

I have a DG834G and had similar throughput problems to an 802.11b Socket
WiFi card. After upgrading the firmware on the router (1.0.2 to 1.0.3),
throughput went up dramatically. Was around 500k to 1Mbps, now 4.5Mbps to
5Mbps (at 11Mbps reported TX rate, excellent signal).

Didn't originally notice file transfer speeds - what was crap was navigating
around folders on the remote shared resource on the other PC....

If you have already upgraded - sorry!!! If you haven't upgraded - there are
some pitfalls - post back & I'll dig out some references....

P.

"Dave Qua" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:idp6lz7gymgj.qoxml3czpjo$.(E-Mail Removed)...
> Hi,
> I have a Netgear based wireless network connecting a desktop PC and a
> laptop. Equipment is: DG834G router, WG311 PCI adaptor in the desktop,
> WG511 PC card in the laptop
>
> When I transfer files from the laptop to the desktop I am only achieving
> transfer speeds of between 250 and 350 kbytes/s (both computers are
showing
> excellent connection signals). This means that large file transfers take
> forever.
>
> Is this a fairly typical transfer speed or should I be expecting better.
> If the latter what can I do to speed things up.
>
> Any help/suggestions will be very gratefully received

On Tue, 10 Feb 2004 11:50:55 +0000 (UTC), Dave Qua
<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>Hi,
>I have a Netgear based wireless network connecting a desktop PC and a
>laptop. Equipment is: DG834G router, WG311 PCI adaptor in the desktop,
>WG511 PC card in the laptop

Not quite the same set up;

WG602 WAP
WG311 PCI adaptor (Win XP Pro)
WG511T PC Card (Win 2000)

I'm seeing 16 Megabits/s peak, and 12-13 Megabits/s transfer rate from
the WAP -> computers, and combined 10-12 Megabits/s between the two
wireless attached computers (via the wap). WEP turned on
(104/128bit), using shared key.

>When I transfer files from the laptop to the desktop I am only achieving
>transfer speeds of between 250 and 350 kbytes/s (both computers are showing
>excellent connection signals). This means that large file transfers take
>forever.

Ouch!

>Is this a fairly typical transfer speed or should I be expecting better.
>If the latter what can I do to speed things up.

The only change I've made to my setup is to move away from the default
channel (I'm currently using channel 8).

>Any help/suggestions will be very gratefully received

Is your router reporting seeing adaptors other than your own?

What speed are the netgear utilities reporting for the links?

Derek
--
"Hiroshima '45. Tschernobyl '86. Windows '95." - Evelyne Pichler, RHF

Thanks for the replies.
I have upgraded the firmware in the router to 1.03, I also changed from the
original channel (I'm on 11 at the moment)

One bit of false info I gave you was the identity of the card in the laptop
- it is in fact an Intel 802.11b card - will that make a significant
difference?

I guess I will have to play around with the settings. I had untold
problems getting the thing working earlier this year and I'm a bit loath to
fiddle in case it all goes wrong again:-(

However human nature being what it is i guess this weekend will be fiddle
time!!

On Tue, 10 Feb 2004 23:59:45 +0000 (UTC), Dave Qua
<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>Thanks for the replies.
>I have upgraded the firmware in the router to 1.03, I also changed from the
>original channel (I'm on 11 at the moment)
>
>One bit of false info I gave you was the identity of the card in the laptop
>- it is in fact an Intel 802.11b card - will that make a significant
>difference?

Yes, because that will limit the transfer speeds to 802.11b rates.
250 - 350 kbytes/s is around 2 - 2.8 Megabits/s, which is in the right
ball park for 802.11b (maximum transfer rate ~5 megabits/s)

>I guess I will have to play around with the settings. I had untold
>problems getting the thing working earlier this year and I'm a bit loath to
>fiddle in case it all goes wrong again:-(

Heh, it's called plug'n'pray for a reason, you know.

>However human nature being what it is i guess this weekend will be fiddle
>time!!

I'd suggest checking if the PC card has a more recent driver
available.

Derek
--
chown -R us /yourbase

On Tue, 10 Feb 2004 11:50:55 +0000 (UTC), Dave Qua
<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>Hi,
>I have a Netgear based wireless network connecting a desktop PC and a
>laptop. Equipment is: DG834G router, WG311 PCI adaptor in the desktop,
>WG511 PC card in the laptop
>
>When I transfer files from the laptop to the desktop I am only achieving
>transfer speeds of between 250 and 350 kbytes/s (both computers are showing
>excellent connection signals). This means that large file transfers take
>forever.
>
>Is this a fairly typical transfer speed or should I be expecting better.
>If the latter what can I do to speed things up.
>
>Any help/suggestions will be very gratefully received

I've got a WG511 card and a WG602 AP as well as a Linksys USB WiFi
and a handheld Dell branded WiFi.

First thing is take absolutely no notice of what the manufacturer
claims is possible, like you I was initially disappointed, asked
numerous questions and found out the following all affect the
operation of WiFi;

1. Water tanks (Most homes have one)
2. Large metal objects such as fridges, freezers, cookers boilers,
radiators (Most homes have them)
3. Insulation found in various walls (Most homes have them).
4 Microwaves (Most homes have them).

My WiFi literally STOPS when the microwave is on.

Occasionally I can lift my USB interface up by about three feet to
improve connections.

I did actually find that setting my AP to 11mbps rather than the auto
setting (fastest 54mbps) improved the speed (less ping drops) for my
802.11b devices eg the USB and handheld.

Geoff Lane
Welwyn Hatfield Computer Club - Hertfordshire, UK
www.whcc.co.uk - Online facilities for non locals