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[ButchN]

Hi all.

I'm Butch & obviously new to the forum because I have an "issue".

I'm running Vista Ultimate 32 bit with a Linksys WRT300N (wireless N) router (had the USB connector but brought it back as wireless speeds were all over the place vs. rock solid with my internal G card.) so last night I decided to get the DWA-643.

I noticed my connection speed, even though in my Windows manager shows 300, my actual speed was MUCH less as not just by the way web pages, etc. took longer to load, but also with running a test as shown in the below comparison links.

Here is my down/up speed with my internal G card:




And here is my down/up with my 643, which was approximately the same using the CD driver that came with the card, & using the updated 121 driver:



These tests were made within a minute of each other.

The internal test was done with the adapter unplugged, & the adapter test was done with the internal card shut off so neither one conflicted with the other.

Why am I getting such poor download speeds & a slower upload speed for now having a faster N card vs. the slower G card??

Also, anyone have any issues using the Wireless Connection Manager?

I cannot get it to start up, at all.
Vista keeps telling me Wireless manager has stopped working soon as I click it.

Please help, as this adapter cost more than the Linksys adapter, but operates MUCH, MUCH worse which makes me a bit unhappy at the moment.

Thanks.

[Lycan]

What level of encryption are you running?

[ButchN]

What level of encryption are you running?

Security type: WPA2-Personal
Encryption type: AES

A quick call to tech support told me the adapter was compatible with my Linksys router, but then told me it was a Vista issue because it, & the D-Link Wireless Connection Manager didn't work!

I told him it was baloney since the drivers are for Vista!

BTW, thanks!

[Lycan]

If you drop the encryption, does the issue go away?

[ButchN]

If you drop the encryption, does the issue go away?

No.

Without encryption enabled:
DWA643:


Internal G card:

[Rad Spencer]

My guess is wireless interference.
Can you do a speed test like that hardwired to the router as a base test?

[jamesmartin0226@comcast.n]

I have Read That that Atheros Wireless Nic works best with Atheros Based Routers. For Example Using a Internal Mini Pci Card in a notebook with a Non-Atheros Router link the DIR-655 would cause pairity errors. That is why i believe that you would need a for example DIR-655 with a 802.11N Dlink card.The Manufacture of the chipsets in the router and the 802.11N card are the same.

[Lycan]

While it is always good to vendor match, jamesmartin may be exaggerating slightly. We use our hardware in a multitude of environments, including multi-vendor set-ups.

[ButchN]

Old thread, I know.

But I wanted to update you all that I tried everything I could think of & still got lower than my G card speeds.

I returned the adapter & just bought another D-Link adapter, (remember I had no luck with the Linksys adapters) a USB adapter, & it also has poor connection speeds on my notebook & on my desktop at work.

I wish my notebook had a PCMCIA slot vs the express card slot.

When I had my old notebook with a PCMCIA card I had great speeds.  I figured all adpaters are made to the same standards, guess not.

[AWDL]

Quick answer to the Wireless connection manager: Vista connection manager is the only one that works. D-Link connection managers are not made for Vista (Vista rule/requirement) and won't work. If you are saying the Vista Wireless Zero Config / Wireless connection Utility doesn't work with the card that is different. Keep trying becasue it does (IDW4U).

How about we get a few details to look at your speed problem?

Are you still using it with the Linksys router?
Is the linksys router upgraded to 802.11N Draft 2.0 firmware (when released in Apr 2007) it was not shipping with Draft 2.0.
the DWA-643 did not ship with Draft 2.0 in Jan 2007, but since this is a year later and you just bought it. I am guessing you have Draft 2.0 drivers on the shipping CD. Or you ran a windows update and recieved our latest drivers since install.

Are you using default config on the router? What are the wireless setting? Are you runing any A/V or software firewalls? I am stuck on the draft of N they are using, keeps popping in my head when I see multi-vendor solutions.

[ButchN]

Quick answer to the Wireless connection manager: Vista connection manager is the only one that works. D-Link connection managers are not made for Vista (Vista rule/requirement) and won't work.

Odd since it's supposed to work & is for my 64 bit version!

If you are saying the Vista Wireless Zero Config / Wireless connection Utility doesn't work with the card that is different. Keep trying becasue it does (IDW4U).

What I'm saying is my connection speeds are only 1/10th the speed that my G adapters are.  I don't know what IDW4U is.

How about we get a few details to look at your speed problem?

OK

Are you still using it with the Linksys router?

Yes.

Is the linksys router upgraded to 802.11N Draft 2.0 firmware (when released in Apr 2007) it was not shipping with Draft 2.0.

The Linksys router has the latest firmware that Linksys has out for this router, the WRT300N Ver. 1.1, firmware Ver. 1.51.2 which was released June 4, 2007.

the DWA-643 did not ship with Draft 2.0 in Jan 2007, but since this is a year later and you just bought it. I am guessing you have Draft 2.0 drivers on the shipping CD. Or you ran a windows update and recieved our latest drivers since install.

Here's where things get tricky, I returned the 643 since I could never get it to work right.  I'm sure this will now be moved, but I have a DWA-140 & I experience the exact same slow speeds!!

Are you using default config on the router?

No.

What are the wireless setting?

