ShelbysDad
@covad.net
| N signal problems (WRT310N)
I'm currently running a Linksys WRT310N and the signal strength is horrible. I went out and bought a N card to see if this would help and still having problems. I use to run a Linksys B router and decided I needed an upgrade. Signal was a lot better than what I am getting now.
I'm running WEP, changed the channel to 11 and have the latest firmware 1.00.4. If I go less than 50ft from the access point with no walls to restrict signal, still the same. I have to be in the same room to get good speeds.
What to do? Thanks. |
|
stevech0
join:2006-09-17
San Diego, CA
edit:
May 5th, @11:21PM
| 802.11b radios typically have around 100mW of transmit power, excluding PDAs and some cheap PCMCIA.
802.11g radios typically have around 30-40mW (in 11g OFDM modes) and can get to 100mW in the slowest non-OFDM mode.
The difference between 30mW and 100mW is similar to the advantage that 11g's OFDM has over 11b's DSSS. So range should be a push, (same) despite the weaker signal.
This happened because it costs too much to run 100mW with 11g OFDM so they stayed with the same tx power amp for 11g as in 11b.
But the advantage of 11g is that the bits/Hz/Sec is higher than 11b. (more spectral efficiency)
11n without channel-pairing is the same as 11g except the seller gets more money from you.
Marketing rules. |
|
tipstir
join:2004-11-14
Boca Raton, FL | reply to ShelbysDad
Friend of mine told me his is giving him problems. Wireless is dropping connection on the WAN hourly. After 1 month of usage he started to get this problem. |
|
JohnInSJ
Premium
join:2003-09-22
San Jose, CA
 ·SONIC.NET
| reply to ShelbysDad
That router has no external antenna. That's usually not a winner for signal strength.
Uh, also WEP is not good for N. Use WPA2-personal. WEP will drop it down to 11g, as it's not in the N spec.
Ignoring the usual "N is a ripoff" post, some N routers can get you more range.
Any chance you can return it? I get really outstanding range through several walls, out of the three-antenna dlink dir-655, currently $117 at amazon (within a few bucks of this one, and not a bad price for a gigabit router + wifi.)
--
My place : »www.schettino.us |
|
shelbysDad
@cisco.com | If I am not mistaken BB return policy is 30days. I'm just outside that window.
So much for the advertising of internal antenna being just as good. I will try the WPA2 to see what happens.
Thanks |
|
stevech0
join:2006-09-17
San Diego, CA
| said by shelbysDad :
.
So much for the advertising of internal antenna being just as good.
Thanks
Advertising: you know: If It Sounds Too Good To Be True...
WPA/WEP will not affect signal strength. They are encryption things. |
|
tipstir
join:2004-11-14
Boca Raton, FL
| reply to shelbysDad
Try phoning the store and talk the store manager and tell him or her. I've enjoy shopping at BB which I do regularly but I have this router and it's giving me issues. My 30 days was up last week but I would like to see if I could buy another router and maybe use what I had just purchased to make up for the difference. This works, but now they have geek squad, so the manager might put you on to them. They might say okay we can do that for a good loyal customers. |
|
tipstir
join:2004-11-14
Boca Raton, FL | reply to shelbysDad
Not much going for that router with the design to make it look modern. Internal ANT has to very strong for it to work right. DLINK is moving towards this method also. |
|
JohnInSJ
Premium
join:2003-09-22
San Jose, CA
·SONIC.NET
| reply to stevech0
said by stevech0  :WPA/WEP will not affect signal strength. They are encryption things. Using WEP on 11n gear will force it into G mode, which will shut down all MIMO, which will negate any benefit thereof.
Trust me, you do NOT want WEP with 11n. There *is no WEP* in 11n.
--
My place : »www.schettino.us |
|
stevech0
join:2006-09-17
San Diego, CA
edit:
May 6th, @10:37PM
| said by JohnInSJ :said by stevech0 :WPA/WEP will not affect signal strength. They are encryption things. Using WEP on 11n gear will force it into G mode, which will shut down all MIMO, which will negate any benefit thereof. Trust me, you do NOT want WEP with 11n. There *is no WEP* in 11n. well, if it drops into 11g mode, and no MIMO, I doubt you'll see much difference. MIMO has a slight benefit if BOTH ends of the link implement combinational MIMO. The client side doesn't, due to high cost and lack of room for antennas. But with just the w-router end implementing a subset of MIMO (as in 11n) it's primary benefit is to hype selling 11n. |
|
higginst
join:2005-04-16
Earlysville, VA
| reply to JohnInSJ
There *is* WEP in draft 11n. Support just isn't mandatory, so most wireless chipset manfs have chosen to not optimize performance and limit the link rate to 54 Mbps.
Ralink actually does support WEP and WPA/TKIP in its draft 11n chipsets that have virtually the same performance as WPA2/AES.
See the plot for the Belkin N Wireless Router.
»www.smallnetbuilder.com/content/···01/1/14/
--
Small Network Help @ »smallnetbuilder.com |
|
JohnInSJ
Premium
join:2003-09-22
San Jose, CA
·SONIC.NET
| Right - ok, for *his specific draft N router, and nearly every other one you could buy today* using WEP will force the router out of N mode completely, so there will be no way to get faster then G speed out of it. Besides the fact that using WEP is about the same as using mac filtering... |
|
shelbysDad
@cisco.com | reply to ShelbysDad
Well I RMA'd my 310 and was replaced by a new 310. Just hooked it up without using WEP and it seems to be working better. Let's see what happens in the next week.
Thanks for everyones help. |
|
Sveasoft_
@comhem.se | reply to ShelbysDad
We have a firmware upgrade for the WRT310N that fixes this issue - »www.sveasoft.com. |
|
stevech0
join:2006-09-17
San Diego, CA | re using sveasoft... run, don't walk, away from it/him. google for others' experiences |
|
