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[TheEdge]

I just upgraded my cable modem from the Motorola Sufboard 5120 to the DOCSIS 3.0 capable 6120. Provisioned it with Comcast and their "Blast" service (supposedly it caps at 16 down, 2 up).

I had, in the past, used my desktop via N-format wireless (DWA-525 N-format PCI adapter and DIR-655 N-format router) to do a speedtest.net test. I was getting 16 down and 2 up (as advertised). When I switched to the 6120, I did a speedtest.net test again to see what kind of gains, if any, I was getting.  Turns out, I was getting 20+ down (nice improvement) and 1/2 Mbps up (a fourth of what I used to be getting?). Called Comcast. They "sent signals" (don't they always?) and claimed that it fixed it. My download speeds increased a smidge (about 22), but my upload speeds were still .5. Called Motorola, they had me do a few things and now I get 1 Mbps up and 27 - 30 down via wireless.

My download speeds are great. I'm content with that. If I hardwire from the cable modem directly to a crappy old laptop, a speedtest.net shows 4 Mbps up. So why do I get such a high upload speed when hardwired (4 Mbps), but a fraction of it (1/4th) when wireless? I'm not using any other devices to sap bandwidth (some are connected -- i.e. another desktop, my Droid phone, etc., but aren't actively pulling packets). And why would it go from 2 up (on my desktop via wireless in the past) to only 1 up (via wireless now) when the setup is the same across the board (as best I recall) other than upgrading my cable modem.

Since I get 4 up when hardwired straight off the cable modem, I assume my DIR-655 is slowing me down somehow. Any suggestions on how to pick up the pace a bit? I've already tried the standard "power cycling", etc.

Oh, and the reason I go wireless -- my cable modem and wireless router are in my game room in the basement for my PS3. My desktop computer (and the wife's desktop computer) are two floors directly above it in our "office".  Signal strength is "excellent" ... always has been.  And again, pretty much everything is the same.

Sounds like this guy had a similar issue, but his was resolved via his ISP.

http://forums.dlink.com/index.php?action=printpage;topic=38923.0

[FurryNutz]

What wireless modes are you using?
Try single mode G or N, or mixed G and N?
What security mode are you using? WEP, WPA or WPA2? Preferred is WPA2.
What wireless devices do you have connected?
Any cordless house phones?

Ensure DNS IP addresses are being filled in under Setup/Internet/Manual?
Turn off Advanced DNS Services if you have this option.
Turn on DNS Relay under Setup/Networking.
Setup DHCP reserved IP addresses for all devices on the router.
Ensure devices are set to auto obtain an IP address.
Set Firewall settings to Endpoint Independent for TCP and UDP.

Turn off all anti virus and firewall programs on PC while testing.
Turn off all devices accept for one wired PC while testing.

[TheEdge]

What wireless modes are you using?
Try single mode G or N, or mixed G and N?
What security mode are you using? WEP, WPA or WPA2? Preferred is WPA2.
What wireless devices do you have connected?
Any cordless house phones?

Ensure DNS IP addresses are being filled in under Setup/Internet/Manual?
Turn off Advanced DNS Services if you have this option.
Turn on DNS Relay under Setup/Networking.
Setup DHCP reserved IP addresses for all devices on the router.
Ensure devices are set to auto obtain an IP address.
Set Firewall settings to Endpoint Independent for TCP and UDP.

Turn off all anti virus and firewall programs on PC while testing.
Turn off all devices accept for one wired PC while testing.

I'm at work and the computer is at home -- so most of these questions I won't be able to answer ATM.  And all this being said, I haven't changed anything on my router (including the location) since I last did a speedtest...and I used to be getting 2 up over wireless.  Now it's one.  The only thing that has changed is the cable modem (I see you have the same one).

Anyway...

I'm 99% sure I use WPA2.  My passkey is eight characters long.
My Droid will connect to my wireless network when it is within range.  But I had that before when I did speedtest tests that yielded 2 Mbps up via wireless.  I also have a PS3 on the main level that will pull wireless when it is on (but it wasn't).  Ditto for my Sony TV (N-format Bravia adapter).  We also have a Google TV box that was on, but not actively pulling data (that I'm aware of).  My wife's desktop is right across from mine -- same PCI wireless card.  It was on, but it wasn't in use or pulling packets (that I'm aware of).

We do have cordless house phones.  They are DECT 6 phones -- had them before when I used to get 2 Mbps up via wireless.

[FurryNutz]

FYI, Well speedtesting over wireless can give some results, it's never the best to test any wireless over speedtest as there are many variables and interferences inherent with wireless that really don't give good and accurate speedtesting results. Wired is always preferred for speed testing. Let us know when you get home on some items mentioned.

[TheEdge]

FYI, Well speedtesting over wireless can give some results, it's never the best to test any wireless over speedtest as there are many variables and interferences inherent with wireless that really don't give good and accurate speedtesting results. Wired is always preferred for speed testing. Let us know when you get home on some items mentioned.

It might not be optimal for speedtesting, but I'm not as concerned about what I'm getting into the house (~25 down, ~4 up as proven via hardwire straight off the modem) as why I'm only getting a fourth of what I get hardwired if I go wirelessly.  My N-format router should be able to pass all 4 Mbps to my desktop(s).  Unfortunately, since they are two floors up, hardwire isn't an option -- unless I do the thing where you pass it through your electrical outlet(s).

