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WayneMc
24-03-2007, 09:25
Hi guys

Hope you can help!

I have 2MB broadband with VM. My cable modem is connected to my Netgear wireless router, which has a max wireless speed of 54.0Mbps.

Since all day yesterday, it has dropped to 18.0Mbps and have tried rebooting the router and modem, changing the wireless channels, resetting the router, moving the cordless phone away, Something is obviously interfering with it, but can't think what. It has always stayed at its max (54.0Mbps). The antenna is in it's upright position. I am wondering if it's the actual broadband through the modem that maybe having a problem??

Any ideas?

Paul K
24-03-2007, 09:29
Easy way to find out..... remove the router and direct connect temporarily to the modem.

WayneMc
24-03-2007, 09:33
Easy way to find out..... remove the router and direct connect temporarily to the modem.

Thanks, Paul. Tried that. Broadband seems fine. Hmmm....any other ideas? Why is it at 18.0? It should be 54.0Mbps. :confused:

Paul K
24-03-2007, 09:39
If BB speeds are fine when connecting without the router then it is definately the router at fault somewhere. What model router is it and have you tried a factory reset on it? Also have you checked that it's not a setting on the PC that is causing it?

zing_deleted
24-03-2007, 09:44
This will only effect your file sharing accross the network as the 18 Mbps is still a lot faster than your 2 meg net connection

WayneMc
24-03-2007, 09:51
If BB speeds are fine when connecting without the router then it is definately the router at fault somewhere. What model router is it and have you tried a factory reset on it? Also have you checked that it's not a setting on the PC that is causing it?

Paul, it is a Netgear WGR614 v6 54Mbps router. When I go into the control panel of the router, it can't always display the webpage. Something is interfering with it. I can't think what setting on the PC or my built in wireless adapter that would cause it to be 18.0Mbps. I tried a factory reset on the router as well.

zinglebard, it should be 54.0, not 18.0. That is it's capability, it should be doing the job I expect it to do.

It has always been 54.0....but since yesterday, when I start up my laptop, it starts at 54.0, then drops to 18.0Mbps.

Paul K
24-03-2007, 09:55
Proxy set anywhere in your browser? It looks more like a signal issue than anything, how far are you from the router and are there any other networks showing in your area? 54.0 is it's "Up To" speed so it's not guaranteed as it is dependant on PC setup and quality of signal.

WayneMc
24-03-2007, 10:09
Proxy set anywhere in your browser? It looks more like a signal issue than anything, how far are you from the router and are there any other networks showing in your area? 54.0 is it's "Up To" speed so it's not guaranteed as it is dependant on PC setup and quality of signal.


I am in the same room as the router, as I have a laptop. But my point is, it has ALWAYS been 54.0Mbps until yesterday. Yes there are some wireless networks in my area, but AFAIK, they've not interfered with mine. Unless one of them changed their settings. I am baffled to what is causing this.

How do I check proxy?

zing_deleted
24-03-2007, 10:14
control panel internet options connections lan settings.
Could well be another network and if your not file sharing dont worry about it unless you want to get stressed needlessly

WayneMc
24-03-2007, 10:19
control panel internet options connections lan settings.
Could well be another network and if your not file sharing dont worry about it unless you want to get stressed needlessly

Thanks, but I will worry about it. I paid for it, and I expect it to do it's job. It has ALWAYS been at 54.0Mbps

I even have problems getting the router's configuration panel to display correctly.

Paul K
24-03-2007, 10:50
Clear your temp internet files and then go to the location Zing told you and check your LAN settings for any proxys set. Are there any other PCs on your network? Is it WEP secured?

AbyssUnderground
24-03-2007, 13:08
Do you use a PCMCIA network card? Ive had two that slowly broke themselves and reduced in speed until eventually they got nothing and wouldnt connect. It could be that.

WayneMc
24-03-2007, 13:54
Do you use a PCMCIA network card? Ive had two that slowly broke themselves and reduced in speed until eventually they got nothing and wouldnt connect. It could be that.

