Help with router

[ohheckyeah]

I bought a Netgear N600 Wireless Dual Band Router. When the computer is plugged directly into my Comcast modem, I get about 18mbps download. When it is plugged into the router only I get about the same. When it's plugged into the router and the router is plugged into the computer I get about 32mbps download. The upload speed is the same whether the router is plugged into the computer or not, but lower when plugged into the modem only.

Does anyone know why the download speed is so different when the router is not plugged into my computer? Netgear tried many troubleshooting things and came up with nothing.

I'm running Windows 7 64bit.

Netgear said it could be a bad router...is that the most likely problem? If so, why do I get better speed with the modem plugged into the router when the router is plugged into the computer.

I don't know if I explained this in a comprehensible manner or not. Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

[discntnt_irny_srcsm]

1. The correct connections using a router are

The WAN/modem port (yellow) is connected to the cable modem. Your PC gets connected to one of the four LAN/PC ports.



Please make sure that the Ethernet cables you use are CAT 5e or CAT 6. This is printed on the cable.

What are you using to test download speed?

[ohheckyeah]

2. Okay - when the PC is connected to one of the LAN/PC ports I get

the best speed I've ever gotten from Comcast.

I use Speakeasy speed test here: http://www.speakeasy.net/speedtest/

I haven't tried any other device wirelessly because I haven't connected the adapter to my other desktop and I loaned my laptop to a friend whose computer went down.

I'll check the Ethernet cables. I'm using the one's that came with the router.

The tech I spoke with seemed to think I shouldn't have to connect the PC to a LAN/PC port to get the higher speeds.

Thanks for the information!

PS the cable from the modem to the router is a 5e. The cable from the router to the computer is a 6.

[discntnt_irny_srcsm]

3. I have comcast also

I tried the test at the link you provided. My network is more complicated but I get about 22mbps down and 8mbps up.

There are some setting that your router may optimize when negotiating connections in both directions that result in better speeds. I'd say that your results don't show any obvious problems.

Good luck sounds like you've got great speeds.

[ohheckyeah]

4. Thanks - I'm happy with the speeds.

I was just confused about whether or not I should get those speeds if the router was not connected to the PC. The tech (as best I could tell as the phone connection wasn't good and he had a heavy accent) seemed to think I should get the same speeds without the router being connected to the PC.

These are definitely the best speeds I've ever had so the router must be doing something right.

I wish Comcast would get the faster speeds out to my rural area so I could get the Comcast phone service.

Thanks very much for your help. I truly appreciate it as the tech told me I should return the router as defective which didn't make any sense to me. I really didn't want to go through the hassle if I didn't have to. Tomorrow I will connect the Netgear adapter to my old desktop and see what kind of wireless speed I get. If it's in the 18-20 mbps range it is as good as I was getting with the old router before it crapped out.

PS again - what modem do you use with Comcast? I'm thinking about upgrading from the Motorola Surfboard SB5120. I mainly just want to quit paying rent on the modem but I might as well go for an upgrade when I purchase.

[discntnt_irny_srcsm]

5. My modem

Software Version: SB5120-2.19.0.16-SCM00-NOSH <-- also the SB5120
Hardware Version: 1
MIB Version: II
GUI Version: 1.0
VxWorks Version: 5.4

I get this data at: http://192.168.100.1/mainhelp.htm This is the LAN address for the modem.

You're welcome
Bedtime for me soon.

[JayhawkSD]

6. I don't get the "router plugged into the computer" bit

The connection is cable modem --> router --> computer(s) The connection between router and computer(s) can be either wire or wireless.

How are you downloading if you don't have at least one computer plugged into the router? (Not the converse, as you don't plug the router into the computer.) A router doesn't do anything such as download, it only does what the name implies; it routes traffic, allowing you to plug two or more computers into one Internet connection. It also provides the radio frequency signal to connect the computer to the cable modem if it is a wireless router. The wireless is an added feature, though, as it still provides the wired routing feature through the plug-in "lan/pc" ports.

"When it's plugged into the router only" makes no sense; you won't get anything, because it's the modem that connects you to the Internet.

If you are talking about using wireless versus a wired connection, the wireless is always going to be slower. The wired connection (computer plugged into the router) will always be much faster than wireless. A speed of 18 Mbps wireless and 32 Mbps wired sounds about right.

What is the difference in speed (if any) that you are getting with a wired connection of modem/router/computer versus modem/computer alone?

[ohheckyeah]

7. Here's the confusion.

With the modem/computer I get about 18 mbps. With the modem/router I get 18 mpbs. With the modem/router/computer I get 35 mbps.

[discntnt_irny_srcsm]

8. I see his point.

Please detail the scenario for "With the modem/router I get 18 mpbs." You don't mention a computer. How are you able to download anything?

[ohheckyeah]

9. The computer is connecting wirelessly.

In other words, the modem is connected to the router with a cable and the computer connects via wireless and I get 18mbps.

When the computer is connected with a cable to the modem only I get 18mbps.

When the modem is connected to the router with a cable and the computer to the router with a cable I get 35 mbps.

[discntnt_irny_srcsm]

10. Okay

Everything makes sense.

[ohheckyeah]

11. I'm glad it makes sense to someone...

I'm baffled.

It makes no sense to me that I get better speeds with the modem connected to the router and the PC connected to the router than I do going straight from the computer to the modem. But, I'm happy with the speeds since they are the best I've ever had and I'll just not worry about understanding.

I need to connect the adapter to my old desk top and see what the wireless speeds are. But, I'm on deadline for my work and that will have to wait until another day. Don't' be surprised if I'm back with questions on that little enterprise.

Thanks for the replies and the information!

[discntnt_irny_srcsm]

12. Okay

[JayhawkSD]

15. Okay, this does make sense. Nothing is wrong.

1. With the modem/computer I get about 18 mbps.
The router is not in service in this connection.

2. With the modem/router I get 18 mpbs.
This is actually modem/router/computer, but the connection betweeen the router and the computer is wireless.

3. With the modem/router/computer I get 35 mbps.
With this one the connection between the computer and router is wired.

The router is speeding up your download. That is not uncommon and while the degree of speedup is a bit unusual it is not at all unbelievable. In case #2 the router is speeding up the download, but the wireless transmission between router and computer is slowing it back down again. This is all pretty typical, so wire everything up, use wireless only for your iPad and be happy.

[ohheckyeah]

16. Okay - that was what I wasn't understanding.

The router speeding things up. I have 3 computers and the speed wirelessly for them isn't too bad....it's about 18 - 19 mbps. That's good enough for me. The speed is good for my Kindle so it's all good.

Thanks for the explanation. I didn't realize it was common for the router to speed things up.

[ChromeFoundry]

13. Are you using PPPOE to connect to the modem?

If you are running a PPPOE client on the workstation, that is going to add significant overhead to the CPU/Memory of the PC. If your computer is older or the PPPOE client is not optimized, you are going to see a slow down.

If the Router is performing the PPPOE, there is no overhead placed on your workstation.

Not sure, but this could be what you are seeing.

[ohheckyeah]

14. No, this is a relatively new computer.

I don't think I use PPPoE. Isn't that when your broadband requires a user name and password?