But yeah, I'll try to fill in the blanks later tonight.

Thanks for your time and help.

[FurryNutz]

And having 2 floors between you and the router and also be a factor. Let us know. 

[TheEdge]

And having 2 floors between you and the router and also be a factor. Let us know. 

True, but those two floors where there before when I was getting 2 Mbps via wireless as well. 

[TheEdge]

And having 2 floors between you and the router and also be a factor. Let us know. 

Since moving my desktop computer wasn't a feasible option, I took my work laptop home with me. Did a speedtest.net test from our "main floor" -- one level directly above the router via wireless. Got 22 Mbps or so down, .99 up.

Took it down into the game room, five feet from the wireless router. Did another speedtest.net test with a clean line of sight. Got 22 Mbps or so down, 1.0 up (nary a difference).

Went hardwire off the ROUTER (not directly off the cable modem) and got 22Mbps or so down, 1.0 up. (So to me, that rules out the the "wireless" aspect of the router as being THE issue).

Went hardwire DIRECTLY off the cable modem itself. Ping speeds fell from 12 ms or so to 9. Download speeds peaked into the low 30's. Upload speed soared almost as high as 4.5 Mbps before finishing with the results here:

30.69 Mbps down, 4.38 Mbps up. So something in my router is throttling it back dramatically.

http://www.speedtest.net/result/1365598826.png

[TheEdge]

What wireless modes are you using?
Try single mode G or N, or mixed G and N?
What security mode are you using? WEP, WPA or WPA2? Preferred is WPA2.
What wireless devices do you have connected?
Any cordless house phones?

Ensure DNS IP addresses are being filled in under Setup/Internet/Manual?
Turn off Advanced DNS Services if you have this option.
Turn on DNS Relay under Setup/Networking.
Setup DHCP reserved IP addresses for all devices on the router.
Ensure devices are set to auto obtain an IP address.
Set Firewall settings to Endpoint Independent for TCP and UDP.

Turn off all anti virus and firewall programs on PC while testing.
Turn off all devices accept for one wired PC while testing.

I fixed it -- solution to come in the next post...but to answer your questions (perhaps for fine tweaking...)

I was using mixed b/g/n.  At this point, I wonder if anything in our house uses "b".  I assume I can just set it to g/n?
I'm using WPA2 Personal encryption/security mode.
Devices connected -- my desktop, my wife's wireless HP printer, my wife's desktop, a Google TV box, a PS3 via hardwire off the router, a PS3 via wireless, a Sony Dash, my wife's Droid phone, my Droid phone, our Bravia TV N-format adapter and any laptops we should be running wirelessly (one we leave on all the time in the kitchen -- it's an old dinosaur with an N-format USB adapter).  Currently, we have five wireless clients connected -- three are n, two are g.
Our phones, as mentioned above, are cordless using DECT 6.0.

If by DNS addresses, you are referring to the secondary and primary under (Dynamic IP (DHCP) INTERNET CONNETION TYPE), they are all just 0's.  i.e. 0.0.0.0.
Advanced DNS Service was turned off (not checked).
DNS relay was already turned on (checked).
I haven't manually assigned/locked an IP address to each device -- they auto assign an IP when the device is added/detected (within a certain range).
The Firewall settings/filtering were set to address restricted for UDP and Port and Address Restricted for TCP.  (Should I change them?)

Here's some "TRAFFIC STATISTICS" copied and pasted from my router's info page...

LAN Statistics

Sent :1706

TX Packets Dropped :5

Collisions :0
   

Received :0

RX Packets Dropped :0

Errors :0
WAN Statistics

Sent :33501

TX Packets Dropped :0

Collisions :0
   

Received :65456

RX Packets Dropped :0

Errors :0
Wireless Statistics

Sent :60104

TX Packets Dropped :273

   

Received :38192

RX Packets Dropped :92

Errors :66

[TheEdge]

I just fixed it. Found this here:

http://forums.dlink.com/index.php?action=printpage;topic=37648.0

Used the settings he listed in bold and my speeds skyrocketed via wireless.

I just got 26.56 Mbps download, 4.50 Mbps upload on my desktop

http://www.speedtest.net/result/1365629505.png

and my wife got 30.xx Mbps download and 4.3x Mbps upload...both via wireless...both from two floors up from the router.

If somebody sees a major issue with setting my upload speed at 5000 kbps, or thinks this was a bad "solution" as a whole, let me know.

[FurryNutz]

No your certainly open to use manual uplink. Glad you found the fix and it's working.
I recommend setting Mixed G and N modes as A and B modes aren't used much.
Make any other changes? DNS?

Save off your configuration.

[TheEdge]

No your certainly open to use manual uplink. Glad you found the fix and it's working.
I recommend setting Mixed G and N modes as A and B modes aren't used much.
Make any other changes? DNS?

Save off your configuration.

I knew A wasn't used much...but I thought perhaps our Droid phones or some other random device might use B.  Seems like pretty much everything is G and N anymore.

No, I didn't make any other changes.  And yeah, I'll save it in case, for some reason, I have this problem again.

Thanks for your time and help.

[FurryNutz]

Good luck and hope it keeps working well. Keep in touch and have a great weekend.