i checked with istumbler. and on most the channels, i am getting 35-40% signal, 18-20% noise, using 802.11N protocol. wow. guess it does use n. why such bad signal???
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Mac Pro wifi vs ethernet
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i checked with istumbler. and on most the channels, i am getting 35-40% signal, 18-20% noise, using 802.11N protocol. wow. guess it does use n. why such bad signal???
Um... iStumbler will show you other people's APs around your area so that's why the signal is probably low.
However, if you see a lot of APs on say, channel 1, i'd pick either channel 6 or channel 11 on your router/AP.
Essentially you want to pick the channel (in your net gear AP) out of 1, 6 or 11 that has the least number of other access points on it (in iStumbler).
All devices in range on a particular channel will share bandwidth/interfere with one another, whether they're on your network or not....
However, if you see a lot of APs on say, channel 1, i'd pick either channel 6 or channel 11 on your router/AP.
Essentially you want to pick the channel (in your net gear AP) out of 1, 6 or 11 that has the least number of other access points on it (in iStumbler).
All devices in range on a particular channel will share bandwidth/interfere with one another, whether they're on your network or not....
In real life performance the maximum speed of wi-fi N is nowhere near the maximum speed of wired gigabit.
Your 20-25 numbers are perfectly normal. Some would be happy to get as high as 25.
You need to use a 'higher' channel or change the sideband option from "lower" to "higher" anyway. The sideband set to "lower" means that it needs a lower channel available but 1 is the lowest possible so it can't find a lower channel for the 40MHz bandwidth. In that case it will default back to 20MHz which results in much lower speeds.
Also, the advertised speeds for wireless are theoretical speeds without any overhead. If we subtract all the overhead and account for other factors like signal noise, busy wifi band, etc. the real speed will be lower. I think 802.11n will give you 270Mbit/s at the utmost.
Also, the advertised speeds for wireless are theoretical speeds without any overhead. If we subtract all the overhead and account for other factors like signal noise, busy wifi band, etc. the real speed will be lower. I think 802.11n will give you 270Mbit/s at the utmost.
If you're going to be living in this house for a while and the internet speed to your Mac is important, you should seriously consider taking a CAT5 ethernet cable under the house (assuming you have a crawl space).
It's really not that big a deal. Seems a waste to have a 100Mbps connection and not be able to take advantage of it.
It's really not that big a deal. Seems a waste to have a 100Mbps connection and not be able to take advantage of it.
Depending on how picky the other people in the house are about the house, running ethernet through a wall is not difficult at all.
1) Easiest solution: Pick a corner of the room that is behind some furniture (the corners on both sides of the wall) and drill a hole just big enough for a store bought ethernet cable end on both sides of the wall. Go through dry wall and not the stud that is often there as well. Use a coat hanger to poke through the wall, tape the ethernet jack to the hanger and pull through. Wala!
2) If someone is a bit picky about walls.... Learn to crimp an ethernet jack end on. Borrow/rent someone's tool for this. Get two cover plates that have just the single round hole in them - meant for TV coaxial cables. Cut a small hole (inch by inch) or slightly bigger hole than above on both sides of the wall. An easy way to line them up is to cut the small hole on the visual important side, then just poke a small hole through the back of the drywall on other side. Make a small hole there now. Cut one ethernet jack end off. Thread through the plates and wall (get the order correct before crimping the new end on) and attach the plates with drywall screw plugs, with the cable snaking through.
3) If someone is really picky, you will have to attach ethernet wall jacks on either side of the wall (see above) with a short length of Cat5e cable running between them in the wall. Not hard to do. and you don't need special tools if you have a steady hand and can strip the insulation off the little wires. The bar ends then just attach to to screw lugs. You can use two store bought cables now instead of making your own.
Luck.
1) Easiest solution: Pick a corner of the room that is behind some furniture (the corners on both sides of the wall) and drill a hole just big enough for a store bought ethernet cable end on both sides of the wall. Go through dry wall and not the stud that is often there as well. Use a coat hanger to poke through the wall, tape the ethernet jack to the hanger and pull through. Wala!
2) If someone is a bit picky about walls.... Learn to crimp an ethernet jack end on. Borrow/rent someone's tool for this. Get two cover plates that have just the single round hole in them - meant for TV coaxial cables. Cut a small hole (inch by inch) or slightly bigger hole than above on both sides of the wall. An easy way to line them up is to cut the small hole on the visual important side, then just poke a small hole through the back of the drywall on other side. Make a small hole there now. Cut one ethernet jack end off. Thread through the plates and wall (get the order correct before crimping the new end on) and attach the plates with drywall screw plugs, with the cable snaking through.
3) If someone is really picky, you will have to attach ethernet wall jacks on either side of the wall (see above) with a short length of Cat5e cable running between them in the wall. Not hard to do. and you don't need special tools if you have a steady hand and can strip the insulation off the little wires. The bar ends then just attach to to screw lugs. You can use two store bought cables now instead of making your own.
Luck.