How to test wireless speed with one machine only ?

[pfm]

I saw some articles on snb that about a few programs that can be used to test performance of the wireless network but all of them require 2 machines - a "client" and a "server". Are there any that can be run using 1 PC only ? or a PC and a mobile device (tablet, phone, etc.) or just between 2 mobile devices ?
My router does have a usb port that I could use to stick in a usb memory stick if it just needs some kind of storage on one end.

Please advise.
Thanks.

 

[Alek]

Not sure which programs you are referencing, but you are definitely going to need a client and server for any sort of test. What you might be able to do, though, is hook two adapters up to your machine, one at the end of a USB extension cord so that you have some reasonable distance between the two adapters. Now run a virtual machine (VirtualBox is free) and have one adapter on your regular OS, the other on the VM. It wouldn't be ideal, but I can't think why it wouldn't work.

 

[chadster766]

I saw some articles on snb that about a few programs that can be used to test performance of the wireless network but all of them require 2 machines - a "client" and a "server". Are there any that can be run using 1 PC only ? or a PC and a mobile device (tablet, phone, etc.) or just between 2 mobile devices ?
My router does have a usb port that I could use to stick in a usb memory stick if it just needs some kind of storage on one end.

Please advise.
Thanks.

On an Android device you could install "Kies Air". Then download a good size file from the phone to the computer and watch the transfer in the adapter status on the computer.

 

[theveterans]

I saw some articles on snb that about a few programs that can be used to test performance of the wireless network but all of them require 2 machines - a "client" and a "server". Are there any that can be run using 1 PC only ? or a PC and a mobile device (tablet, phone, etc.) or just between 2 mobile devices ?
My router does have a usb port that I could use to stick in a usb memory stick if it just needs some kind of storage on one end.

Please advise.
Thanks.

Using the router's USB won't be accurate enough but it should give some indication of poor performance. The best way is the WLAN to LAN method or vice versa since the router won't have to use its processing power to USB transfer while processing WiFi transmission.

 

[azazel1024]

On an Android device you could install "Kies Air". Then download a good size file from the phone to the computer and watch the transfer in the adapter status on the computer.

Only problem there is that most mobile clients like phones are severly limited in their Wifi stack...so it isn't really testing just how capable anything is except the client device itself.

Granted that is true of ANY clients, however if you are using a higher performance client, you are at least stressing the router/AP more.

As for only 1 device, no, not really. You can test through speedtest.net or similar, but that is likely more a test of your internet connection than a WLAN test, since I'll assume your WLAN is more capable than your WAN connection.