Mbps Speed Help

[LillyDayStar]

I have a wireless HP Notebook and am having trouble with the Mbps speed. At the onset of connecting it is at 54 Mbps (maximum) and then falls to either 5.5 or 1.0 when it connects. Does anyone know what is going on? Slow as molasses loading.....Thanks Lilly

[classicsoftware]

I think it's time for a set of full system specs.

Please describe your system in detail. Has this always been the case or is it a new phenomenon?

[LillyDayStar]

Alrighty:

HP ze4941 running WinXP/2, Firewall on
Avast (running), AVG antivirus (stopped - was causing system to not connect to BusinessPortal 2Wire).
Broadcom 802.11B/G WLAN
Intel Celeron M processor 1.30GHz

What else do you need? I began this post with 24 Mbps and am now running at 1.0 Mbps....

Am appreciative of the assistance....

Lilly

[Wandrille]

sometimes that happens to me but thats usually when im runnin a lot of programs and games and browsers but now it seems to have stopped
maybe its ur range of ur wireless card or of the router?

[classicsoftware]

The next step would be to see of this happens regardless of the distance from the WAP. The next ting to do is to isolate other cordless devices like phones and microwaves.

[jimmy5k]

some wireless access points drop their internal speed to match the slowest connection
EG: 802.11G router, and if someone with an 802.11b connects, the entire system drops to 802.11b

You may need to see if someone else is on the network. thats just my 2 bits

[LillyDayStar]

Thanks for the input. My Notebook is on a security enabled wireless network via the 2Wire in another room with a microwave and cordless in between. How far does the wireless system project. I am in a 10 unit condo building with only one person maybe having a wireless system.

But I encrypted the network key into the wireless set up instead of having Windows assign it, shouldn't it be secure? And what is the difference between a WPA and WEP? Any? My Network Autentication Type is showing Open - is that bad? My data encryption type is WEP.

Lilly

[Variable]

Sounds like you have crowded air space. As your laptops wireless card begins sending packets to the wireless router you notice full connection. But, as you begin to use the connection it slows down. What could be happening is that, as the amount of packets increases, interference from other devices becomes more of a problem. The packets are being retransmitted because they are corrupt/missing (because of the interference) throw on top of this, WEP, which slows down a wireless connection and you may have your problem.

As has already been said, I would put the wireless notebook right next to the wireless router and see if the problem goes away. Thats troubleshooting step one. If it continues to be a problem I would replace the wireless NIC in the notebook with a known good wireless NIC (borrow one from someone for 10 minutes) and try again - troubleshooting step two.

[LillyDayStar]

My little town of 4 square miles just installed WiFi throughout the whole place. Could this be what is not only causing me difficulties in getting on, but once on at an okay (not great) Mbps, it drops to 1.0 Mbps? There are boxes throughout the town. If so, how does one get away from that? Or rectify that?

Lilly

[LillyDayStar]

I had to change my WiFi's channel from the town's WiFi channel, so it appears to have taken care of the problem. Thanks to those who responded.