[valcandy]

I bought an 54MB router (netgear) there were also others available that said 108Mbps, is there a distinct different when using the router? will the speed of the Internet be much faster with the 108Mps compared to a 53MB router?

I tried downloading a video file with my router connected instead of a direct cable connection from my NTL gateway, it seemed quite obvious when using the router it was much slower! Is there a reason why? How can I speed up the Internet connection via my router?

Moreover just out of interest what does 802.11g/b mean?

Thank you!

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The 54/108 is the wireless speed. Shouldn't affect you if you connect to the router with a cable. 11b can transmit at 11 mbps, 11g at 54 mbps. These are maximum speeds, not typical.

[98springer]

The 54/108 is the wireless speed. Shouldn't affect you if you connect to the router with a cable. 11b can transmit at 11 mbps, 11g at 54 mbps. These are maximum speeds, not typical.

[computerwiz12890]

Good questions. This is most dependant on what you plan on doing with it.

54Mbps will be more than enough for you if you have 1 computer connected to it. It will always deliver the fastest speed to you whether you are using Cable, DSL, etc. Even if you have 2-4 other PCs using it, it will be plenty good enough for you...as long as you are not playing online games.

108Mbps is ideal for 2 or more PCs that are playing online games such as Halo. Even then, speed really isn't the key factor. The amount of antennas the router has will make the difference in this area, as the router can't transmit game data to each PC simultaneously with only 1 antenna. And with 108 Mbps, it won't mean squat if your wireless adaptors aren't rated to use it. Which of course means more $$$ all around. From personal experience, 108Mbps with 1 antenna will keep online games smooth for 2 PCs.

11b can transmit at 11 mbps, 11g at 54 mbps.

802.11g/b are wireless standards. 802.11 specifies an over-the-air interface between a wireless client and a base station or between two wireless clients. 802.11b (also referred to as 802.11 High Rate or Wi-Fi) -- an extension to 802.11 that applies to wireless LANS and provides 11 Mbps transmission. 802.11g -- applies to wireless LANs and provides 20+ Mbps in the 2.4 GHz band. Having them both together, like 802.11g/b means your router supports both standards.

Shouldn't affect you if you connect to the router with a cable.

Nothing beats being wired. It is faster, less data errors (not that you'd really notice it with wireless), and most secure.

[valcandy]

The 54/108 is the wireless speed. Shouldn't affect you if you connect to the router with a cable. 11b can transmit at 11 mbps, 11g at 54 mbps. These are maximum speeds, not typical.

thank you for your reply. does that mean if i use wireless, a 108 will be twice as fast as a 54? is it noticeable when surfing the net/downloading videos?

[valcandy]

Good questions. This is most dependant on what you plan on doing with it.

54Mbps will be more than enough for you if you have 1 computer connected to it. It will always deliver the fastest speed to you whether you are using Cable, DSL, etc. Even if you have 2-4 other PCs using it, it will be plenty good enough for you...as long as you are not playing online games.

108Mbps is ideal for 2 or more PCs that are playing online games such as Halo. Even then, speed really isn't the key factor. The amount of antennas the router has will make the difference in this area, as the router can't transmit game data to each PC simultaneously with only 1 antenna. And with 108 Mbps, it won't mean squat if your wireless adaptors aren't rated to use it. Which of course means more $$$ all around. From personal experience, 108Mbps with 1 antenna will keep online games smooth for 2 PCs.

11b can transmit at 11 mbps, 11g at 54 mbps.

802.11g/b are wireless standards. 802.11 specifies an over-the-air interface between a wireless client and a base station or between two wireless clients. 802.11b (also referred to as 802.11 High Rate or Wi-Fi) -- an extension to 802.11 that applies to wireless LANS and provides 11 Mbps transmission. 802.11g -- applies to wireless LANs and provides 20+ Mbps in the 2.4 GHz band. Having them both together, like 802.11g/b means your router supports both standards.

Shouldn't affect you if you connect to the router with a cable.

Nothing beats being wired. It is faster, less data errors (not that you'd really notice it with wireless), and most secure.

thank you for such a detailed and professional reply.

So, end of the day 108Mbps is much faster? My router only has one antenna, but i dont use my laptops to play games, more for surfing, steaming (ppsteam/pplive) and also downloading videos.

Because I noticed when connected using a cable "100Mbps" will show in the speech bubble and when using wireless "54Mbps" will show, always makes me feel as if cable is twice as fast, which I know is probably the wrong understanding!

Thank you for your help

[computerwiz12890]

So, end of the day 108Mbps is much faster?

The short answer: no. You will not notice a difference at all for what you are using it for.

The long answer: 108Mbps is the speed between your computer and the router. I can absolutely guarantee you that the speed of "the internet" coming into your router is nowhere near 54Mbps. To my knowledge, there is no internet service that can even reach those speeds yet, and if there is, I can guarantee only the biggest businesses have it.

