I know there are some computer literate people around here...

[Modest_Man]

And I'm not one of them. Here's my dilemma. My laptop download speed is roughly 4megs a second. The desktop is 31megs a second. Upload is 3megs a second vs. 10 megs a second. This is with the laptop 2 feet from the router. The download speed is the same (maybe slightly worse, but so slight I can't tell) across the house. I obviously have some issues where my network or router settings are not allowing for maxium speeds.

If it means anything when I try to connect to the internet my laptop will find wireless signals easily every time but will take a very long time connecting and then it usually gets connected with limited access. I then have to in and repair it by refresing the IP address several times until it connects.

The router is a NETGEAR, my laptop is a Dell Inspiron 1525, and my wireless is a Dell Wireless 1505 Draft 802.11n WLAN Mini-Card.

If anyone has any ideas where I can look or what I can tweak that would be great. Any web resources or whatnot would be sweet too. I can follow directions like no other, I'm just not that savvy with what goes on with all this stuff.

 

[neoprodigy]

And I'm not one of them. Here's my dilemma. My laptop download speed is roughly 4megs a second. The desktop is 31megs a second. Upload is 3megs a second vs. 10 megs a second. This is with the laptop 2 feet from the router. The download speed is the same (maybe slightly worse, but so slight I can't tell) across the house. I obviously have some issues where my network or router settings are not allowing for maxium speeds.

If it means anything when I try to connect to the internet my laptop will find wireless signals easily every time but will take a very long time connecting and then it usually gets connected with limited access. I then have to in and repair it by refresing the IP address several times until it connects.

The router is a NETGEAR, my laptop is a Dell Inspiron 1525, and my wireless is a Dell Wireless 1505 Draft 802.11n WLAN Mini-Card.

If anyone has any ideas where I can look or what I can tweak that would be great. Any web resources or whatnot would be sweet too. I can follow directions like no other, I'm just not that savvy with what goes on with all this stuff.

1. check if firmware on the router and the driver on the wireless are current. so check netgear.com and dell.com

2. have you try to reboot your router? unplug the power for couple min then replug.

3. wired will always be faster than wireless. also matching router and wireless combo will always produce the max connect speed..

 

[CichlidPharmer]

Other worthwhile things to check is the settings for your anti-virus software. You may have it set for auto update and it maybe updating itself before your session gets going. Turn off auto update and just do it periodically at your leisure.

Also, if you just installed some big chunk of hard disk on your system it may choking trying to map the additional storage every time you start up. Get a faster processor to handle the additional load.

Good Luck.

 

[cassharper]

what you're noticing is 3) of what Li said. Wireless connections will have higher packet drop rates and higher network latency, on top of the lower transmission/reception rate.

 

[Neophyte]

A few things; as far as laptops have come they are still slower in just about every way as compared to a decent desktop (unless you get something rediculous like alienware) as far as slower hard drives, mother boards, etc... and using wireless instead of wired all of this will determine how fast your laptop deals with your network.

Another thing to keep in mind is that the speeds that your equipment say they are capable of isn't a number that you'll ever really see they are those theoretical maximum kind of numbers.

Another thing try disabling programs that may be accessing the internet even if they are 'idle' they are most likely doing thing in the background that you are unaware of and do a search with a reputable program for ad-ware and spy-ware, ultimatley if you want better speed wired is the way to go.

 

[princess]

my laptop speed was 0.34 yes thats how bad....

called aol ( my internet provider sucks ) changed settings and now i'm at 4.5 ......which is the MAX i can get from my exchange so quit being whiny!!! lol

oooooooo we have the same laptop and router

If you log into your router settings mine is: 191.168.0.1 ( says on the back of the router ) and call up your provider they give you new numbers to enter.

 

[orbit]

If you log into your router settings mine is: 191.168.0.1 ( says on the back of the router ) and call up your provider they give you new numbers to enter.

Agree with this! If you have wrong router numbers then the path isn't direct for connection. Still will work just really slow.

Also, check out Maximumpc.com if nothing else works. You can email them and they will give you detailed instructions on what to do. Just another idea!

 

[cassharper]

my laptop speed was 0.34 yes thats how bad....

called aol ( my internet provider sucks ) changed settings and now i'm at 4.5 ......which is the MAX i can get from my exchange so quit being whiny!!! lol

oooooooo we have the same laptop and router

If you log into your router settings mine is: 191.168.0.1 ( says on the back of the router ) and call up your provider they give you new numbers to enter.

Due to the difference in subnetting procedures it's usually http://192.168.1.1 (local IP) in America. Some brands (like U.S. Robotics), use different ones though.

 

[hangner]

whaaat you get 31mb/s on your desktop as download speed? what ISP do you have cause thats really fast,
you should expect a speed drop from wired to wireless, because of extra packets needed among other things, but not as big as your seeing, have you tried to see which device was causing the problem? to check your router just borrow someone's laptop and check the speed w/ it if its the same then your router is the problem, access its setting by typing its IP adress in your internet browser