Wifi dead slow !!!!

[pieroxy]

I just bought a Netgear WG111v3 (wifi usb), recognized out of the bow, and installation was very fast...

The problem I am having is that the connection is very very very slow. I cannot get more than 80 kbytes/s out of my network connection. And that is very random... It took 1 minute to preview this post! (it is also that slow on my LAN)
I have another machine running windows which can easily get 1 mbytes/sec out of the very same NIC...

I am at a loss as to how to get something faster...

I tried "sudo iwconfig wlan0 rate 54M" but the connection is lost after running the command. I have to reset it to 24M for the connection to get up again.

Some debug infos:

pieroxy@pieroxy-linux:~$ ifconfig
lo        Link encap:Local Loopback  
          inet addr:127.0.0.1  Mask:255.0.0.0
          inet6 addr: ::1/128 Scope:Host
          UP LOOPBACK RUNNING  MTU:16436  Metric:1
          RX packets:607 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0
          TX packets:607 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0
          collisions:0 txqueuelen:0 
          RX bytes:69424 (69.4 KB)  TX bytes:69424 (69.4 KB)

wlan0     Link encap:Ethernet  HWaddr 00:22:3f:f5:a6:a8  
          inet addr:192.168.1.5  Bcast:192.168.1.255  Mask:255.255.255.0
          inet6 addr: fe80::222:3fff:fef5:a6a8/64 Scope:Link
          UP BROADCAST RUNNING MULTICAST  MTU:1500  Metric:1
          RX packets:88725 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0
          TX packets:86302 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0
          collisions:0 txqueuelen:1000 
          RX bytes:93401597 (93.4 MB)  TX bytes:12742717 (12.7 MB)

pieroxy@pieroxy-linux:~$ iwconfig
lo        no wireless extensions.

eth0      no wireless extensions.

wlan0     IEEE 802.11bg  ESSID:"palmdrive"  
          Mode:Managed  Frequency:2.437 GHz  Access Point: 00:13:10:2F:AC:BD   
          Bit Rate=24 Mb/s   Tx-Power=20 dBm   
          Retry  long limit:7   RTS thr:off   Fragment thr:off
          Power Management:off
          Link Quality=70/70  Signal level=-39 dBm  
          Rx invalid nwid:0  Rx invalid crypt:0  Rx invalid frag:0
          Tx excessive retries:0  Invalid misc:0   Missed beacon:0

If anyone has a clue, that'd be great.

[rtimai]

I use a Netgear WG111v3 also. This is a long-shot, but have you tried changing the adapter's physical position -- e.g. placing it about the save distance off the ground as the router? The signal is sometimes height sensitive.

It took me a while after the AT&T installer left, who didn't know how to set up Linux networking, but it turned out if I simply deleted all the network connections and restarted, they were automatically re-detected, and I only had to enter the WPA/WPA2 password (which the AT&T guy called a "Key,") and everything worked. My connection averages about 85% efficiency. I think that's normal in this setup.

[pieroxy]

My NIC stands about 1 meter from my WRT54G router so I tend to think the location is not an issue. Signal strength is 100%. I am in this setup so I can use a cable until I get the final configuration for the wifi satisfactory. Then I plan to move my PC in another room.

My windows machine on the other end is in another floor and signal strength is about 65% and yet, 7-8mbps steady out of it...

[rtimai]

pieroxy,

In case a comparison may help, I'm providing the reports from my setup below. The router is a 2Wire 8600HGV-B.

rtimai@rtimai-desktop:~$ iwconfig
lo        no wireless extensions.

eth0      no wireless extensions.

wlan0     IEEE 802.11bg  ESSID:"2WIRE394"  
          Mode:Managed  Frequency:2.462 GHz  Access Point: B0:E7:54:3D:ED:81   
          Bit Rate=54 Mb/s   Tx-Power=27 dBm   
          Retry  long limit:7   RTS thr:off   Fragment thr:off
          Power Management:off
          Link Quality=59/70  Signal level=-51 dBm  
          Rx invalid nwid:0  Rx invalid crypt:0  Rx invalid frag:0
          Tx excessive retries:0  Invalid misc:0   Missed beacon:0

rtimai@rtimai-desktop:~$ ifconfig
eth0      Link encap:Ethernet  HWaddr 00:20:78:02:74:8a  
          inet6 addr: fe80::220:78ff:fe02:748a/64 Scope:Link
          UP BROADCAST MULTICAST  MTU:1500  Metric:1
          RX packets:0 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0
          TX packets:0 errors:3 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:6
          collisions:0 txqueuelen:1000 
          RX bytes:0 (0.0 B)  TX bytes:0 (0.0 B)
          Interrupt:11 Base address:0xd800 

lo        Link encap:Local Loopback  
          inet addr:127.0.0.1  Mask:255.0.0.0
          inet6 addr: ::1/128 Scope:Host
          UP LOOPBACK RUNNING  MTU:16436  Metric:1
          RX packets:75 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0
          TX packets:75 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0
          collisions:0 txqueuelen:0 
          RX bytes:8959 (8.9 KB)  TX bytes:8959 (8.9 KB)

wlan0     Link encap:Ethernet  HWaddr 00:24:b2:44:77:e6  
          inet addr:192.168.1.69  Bcast:192.168.1.255  Mask:255.255.255.0
          inet6 addr: fe80::224:b2ff:fe44:77e6/64 Scope:Link
          UP BROADCAST RUNNING MULTICAST  MTU:1500  Metric:1
          RX packets:2135 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0
          TX packets:1790 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0
          collisions:0 txqueuelen:1000 
          RX bytes:1651024 (1.6 MB)  TX bytes:356917 (356.9 KB)

I am curious, however, why you mentioned your NIC. The WG111v2 adapter is plugged into to a USB port, no? I have a network card too, for this machine (once) had a wired connection, but it's not being used now. Is this a significant detail?