The router can only send the data to your PC as fast as it comes in. Your internet connection (Cable, DSL, dial-up, T1) probably operates around 2Mbps (which is the average speed of high-speed internet) depending on who your service provider is, and what type of service. In any case, that's as fast as you'll get, no matter what speed the router is. The number in the "bubble" you see is the connection between your PC and the router, but does not indicate the download speed you'll get. That is determined by your internet service.

To Illustrate: think of a beer bottle. The neck of the bottle is the incoming internet, the body of the bottle is your router and computer. A faster router would mean a bigger body, but the neck is the same size and will transfer liquid at the same rate no matter the size of the body.

Basically, you'll only use high speed wireless routers if you have multiple computers and are playing online games (the high-tech kind). And even then, it probably won't make much difference. What you'd need for smooth internet gaming with multiple PCs wirelessly is a router with multiple antennas so it can transmit and receive the data to/from multiple PCs simultaneously.

Let me know if you have any more questions or need clarification. I'd be happy to answer them.

Edited by computerwiz12890, 15 April 2007 - 01:03 PM.

[98springer]

"To Illustrate: think of a beer bottle. The neck of the bottle is the incoming internet, the body of the bottle is your router and computer. A faster router would mean a bigger body, but the neck is the same size and will transfer liquid at the same rate no matter the size of the body."

Who's your ISP?

[pers]

I just wanted to add on, i have sort of the same problem... You see, i have Cogeco Cable internet at 10mbps, so i usually get over 1 mb/s download. Yesterday, we connecter our 2 pc's with a D-link wireless router, but using cables to connect through ethernet. To my surprise, the download speed dropped to about 400 kb/s which is quite frustrating... Is there any way to bring my download speed high again?? Also, i DO play online games (UT2004, in perticular.) And before, when i had 128kbps internet ( :S 16 kb/s download), the game used to always lag, and whenever somebody joined to play simulously on the other computer, the ping would go up from about 50 to 990 :S, so therefore i'm woundering was it the intenet or the router? Is it going to be alrigth with my 10mbps cable??

And one more thing, my dad thought that the double decrease in download speed was caused by the settings, so we tried to go on http:/192.168.0.1/ (something like that, can't remember), and it says to put the username as admin, and leave the password blank, but it doesn't log on... How do we log onto the page to configure? or is it just not the settings??

All in all, thank you in advance for your help

ANY advice will be HIGHLY appreciated

[valcandy]

I just wanted to add on, i have sort of the same problem... You see, i have Cogeco Cable internet at 10mbps, so i usually get over 1 mb/s download. Yesterday, we connecter our 2 pc's with a D-link wireless router, but using cables to connect through ethernet. To my surprise, the download speed dropped to about 400 kb/s which is quite frustrating... Is there any way to bring my download speed high again?? Also, i DO play online games (UT2004, in perticular.) And before, when i had 128kbps internet ( :S 16 kb/s download), the game used to always lag, and whenever somebody joined to play simulously on the other computer, the ping would go up from about 50 to 990 :S, so therefore i'm woundering was it the intenet or the router? Is it going to be alrigth with my 10mbps cable??

And one more thing, my dad thought that the double decrease in download speed was caused by the settings, so we tried to go on http:/192.168.0.1/ (something like that, can't remember), and it says to put the username as admin, and leave the password blank, but it doesn't log on... How do we log onto the page to configure? or is it just not the settings??

All in all, thank you in advance for your help

ANY advice will be HIGHLY appreciated

regarding the configuration part usually the router has a default password, usually something like password. mine says it at the bottom of the router. definitely will not logon with a blank password. the rest, ill leave to the experts!!

[computerwiz12890]

Hello pers. Generally we don't like it when people "hijack" someone else's thread, but I don't see that rule at the top of GeeksToGo at the moment. So I'll make an exception.

I just wanted to add on, i have sort of the same problem... You see, i have Cogeco Cable internet at 10mbps, so i usually get over 1 mb/s download. Yesterday, we connecter our 2 pc's with a D-link wireless router, but using cables to connect through ethernet. To my surprise, the download speed dropped to about 400 kb/s which is quite frustrating...

Question...were you getting 1 mb/s without the router and now only 400 kb/s with the router regardless whether 1 PC or 2 is hooked up to it?

PS, for some reason I can only see the rule when I'm logged out. Perhaps that's why you missed it?...

To avoid confusion, please do not post your question in someone else's topic. Start your own. Stay with your original topic when posting a follow up.

Edited by computerwiz12890, 16 April 2007 - 05:14 PM.

[pers]

k sorry

But i HAVE posted my own thread, and nobody replied!!!

The thread is called: Network Problems

Sorry again, and could you please reply in my thread?

[computerwiz12890]

Sure, but keep in mind this is a volunteer service, we're not paid except with the occasional donation. You started that thread today, and only 20 minutes later came and posted here. Seeing as it isn't an urgent issue, I wouldn't be surprised for something like that to go a few days without an answer. There's only so many techs here, and many many problems to solve.

[pers]

k man, sorry, np

Thanks