It's a built in Broadcom wireless adapter.

zing_deleted
24-03-2007, 14:03
Thanks, but I will worry about it. I paid for it, and I expect it to do it's job. It has ALWAYS been at 54.0Mbps

I even have problems getting the router's configuration panel to display correctly.


ok dude fair enough but I find life a lot better if you breath and relax a little ;)

And to your highlight it isnt now ;)

mrm1
28-03-2007, 14:54
Paul, it is a Netgear WGR614 v6 54Mbps router. When I go into the control panel of the router, it can't always display the webpage. Something is interfering with it. I can't think what setting on the PC or my built in wireless adapter that would cause it to be 18.0Mbps. I tried a factory reset on the router as well.

zinglebard, it should be 54.0, not 18.0. That is it's capability, it should be doing the job I expect it to do.

It has always been 54.0....but since yesterday, when I start up my laptop, it starts at 54.0, then drops to 18.0Mbps.

I have the exact same router, and since last week have been suffering from the exact same problem on my laptop using a Belkin 7011 pcmcia card. It's driving me nuts as to where the problem is. On my desktop PC I use a Belkin 7050 USB wireless adaptor and it connects perfectly and sits at 54.0. Yet my Belkin 7011 is also used at work and sites at 54.0 all day long.

The signal strength is around -31 to -35, with no noise shown on the adaptor config page.

When connected at home, the signal starts at 54.0 but soon drops to 18.0, I have tried various drivers, including none Belkin ones that use the same chip set with no difference in performance.

What I did discover though, is if I cupped the PCMCIA card with my hand, the signal level dropped slightly, and the wireless speed increase for a short while to 24.0 and once 36.0, could the router power lever be too high. There does not seem to be a way of adjusting the power level on this router.

(at work we use a Linksys WAP54G)

WayneMc
28-03-2007, 20:33
I have the exact same router, and since last week have been suffering from the exact same problem on my laptop using a Belkin 7011 pcmcia card. It's driving me nuts as to where the problem is. On my desktop PC I use a Belkin 7050 USB wireless adaptor and it connects perfectly and sits at 54.0. Yet my Belkin 7011 is also used at work and sites at 54.0 all day long.

The signal strength is around -31 to -35, with no noise shown on the adaptor config page.

When connected at home, the signal starts at 54.0 but soon drops to 18.0, I have tried various drivers, including none Belkin ones that use the same chip set with no difference in performance.

What I did discover though, is if I cupped the PCMCIA card with my hand, the signal level dropped slightly, and the wireless speed increase for a short while to 24.0 and once 36.0, could the router power lever be too high. There does not seem to be a way of adjusting the power level on this router.

(at work we use a Linksys WAP54G)

I know how you feel, it's driving me nuts. I can't think or figure out what's causing my speed to drop to 18.0 :confused: Its in the hall, right near my office....so I am baffled :confused:

mrm1
28-03-2007, 20:48
I know how you feel, it's driving me nuts. I can't think or figure out what's causing my speed to drop to 18.0 :confused: Its in the hall, right near my office....so I am baffled :confused:

I have just plugged my USB stick in to my laptop and had both connrction running on my lap top at the same time and monitored them both. The usb stick is sat at 54Mbs while the PCMCIA card has just dropped down to 18.

I have the exact same symptons as you, when the speed drops to 18, I cant even open the routers admin pages, yet with the usb stick in place my internet flies along.

As for placement of the router, I have moved it to the oppiside of the room since trying to find what the problem is, so i dont think that that is the problem.

I think this rules out the laptop settings and the router as being the problem (but I could be wrong), which only leaves the PCMCIA card, yet this works perfectly at work, and funny that we are both using the same model and version of netgear router, and we both started having the problem around a week ago..

As I dont have another PCMCIA card I am going to have to buy a new one and see if that sorts the problem.
---------------------------------------------------------------

An update, I have disabled all power saving functions of my PCMCIA card as well as Afterburner mode and now my wireless connection is hovering around 36Mbs. It still drops down to 18, but then jumps back up again almost instantly.