Here is what the tech support rep at Linksys had me set my router to which has been working flawlessy for me for well over a year.  BTW, I have no clue as to what they mean or do, but when I had the PCMCIA card, I always connected at max speeds.
1. For Network Mode, select Mixed.
2. For the Network Name (SSID) : should be set to your name not the default which is 'linksys'.
3. For the Radio Band select Wide.
4. For the Wide Channel select channel 9.
5. For the Standard Channel select channel 11.
6. Enable the SSID Broadcast.
7. Click Save Settings.
Phillip Charles R. (15497): Having this Wireless Setting after the firmware upgrade may stabilize your wireless network.
Phillip Charles R. (15497): Advanced wireless settings on the router:
1. From the “Setup” page, click on the Wireless tab.
2. After the “Wireless” area appears, click on the Advanced Wireless Settings sub-tab.
3. When the “Advanced Wireless Settings” area appears, set the following:

“RTS Threshold” – 2304
“Fragmentation Threshold” – 2304
“Beacon Interval” – 50
"DTIM Interval" -- 3

Are you runing any A/V or software firewalls?

I use my A/V, Superantispyware, when needed, other than that it's usually off & I use no firewalls.

I hope I have given enough info to get my D-Link adpater running up to speed as I've been totally frustrated with spending $$ for what I thought would be faster only to be slower!

And FWIW, I get the same slow results on my PC at work which is also using a Linksys wireless product, which in this case is a wireless access point WAP4400N behind a firewall.

[AWDL]

Odd since it's supposed to work & is for my 64 bit version!

Absolutely not, if we are still talking about the connection utility. Your conviction makes me think you are now referring to the drivers. Yes this product's drivers work in Vista.

What I'm saying is my connection speeds are only 1/10th the speed that my G adapters are.  I don't know what IDW4U is.

I was just making sure you knew that regardless of the brand of wireless card, you would use the same Vista wireless connection utility. IDW4U means it does work as opposed to there is an issue and our card does NOT work with Vista Utility.
Speed of a connection is relative and not the Utilities fault (only the configuration, devices, device code or environment in this case).

OK Yes.The Linksys router has the latest firmware that Linksys has out for this router, the WRT300N Ver. 1.1, firmware Ver. 1.51.2 which was released June 4, 2007.

That would put the Linksys product at the current Draft of N (2.0). Good basis.

Here's where things get tricky, I returned the 643 since I could never get it to work right.  I'm sure this will now be moved, but I have a DWA-140 & I experience the exact same slow speeds!!

Not any trickier. The problem hasn't changed. You knew it wasn't the card already, because other people have it working and the cards don't "kinda" break very often. Changing the Adapter just reconfirms what we already new. It is a configuration, device driver, or environment problem/issue.

No.Here is what the tech support rep at Linksys had me set my router to which has been working flawlessy for me for well over a year.  BTW, I have no clue as to what they mean or do, but when I had the PCMCIA card, I always connected at max speeds.
1. For Network Mode, select Mixed.
2. For the Network Name (SSID) : should be set to your name not the default which is 'linksys'.
3. For the Radio Band select Wide.
4. For the Wide Channel select channel 9.
5. For the Standard Channel select channel 11.
6. Enable the SSID Broadcast.
7. Click Save Settings.
Phillip Charles R. (15497): Having this Wireless Setting after the firmware upgrade may stabilize your wireless network.
Phillip Charles R. (15497): Advanced wireless settings on the router:
1. From the “Setup” page, click on the Wireless tab.
2. After the “Wireless” area appears, click on the Advanced Wireless Settings sub-tab.
3. When the “Advanced Wireless Settings” area appears, set the following:

“RTS Threshold” – 2304
“Fragmentation Threshold” – 2304
“Beacon Interval” – 50
"DTIM Interval" -- 3I use my A/V, Superantispyware, when needed, other than that it's usually off & I use no firewalls.

Good info. I have to look into those setting deeper (manufacturer's give differnet names to similar or same settings). If it was set-up to be optimal for 802.11g adapters it may need to be tweaked to be optimal or even work with N adapters. In your case you will need a good configuration for mixed mode, if this isn't it.

I hope I have given enough info to get my D-Link adapter running up to speed as I've been totally frustrated with spending $$ for what I thought would be faster only to be slower!

Very good job. Explaining the network topology or describing the environment would be the only improvements to your post. We could help a little better if it was D-Link N Adapter to D-Link N Router (Independently benchmarked to be faster or longer reaching than major competitors, small sales pitch)

And FWIW, I get the same slow results on my PC at work which is also using a Linksys wireless product, which in this case is a wireless access point WAP4400N behind a firewall.

not touching that yet.

[ButchN]

Good info. I have to look into those setting deeper (manufacturer's give differnet names to similar or same settings). If it was set-up to be optimal for 802.11g adapters it may need to be tweaked to be optimal or even work with N adapters.  In your case you will need a good configuration for mixed mode, if this isn't it.

Those settings were optimized for N, not G.

Very good job.

Thanks, I kept the tech support email transcript "just in case" I ever lost the settings in the router!

Explaining the network topology or describing the environment would be the only improvements to your post.

I'm not sure what you mean?  Do you mean where these items are located? If so, the router is in another room setting about 5' high on top of a wooden desk, antennas vertical about 8-10' across the hall through 2 plaster walls & the DWA-140 is horizontal in my notebook about 3' high on a wooden desk.

We could help a little better if it was D-Link N Adapter to D-Link N Router (Independently benchmarked to be faster or longer reaching than major competitors, small sales pitch)

I had one but didn't like how security wasn't built in, & if it was, I didn't know about these forums then so I returned it!
Maybe I should go out & try another D-Link router?

[AWDL]

the router is in another room setting about 5' high on top of a wooden desk, antennas vertical about 8-10' across the hall through 2 plaster walls & the DWA-140 is horizontal in my notebook about 3' high on a wooden desk.

That is what I was looking for on an environment description plus may be what other AP /client not on your network you see when you do a site survey.

The Topology would include other client or network devices you have on your network by name and configuration. It may be moot to this problem, but helps a third-party guy (forum users) from visualizing how data is moved about.

[ButchN]

Everything pertinent I think is here, aside from 2 wired PC's through the router, which are not on when I'm experienceing the slow speeds.