# wireless slower than direct cable?



## originale (Sep 18, 2004)

Is it possible that my wireless is slowing down my web page browsing? I switched to direct cable and found the browsing significantly faster. If so, what would be the reason for the slow browsing. It shows the wireless as operating at a speed of 54.0mbps- not sure what that means.

I am using Netgear wgt634U but found this to be the case when I was using Linksys 54G as well. 

Running windows XP and browse with firefox


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## V0lt (Sep 14, 2002)

It's not very likely unless you are dropping packets (losing data in transit for whatever reason), because the overhead for Wireless G is so much higher than the highest speed you'll ever encounter with today's internet providers.

Check the wireless connection properties to see what the reception level is. It's possible that if the signal strength isn't high enough, and it still tries to operate at 54mbps, it'll start to drop packets.


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## originale (Sep 18, 2004)

The signal strength is always excellent and packets aren't being dropped. So, maybe a quirk?


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## TheMatt (May 9, 2006)

If you have like 100 users connected to the wireless then it will slow down, but other than that it shouldn't.


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## Terrister (Apr 18, 2005)

Go into your router and make sure you are the only connected user. Also try another channel to rule out interference.


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## originale (Sep 18, 2004)

Thanks- I'm the only user. Ok- so could it be the spyware scanners that I have on. I'm not sure how they work. I have the Trend Micro free scanner- does it scan every website before I get there- thus slowing everything down?


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## TheMatt (May 9, 2006)

If you have multiple spyware scanners running at the same time, you will get slower speeds.


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## originale (Sep 18, 2004)

*Another channel?*

How do I go to another channel? I dont know what that means. I also haven't figured out how to go into the router. I knew how to make my way around my Linksys router but don't know that for Netgear. I guess I have to read the long, long manual. Groan......


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## Terrister (Apr 18, 2005)

Go to the wireless section of the wireless setup and you should see how to change channels.
What kind of card do you have in the computer?


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## originale (Sep 18, 2004)

It's taken awhile- we had a long weekend here. Wirless card is Intel 2200 BG

I still have no idea how to change channels. I went to what I thought was wireless network connections but still can't see anything referring to channels. All I can see is the option to go to properties but there is not a reference to channels.

I also can't figure out how to access the router. How can I figure out what the address is. And also, my wireless is open access and I don't know how to assign a WEP password.


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## originale (Sep 18, 2004)

*figured it out*

Hello to all: Ignore my last requests- I read the online manual (painful!!) and figured out WEP and channel info. It wasn't where you thought it would be. The netgear was configured differently and the channel info was elsewhere. Anyway, the wireless is still wonky- each time I sign on I have to go to repair. I think it isn't assigning the DHCP address- I have to investigate.


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## Terrister (Apr 18, 2005)

Have you tried updated drivers from here? http://www.intel.com/support/wireless/wlan/sb/cs-010623.htm

Also this card seems to have power issues. Make sure to turn off power saving for this card. If it goes to sleep, it has a hard time waking again. Also there are some suspend and resume problems with this card. Does it behave after a cold boot?


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## originale (Sep 18, 2004)

*HELP-problems*

Either it's a coincidence or something happened when I changed channels to 10. Maybe I shdn't do things that I don't understand.

The wireless won't connect at all now. Also, I can't reach the wireless- if I could connect the minute Itype in the wireless address, it disconnects. I"m now only able to connect directly to the modem. Windows shut down the computer so things seem to be happening but I don't understand what. 

Any ideas? This is so frustrating. When I was connected, my connectiviyt, while excellent, was dropping. It was timing out and really slow.


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## originale (Sep 18, 2004)

*Solution found- needed cable*

I finally took my computer and wireless to tech person who sold me my laptop. I didn't that to you should be using the cable and plugging router into computer in order to access router and make changes. That made all the difference. I had confused the computer without doing this. Also, he said not to download the drivers. Seems that plugging in router and making the changes that way was the answer. Wish I had known that before i went ahead- wasted sooooo much time- and was very frustrated.


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