Before with 18Mbs wireless speeds I was only getting internet speeds of around 300 kbits/sec max. Now I am getting constant internet speeds of around 1994 kbits/sec. As I am only on 2M broadband 1994 seems pretty good.

ritch0s
28-03-2007, 23:48
have you checked the wireless channel of the router? maybe its broadcasting on a channel that is in use by someone else. someone in your neighbourhood could have just installed a wireless router and may have just left it on default channel thus interfering with yours.

do a check and see what other networks are on around you and check what channels they are on and use a different one.

also im not exactly sure if this is true but if you have a wireless 802.11b device connected to the router it might be that it slows down the maximum speed. this could be a DS a PSP or old laptop.

worth a shot?

mrm1
29-03-2007, 08:58
Tried all channels on mine, and router set to G only.

Kellargh
29-03-2007, 10:06
Funnily enough my Belkin G+ drops to a staggering 1.0mb and the hub is directly underneath me.

WayneMc
29-03-2007, 12:26
have you checked the wireless channel of the router? maybe its broadcasting on a channel that is in use by someone else. someone in your neighbourhood could have just installed a wireless router and may have just left it on default channel thus interfering with yours.

do a check and see what other networks are on around you and check what channels they are on and use a different one.

also im not exactly sure if this is true but if you have a wireless 802.11b device connected to the router it might be that it slows down the maximum speed. this could be a DS a PSP or old laptop.

worth a shot?


I have tried all channels, but something is interfering with it. I obviously can't mess with my wireless adapter, as it's built into the laptop.

---------- Post added at 11:17 ---------- Previous post was at 11:06 ----------

I have the exact same symptons as you, when the speed drops to 18, I cant even open the routers admin pages.

Annoying, isn't it? :mad:

---------- Post added at 11:26 ---------- Previous post was at 11:17 ----------

I may have found the cause: my router is broadcasting TWO networks from the same router :confused: They both have the same network address

http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e77/WayneMc/UnknownNetwork.jpg

This is an unknown network, but it's mine lol

http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e77/WayneMc/McMillanHomeNetwork.jpg

This is my home network, also same network address.

Very odd. I did a hard reset, but http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e77/WayneMc/55.gif

altis
29-03-2007, 12:31
It could be someone's video sender causing interference. They use the same frequency band but a completely different protocol. You won't be able to see them using a network scan but they will still cause interference.

It could just be a loose connector of course ;)

WayneMc
29-03-2007, 13:40
It could be someone's video sender causing interference. They use the same frequency band but a completely different protocol. You won't be able to see them using a network scan but they will still cause interference.

It could just be a loose connector of course ;)

I doubt that very much.

---------- Post added at 12:40 ---------- Previous post was at 11:39 ----------

I've given up trying to figure it out and sort it. I have binned my router (it's ****) and am sticking with ethernet connection, since know one seems to know what the problem is.

Thanks anyway.

chrisjones
29-03-2007, 14:03
Totally random thought here, but if everything was working fine up until a specific time, why not try a system restore? Cant hurt.

WayneMc
29-03-2007, 14:24
I re-installed XP on my laptop, so it's not XP.

Anyway, I've binned it.

Thanks anyway.

mrm1
29-03-2007, 19:43
Just fixed mine. Dumped the Belkin F5D7011 card and replaced it with a Netgear WG511T.

Now running perfect again.:tu:

WayneMc
29-03-2007, 20:06
Just fixed mine. Dumped the Belkin F5D7011 card and replaced it with a Netgear WG511T.

Now running perfect again.:tu:


Lucky you :rolleyes:

Wish I was that lucky. Netgear routers are p00 :td:

mrm1
29-03-2007, 20:51
To be honest, the netgear isn't as stable as my old sitecom. The sitecom didn't have good enough security though (couldn't even switch of SSID broadcast).

Richy99
31-03-2007, 14:43
i get between 24 and 36 on my wireless connection. its amazing how much difference pointing the antenna in a different direction makes as earlier in the day i was getting between 1 and 11 at the most with it hovering at 2, changed position of the antenna on the card and now get decent speeds