Mbps and Kbps

[agamad]

Can anybody explain this to me. I've recently got 20Mb broadband from virginMedia. However, i'm only getting about 5.5Mb through my wireless network. It's rated @ 54Mbs so I thought it would be ok. Am I getting my speeds confused here or what???

[rojash]

If you check your contract, you don't have 20Mb, you have UP TO 20Mb. The chances of actually achieving the max speed (or anywhere near it) are about the same as those of winning the lottery. This is called "marketing" :-)

This is from their web site: "*** The speeds we quote are based on our technology, and yours, working at optimum speeds. In practice factors like the speed a website can support, the amount of traffic accessing it, and content caching, can cause speeds to vary."

[agamad]

Hi Rojash

I did a speedcheck and i'm getting 19.6 Mbs. This I did by connecting my cable directly to my laptop. I then did the same test through my wireless network to get only 5.6Mbs. I do realise that this can vary but as it's cable I would expect at least 15Mbs. Anyway, back to my question as you seem quite knowledgable, should I be able to get these speeds through my wireless network given it's rating?

[ACtheTROLL]

For wireless .... that is fast!
Wireless is always a compromise ....
This is a bit of a generalised over simplified explanation)

the router (or wap) "counts" the errors (this is WiFi) - if they are above a certain point it adjusts (drops) the speed/power ... and counts again .... and drops the speed .... until eventually a balance is struck

errors are caused by (to name but a few)
other wireless networks (neighbours)
other wap transmitters
other wireless cards in neighbours
other wireless cards in your house
thick walls
foil lined thin (plasterboard) walls
rain
fog
microwaves
CRT monitors and TVs
passing traffic
mix of different makers cards
blah blah blah

in other words just about everything affects them to some extent.
some ppl have no problems at all ... others just can't get them to work at all

but 54Mb/s is a theoretical maximum ...
more realistically expect +-10Mb/s
(which until recently is still faster than 'tinternet)
more noticeable when transferring files between PCs (when the 2 PCs also interfere with each other!!!!!)

wire on the other hand is known to encounter problems under the following conditions
wire unplugged or broken ......