[pieroxy]

rtimai,

Thanks for your reply. I can see from your iwconfig that your wlan0 is reporting 54Mbps, mine is only reporting 24Mbps even though it seems to run at 1Mbps...

As for my NIC, that's how I call my WG111v3 adapter. I also have a 10/100 NIC on my mobo but I always unplug the cable and "ifconfig eth0 down" before testing transfer rates ...

[asus701user]

I am having real problems as well with slow wireless connection. This affects everything, not just Firefox. With a wired connection and in update manager the download speed is around 1200kB/s whereas using wireless it is 30-40kB/s.

Ubuntu version is 10.04 and teh kernel is 2.6.32-22-generic.

I am using an Asus 701 and Ubuntu Lucid. Wireless worked fine with the original Xandros OS from Asus. Here is some output from the machine:

sudo iwconfig wlan0 power off
Error for wireless request "Set Power Management" (8B2C) :
SET failed on device wlan0 ; Operation not supported.
---------------------------------

iwconfig
lo no wireless extensions.

eth0 no wireless extensions.

wlan0 IEEE 802.11bg ESSID:"dlink655"
Mode:Managed Frequency:2.422 GHz Access Point: 00:1C:F0:55:B8:3B
Bit Rate=24 Mb/s Tx-Power=20 dBm
Retry long limit:7 RTS thrff Fragment thrff
Power Managementff
Link Quality=70/70 Signal level=-24 dBm
Rx invalid nwid:0 Rx invalid crypt:0 Rx invalid frag:0
Tx excessive retries:0 Invalid misc:0 Missed beacon:0
-----------------------------------

lspci
00:00.0 Host bridge: Intel Corporation Mobile 915GM/PM/GMS/910GML Express Processor to DRAM Controller (rev 04)
00:02.0 VGA compatible controller: Intel Corporation Mobile 915GM/GMS/910GML Express Graphics Controller (rev 04)
00:02.1 Display controller: Intel Corporation Mobile 915GM/GMS/910GML Express Graphics Controller (rev 04)
00:1b.0 Audio device: Intel Corporation 82801FB/FBM/FR/FW/FRW (ICH6 Family) High Definition Audio Controller (rev 04)
00:1c.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82801FB/FBM/FR/FW/FRW (ICH6 Family) PCI Express Port 1 (rev 04)
00:1c.1 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82801FB/FBM/FR/FW/FRW (ICH6 Family) PCI Express Port 2 (rev 04)
00:1c.2 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82801FB/FBM/FR/FW/FRW (ICH6 Family) PCI Express Port 3 (rev 04)
00:1d.0 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801FB/FBM/FR/FW/FRW (ICH6 Family) USB UHCI #1 (rev 04)
00:1d.1 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801FB/FBM/FR/FW/FRW (ICH6 Family) USB UHCI #2 (rev 04)
00:1d.2 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801FB/FBM/FR/FW/FRW (ICH6 Family) USB UHCI #3 (rev 04)
00:1d.3 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801FB/FBM/FR/FW/FRW (ICH6 Family) USB UHCI #4 (rev 04)
00:1d.7 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801FB/FBM/FR/FW/FRW (ICH6 Family) USB2 EHCI Controller (rev 04)
00:1e.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82801 Mobile PCI Bridge (rev d4)
00:1f.0 ISA bridge: Intel Corporation 82801FBM (ICH6M) LPC Interface Bridge (rev 04)
00:1f.2 IDE interface: Intel Corporation 82801FBM (ICH6M) SATA Controller (rev 04)
00:1f.3 SMBus: Intel Corporation 82801FB/FBM/FR/FW/FRW (ICH6 Family) SMBus Controller (rev 04)
01:00.0 Ethernet controller: Atheros Communications Inc. AR5001 Wireless Network Adapter (rev 01)
03:00.0 Ethernet controller: Atheros Communications L2 100 Mbit Ethernet Adapter (rev a0)

----------------------------------------

ifconfig
eth0 Link encap:Ethernet HWaddr 00:1d:60:e2:66:16
inet6 addr: fe80::21d:60ff:fee2:6616/64 Scope:Link
UP BROADCAST MULTICAST MTU:1500 Metric:1
RX packets:68027 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0
TX packets:32242 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:3
collisions:0 txqueuelen:1000
RX bytes:102769457 (102.7 MB) TX bytes:2174418 (2.1 MB)
Memory:fbfc0000-fc000000

lo Link encap:Local Loopback
inet addr:127.0.0.1 Mask:255.0.0.0
inet6 addr: ::1/128 Scope:Host
UP LOOPBACK RUNNING MTU:16436 Metric:1
RX packets:52 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0
TX packets:52 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0
collisions:0 txqueuelen:0
RX bytes:3712 (3.7 KB) TX bytes:3712 (3.7 KB)

wlan0 Link encap:Ethernet HWaddr 00:15:af:47:d8:59
inet addr:192.168.0.196 Bcast:192.168.0.255 Mask:255.255.255.0
inet6 addr: fe80::215:afff:fe47:d859/64 Scope:Link
UP BROADCAST RUNNING MULTICAST MTU:1500 Metric:1
RX packets:60 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0
TX packets:63 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0
collisions:0 txqueuelen:1000
RX bytes:16830 (16.8 KB) TX bytes:9250 (9.2 KB)
--------------------------------------

sudo apt-get install --reinstall ath5
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
E: Couldn't find package ath5
----------------------------------


I guess it is something to do with the kernel or the driver but I don't know how to load a driver or even which one, since this seems a general problem in Lucid. If I look in Hardware drivers it says 'No proprietary drivers are in use'.

Hope someone can help.