UPC Broadband slow over wifi?

dillo2k10

Hi,
I was just about to buy UPC's 30mb broadband but then I seen that people were saying that their speed is crap over wifi.
I currently have eircom 8mb NGB. My speed is constantly 7-8. Some people were saying that their speeds can drop bellow 3mb. Is this true. Im not going to pay for a 30mb connection and only receive 3mb at times?

serendip

802.11g WiFi is up to 54 megabits. However, not all of that is likely to be useable, even in perfect conditions.

In practice, however, a WiFi connection will throttle back down the bitrates in the presence of noise, interference or a weak signal. My own connection at home can drop back to 5 megabits from my kitchen.

So your money may vary. It depends on how far you are from your access point, what's in between you and it and the radio noise in your area. If you are close to your access point, you're likely to be able to get your 30 megabits. If it's at the other end of your house or there are solid walls in the way, then you likely won't.

Off topic: What do you need 30 megabits for anyway? (The question is retorical, it's none of my business.) But most video sites are streaming at between 200 and 600 kilobits -- well within the capacity of, say, a 5 megabit connection.

dillo2k10

serendip wrote: »

802.11g WiFi is up to 54 megabits. However, not all of that is likely to be useable, even in perfect conditions.

In practice, however, a WiFi connection will throttle back down the bitrates in the presence of noise, interference or a weak signal. My own connection at home can drop back to 5 megabits from my kitchen.

So your money may vary. It depends on how far you are from your access point, what's in between you and it and the radio noise in your area. If you are close to your access point, you're likely to be able to get your 30 megabits. If it's at the other end of your house or there are solid walls in the way, then you likely won't.

Off topic: What do you need 30 megabits for anyway? (The question is retorical, it's none of my business.) But most video sites are streaming at between 200 and 600 kilobits -- well within the capacity of, say, a 5 megabit connection.

If I was to buy a better router would I get better speeds. I was looking at http://www.argos.ie/static/Product/partNumber/9255162/c_1/1%7Ccategory_root%7COffice,+PCs+and+phones%7C14418968/c_2/2%7Ccat_14418968%7CWireless+networking%7C14419015/c_3/3%7Ccat_14419015%7CCable+routers%7C14419022.htm

I use graboid for watching most tv shows as most times that they are on tv doesnt suit me. They can handle high speeds. Most of the stuff from them is in HD so it uses a lot. Their films can be up to 50GB in size but usually around 5GB

watty

maybe, maybe not. With distance, interference etc a 250Mbps approx 802.11n WiFi can be giving same speed as 54Mbps 802.11a/g

If there are more than 2 users you want ethernet cable to get more than 15Mbps.

If you are in same room you and one user and no interference you may get close to the ethernet cable speed for your 30Mbps connection on 54Mbps or 11n WiFi.

dillo2k10

The way it is now is:
I am usually using it upstairs, nearly directly above the router. And someone else does be using it in the living room, right beside the router. There are another 2 laptops in the house but are very rarely used.
When using in my room I would regularly be using it a high speeds(downloading)
while when in the living room both would only be used very lightly.

Just thought that Id give you that info in-case it helps. Also the one that is usually used in the living room only has a wireless G connection. I dont mind if it drops to 10-15 as long as it is above 9mb

What are the chances of it regularly dropping bellow 10

dillo2k10

Sitec wrote: »

My 30MB UPC connection is nearly always above 20MB with WiFi. Sometimes up to 28MB.

And how ofter would you describe your speed as low?

dillo2k10

Sitec wrote: »

Maybe once a week and im on the internet 6+ hours a day.

And would the slowness last for long?

dillo2k10

Sitec wrote: »

Not really usually an hour or two but sometimes it varies, although when its gone slow it will still be around 12+...

Oh right, when I was saying slow I mean that youd be sitting there screaming at it cos its taking ages for a website to load. 12+ is still pretty fast

watty

Also if you are using 802.11n you need EVERY client to be short distance and 802.11n to get more speed than the normal 54 Mbps 802.11g WiFi.

serendip

dillo2k10 wrote: »

If I was to buy a better router would I get better speeds. I was looking at http://www.argos.ie/static/Product/partNumber/9255162/c_1/1%7Ccategory_root%7COffice,+PCs+and+phones%7C14418968/c_2/2%7Ccat_14418968%7CWireless+networking%7C14419015/c_3/3%7Ccat_14419015%7CCable+routers%7C14419022.htm

I don't know much about 802.11n. However, fundamentally it's a radio with a capped power output. The issues with 802.11n are likely to be very much the same as with any other consumer wireless product. So -- you might want to do some googling -- but it's unlikely to be worth the money if you already have an 802.11g/a device.

TheDoc

I'm one of the people the OP would be talking about.

After serious back and forths and investagations etc, it seems the router supplied is just broken or not working correctly.

Right now I'm on the laptop running speedtests getting 29mb cabled.

My games are running super smooth.

Back upstairs however on my main pc, its 1994 all over again

FlawedGenius

Sitec wrote: »

My 30MB UPC connection is nearly always above 20MB with WiFi. Sometimes up to 28MB.

Do u have a router birdged with the CISCO??? because I know for a fact the Cisco dont give 28 MB wireless. I get 14-18MB wireless and 29 wired, 14-18 still plenty for me:D

gramo

Has anyone bridged there router yet?
My 30 meg line comes back with around 16-17m over wifi but I can't watch a YouTube video, but get great speeds on torrents.. I was going to buy a new N router and bridge it, then mount it in the center of the ceiling in the sitting room..
I'm so annoyed!!

Nollog

watty wrote: »

Also if you are using 802.11n you need EVERY client to be short distance and 802.11n to get more speed than the normal 54 Mbps 802.11g WiFi.

I thought mimo and N increased wireless range over G by about 3 times.