Gateway and Wireless N

I have two laptops (one for me and one for my wife), my wife's is a Gateway FX, P-7811 FX, the model sold at Best Buy for about 1400. In the model is an Intel Wireless N card, an Intel Wifi Link 5100. This card is rated for speeds of N up to 450 mbps. Operating system runs Vista 64.

Last friday I purchased a Netgear wireless N router (Netgear WRN2000) to replace an older super G router. The router suports up to 300 mbps transmition under optimal conditions (yea I know its not always that fast).

My Toshiba Qosmio 701 connected with slight adjustments to the wireless card settings (Aethos) to connect at 300 mbps (I have no major interferance and the router is close) almost all the time. But when I tried to connect the gateway, changing similar settings, the wireless will only connect at 150 mbps.

I have tried everything to fix the gateway to reach the max 300. It doesn't fluxtuate, but stays constant at 150 (just like my toshiba stays at 300). I have tried new wireless drivers, both from gateway and intel, I have modified every option for the wireless card, I have done every vista update, and I have adjusted every possible wireless setting and still I haven't been able to achieve 300 mbps.

Since my Toshiba connects fine, I assume that its a laptop problem. I have adjusted much of the router settings, but each adjustment either leaves the speeds the same or drops the router into G or super G settings. I have done router resets, modem resets, etc. No fixes.

What am I doing wrong? I am at a loss as to the problem. Looking on the internet it seems no one else is having anything similar to this problem. Speeds are exceeding super G so the laptop is receiving and transmitting in N, but something seems to cap the speed. Is this a hardware issue? Wireless card only operating 2 of its 3 antennas? I am a desktop person (built many) but this is my first experience with laptops. Any suggestions or potential identifiers would help.

 

Try adjusting your routers advanced settings by entering it's IP in the internet address bars (it's usually 192.168.1.1). Some adjustments that have slightly increased my speeds were changing the wirless type to N-only and enabling frame burst.

 

The 5100 is NOT capable of 450mbps, it is only capable of 300mbps (the 5300 will do 450mbps). The way they get that speed is that it connects via 2 channels. If you look at the card you will see two antennae connected. One for each channel. Each channel can communicate at up to 150mbps. So, you are only connected on one channel. If you've enabled frame burst and made sure you have the latest firmware on your router, you might want to pop open the back cover and see if one of the antenna has become dislodged.

Also, that 300mbps is receive bandwidth. It doesn't send that fast. I also read somewhere that some routers can only MIMO (Multiple in multiple out - iow use both channels) with one device at a time. I do not if that is true of your particular router. Regardless, unless you are transfering files between computers on your local system you won't notice a difference, unless your ISP is providing you data at over 150Mbps, which isn't likely. ("Highspeed" in my area is 10 Mbps for $40/month)

 

I find that routers are kind of misleading on what speeds they will be able to produce. Wireless N can supply 300kbs, but not every router can. Every N router I've used will only give speeds of around 135kbs to 150kbs.

To get the full speed of 270-300kbs, you need to have a router that supports a 5ghz connection. Currently im using the WRT610N router which is a linksys router that will send out a connection on both the 2.4ghz and 5ghz bands, so you can have the high speed from the 5ghz and the more compatable 2.4ghz.

Also remember, 5.0ghz is a much higher frequency. If your connecting in a large house, it won't even go through most walls, I've lost signal just by going in the garage and shutting all the doors, but when the door is open ill get a good signal.

edit: The card in the 6860fx does support 5ghz connections, I don't know about any of the other laptops.

 

Ok I did double checking of items and still only can receive 150 mbps, here is what I checked:

1. Opened up laptop and looked at wireless card, two antennas connected.
2. reset router with all electronics turned off (laptops, TV's, gaming systems, etc.) and connected in the same room as the router (max strength with no interference from devices or walls)
3. Tested toshiba laptop, receiving both 2.4 and 5.0 ghz with a 300 mbps speed.

Either I am missing some router/hardware issue (possible bad antenna?) or there is a setting that I am totally missing. I have adjusted every setting on the adapter and router, even ones that didn't matter. The router has no option for a N only mode, its only choices is broadcast speed (54 mbps, 145 mbps, and 300 mbps). Frame burst is enabled (i.e. toshiba laptop getting top speed when its turned on).

If it is indeed one of the antennas is it easy to change these out? or must I really pull apart the entire laptop to get to the connections on the motherboard?

 

I'm glad someone brought this up, and maybe im doing something wrong as well. I just hooked up the Linksys 610 dual band N router and when I connect through the wireless (either 2.4 or 5.0) it says I'm getting 54mps when standing next to the router down to 48mps when I'm at the furthest point in the house from the router.

Based on this thread and utilizing N and the 7811FX should I be seeing something significantly higher than 54mps?

Sould I be getting higher rates and how can I go about getting there?

Thanks in advance


*Note when I go with a wired connection it jumps to 1gig.

 

I have the 7811 FX as well. According to an intel KB, you have to use WPA2 with AES in order to use wireless N. This is an Intel only limitation on their N chipset. As soon as i changed my router to the said security I began holding a 150mb connection. 300 Is impossible on this intel chip as well unless you have a router with a 5ghz capable radio, yet another intel specific limitation. They do this to prevent interference with legacy devices.


I'd post the reference links but too lazy right now ><.

 

I did the exact same thing, and I get 150.0, which is fine with me

 

Is anyone using a Dlink Dir-855? I want to know if their is any performance gain between the Dir-855 and the Dir-655.