Wireless access point SLOWER than wireless router?

[blake]

I added an Engenius Wireless Access Point (ECB350; "8-1" configured to WAP mode) to provide better coverage throughout my house. It is connected with a 50ft CAT6 cable to a NetGear WNDR3700 router (turned off its radio).

The WAP provides much better signal strength throughout my house (due to more optimal placement of the WAP and stronger antenna I get ex. -40 WAP vs -60 dbi router). However, download speeds are much slower! I would estimate the WAP is half the speed of the Netgear router's wireless 20 vs 10 MBS down. Uploads similar at 5 mbs). Why is the ECB350 slower if its signal strength is better ?

I ensured the Engenius ECB350 is set to max transmit power (28 db). Both were using WPA2, 80211n/b/g.

Thanks

 

[stevech]

Some things come to mind

Access Point is receiving a weak signal from client device - due to positioning or due to an inferior receiver in the Access Point.

Access Point is on a channel that has heavy traffic from an neighbor's WiFi, rather than the same channel as the router had used.

High error rate and retransmissions to correct these.. leading to slower net throughput. Reduce transmit power (reduces distortion).

Run ping for a long time on a client PC, ping your router, such as 192.168.1.1 or whatever the gateway LAN IP is. See if there are many ping timeouts.

The -60dBm signal you mention is an excellent signal strength.

-40dBm is a very strong signal. Some chance it's too strong and the client is getting errors due to overload. (Nit: "dBi" is a measure of antenna gain; "dBm" is a measure signal strength.)

 

[tipstir]

I added an Engenius Wireless Access Point (ECB350; "8-1" configured to WAP mode) to provide better coverage throughout my house. It is connected with a 50ft CAT6 cable to a NetGear WNDR3700 router (turned off its radio).

The WAP provides much better signal strength throughout my house (due to more optimal placement of the WAP and stronger antenna I get ex. -40 WAP vs -60 dbi router). However, download speeds are much slower! I would estimate the WAP is half the speed of the Netgear router's wireless 20 vs 10 MBS down. Uploads similar at 5 mbs). Why is the ECB350 slower if its signal strength is better ?

I ensured the Engenius ECB350 is set to max transmit power (28 db). Both were using WPA2, 80211n/b/g.

Thanks

Do you have the new one which max out at 29 dBm transmit power or the older model?

Also have you ran some additional testing in key spots where the lost of downloading happens. Your in mix mode environment! As most mix mode are from 144mb for 2T/2R design compared to 214mb 3T/3R design when in mix mode. Add this to your browser on WiFi client and tell me how well your WAP is doing. Start from where you install give me radius of 360 degrees say about 50 ft and start outward to where your signal drops to -60dB

The address is: http://tools.meraki.com/stumbler#q=
Java applet plug-in will be required. (This free tool that uses cloud technology)

Signal strength is measured in % (100% = is the best one) (99% to 90% very good) as you drop below 80% signal might be good but downloading will start to suffer.
Run a speedtest.net on the 100% side then do one as it drops to 90% range, then on the 80% range. This WAP you have the memory is low side it more geared to sending the signal then is to doing heavy downloading on it. You would need to take it out of mix and push N. But pushing N doesn't mean going to get any better. Setting the TX power higher could leave into more RX errors. Just have to balance it out. Try 20dbm first then slowly move it up. 20dbm to 23dbm might be better for you. You would have test it.

 

[EndeavorOR]

Two possibilities:

1. The Netgear has a faster processor. In fact, the latest Netgear units are the fastest units that I've found. They're also incredibly unreliable, requiring frequent reboots.

2. You are probably using the Engenius on a more congested channel. Lot's of things can interfere with Wifi. Try swapping channels and see if that changes your results.

I added an Engenius Wireless Access Point (ECB350; "8-1" configured to WAP mode) to provide better coverage throughout my house. It is connected with a 50ft CAT6 cable to a NetGear WNDR3700 router (turned off its radio).

The WAP provides much better signal strength throughout my house (due to more optimal placement of the WAP and stronger antenna I get ex. -40 WAP vs -60 dbi router). However, download speeds are much slower! I would estimate the WAP is half the speed of the Netgear router's wireless 20 vs 10 MBS down. Uploads similar at 5 mbs). Why is the ECB350 slower if its signal strength is better ?

I ensured the Engenius ECB350 is set to max transmit power (28 db). Both were using WPA2, 80211n/b/g.

Thanks

 

[EndeavorOR]

Also, read my article on choosing the right Wifi channel. If you're the only one in your house using Wifi, you could probably put them both on the same channel and not suffer noticeable interference.

http://forums.smallnetbuilder.com/showthread.php?t=7613