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[DrunkJug]

as the title says my wireless download speed is all over the place. I am testing using speedtest.net and speedof.me

never really paid too much attention to it before as I have never noticed it running slowly, but I have been putting this router through it's paces since I have been trying to get Open NAT on 2 XBOX's at the same time and have been trying to get everything running as best as I can.

I currently am trying to use the 2.4 Ghz wireless N and G. That way all items on my network can access the wireless. Download speeds vary drastically using these settings. I used iStumbler to look at all the networks in my area (there are quite a few). I ended up trying channel 7 as no one in my are is using that one. Regardless of what channel I select the results are about the same. The results vary drastically from test to test and upload generally ends up being faster than download.

I am able to switch over to 5Ghz N and at that point I get blazing fast speeds and a very consistent connection. I am unable to use several of the devices on my network with 5Ghz so it is a no go. I thought it might be useful to know this however so I included the information here.

I am pretty familiar with setting up this router and have tried a lot of different configurations.

so far what works best for me is:
enabling WMM
enabling Short GI
enabling Wireless Protection

I am running WPA2 Only, AES and it doesn't make a difference whether it is enabled or not in any configuration that I have tried.

That is all I can think of at the moment so if anyone has any ideas I can try I am ready to give it a shot. It may also be worth noting that if I wire straight into the modem or wire into the router I get the same speed and very consistent connection when I test.

Thanks in advance,
C.G.

[FurryNutz]

Try setting Medium or Low power output settings and test again Under Advanced/Advanced Wireless.

"I used iStumbler to look at all the networks in my area (there are quite a few)." How many?

This tells me that your are could be WiFi congested on 2.4Ghz.

[DrunkJug]

Hey Furry!

What took you so long?  

I will give that a go when I get home and will also report as to how many networks there are near me that I can pick up.

Weird thing about it all is how when it isn't working properly the upload always outpaces the download. Kinda strange.

one other minor detail that I did not mention in my initial post is that there is no more than one wall between the router and any device that it would potentially be communicating with.

At any rate what exactly is switching the power output potentially going to do for us?

[FurryNutz]

Make the routers broadcast foot print smaller and thus making the foot print less **** to possible interferences maybe.

[DrunkJug]

just tried your suggestion and it didn't seem to make any difference.

another small detail I forgot to post is that I changed the Beacon period from 100 down to 50. I read on this site somewhere to try that. It didn't really seem to make a difference either.

One question that seems really weird to me. Why is download affected and for the most part upload seems to always be fine. Now this isn't ALWAYS the case but for the most part this rings true.

[FurryNutz]

Does this happen if you change to 5Ghz and test?

[DrunkJug]

5Ghz is fast as all get out and solid/stable. Very little fluctuation.

Problem is only my Computer and iPhone 5's work on 5Ghz. iPhone 5's only work on 5Ghz if WMM is enabled (found out that little tidbit on apples site).

[DrunkJug]

I hesitate to state that I think I may have stabilized my Wi-Fi connection. Every time I think it is doing pretty good it takes a turn for the worse.  

I do believe that I have it about as stable as it is going to get while running the 2.4Ghz band.

The missing piece was to go into advanced/advanced network and make sure Enable Multicast Streams was checked. Did this and restarted the router and it has been pretty stable for the last two days.

If anything changes I will post back but as of right now I think it is about as good as it is going to get.

Thanks again Furry for your willingness to help!

now I patiently await that DGL5500  

[FurryNutz]

Glad you got it working better.

I think eventually you'll need to migrate to 5Ghz though.

Enjoy. 

[DrunkJug]

I can't migrate to 5Ghz until nintendo and these other companies get with the times which will probably be never. If I had a true dual band router it wouldn't be an issue.

[FurryNutz]

I would set your self in to a cheap little 2.4Ghz AP and set that up for your devices that can't migrate to 5Ghz, then set up the 4500 for 5Ghz for those that can. I'm currently running a DIR-601 in my living room for some 2.4Ghz devices.

[DrunkJug]

Is that difficult to set up? I wouldnt think it would be too difficult but then again....

If that 5500 ever hits that would be the perfect solution providing that the firmware is good right off the bat.

[FurryNutz]

Nope. Easy as pie...
 Turning a router into an AP.

[DrunkJug]

So you would go with the 601? It just looks kinda low quality to me.  Good price though on amazon.

[FurryNutz]

Ya it's a low quality one however does the job for basic stuff and for getting some flexibility for older legacy devices or ones that don't support WPA2 and you need WEP, well worth the investment since it's so cheap.