Do wifi router speeds depend on devices?

tvout · 03-07-2011, 19:08

Hi all,
In consideration of changing from my Linksys WRT54G v2 running DD-WRT v24 sp2 to maybe a D-Link DIR-615 as suggested on my other post on here I wondered if I would see any major benefits? Reason being is that many of the devices I have are G but I do also have a B device (11mbps wireless bridge).
I think somewhere I heard the router drops its speed to be compatible with the lowest speed device so mine would be running at 11mbps on B I guess?
Would that be correct and if I got a Wireless-N (300 Mbps) router would I benefit? I was thinking the advantages might be faster processor, more RAM/Flash and MIMO for deadspots possibly?
Can anyone advise please?

qasdfdsaq · 03-07-2011, 19:44

It'd help a little bit, from diversity (not MIMO) and yes, more features and performance from the faster processor and improved RAM & flash.

It won't noticeably improve end-device speeds though - while each device will connect at it's own maximum speed (it won't drop the whole network to the speed of the slowest device) unless you have any N devices you won't get any faster than the fastest G device.

That said, the WRT54G v2 has CPU bottlenecks at above 20-30mbps so the DIR-615 is a lot more futureproof (it can route 90mbps+ and wirelessly handle 160mbps+). If you do complex processing and have a 20mbps or more internet connection you'll get a bit of an improvement leaving the WRT54G behind.

---------- Post added at 19:44 ---------- Previous post was at 19:43 ----------

Oh, and you can also use the 615 as a 54-300mbps wireless bridge instead of an 11mbps one

tvout · 03-07-2011, 20:16

Excellent, cheers for the info. There do seem to be a lot of dir-615s cheap on eBay. I could get two in that case and use one as a bridge for my wired device. I also have a wrt54gs in another room working as a wireless repeater.

tweetiepooh · 06-07-2011, 16:56

The DIR615 only has 100Mb ports so even if you get wireless at 300Mb the throughput will be somewhat less.

qasdfdsaq · 06-07-2011, 17:23

Throughput through the network port will be less. Throughput through the wireless will not.

Wireless throughput is not limited by the speed of the network ports and vice versa. Only data being transferred through a particular network port will be limited by that port. The 615 has gigabit class internal switching.

tvout · 06-07-2011, 18:12

Many thanks all, I received my dir-615 today but also bought a tp-link ultimate as that was quite cheap and had 3 antennas and gigabit LAN ports. I'm trying both out at the moment but did notice the wan speed on the dlink goes up to 1000mbps. My laptop connects to both at around 130-150mbps although my girlfriend's older laptop couldn't see the tp-link router? It can see the wrt54g fine...
Wondering if it might be something to do with the channel arrangement on the new routers as she seemed to have issues with some channels so whether her wireless in her laptop has a limited range of channels or something I don't know. I notice in wifi apps it shows the channels on the newer routers as 4+2 or 6+2 etc?
I'll try with the dlink and see if she can see that one.
Next question would be whether to install DD-WRT on these routers...

qasdfdsaq · 11-07-2011, 22:45

It's possible that there's a channel limitation. Laptops bought in the US won't be able to see anything on channel 12 or 13, as they only allow up to 11 over there.

300mbps wireless uses two bonded channels, e.g. 4 + 2 would be the main channel is 4 and the additional channel 2 is used to double speed (in fact, it's actually the centre frequencies listed but regardless, you get the idea).

techguyone · 12-07-2011, 11:00

So can someone confirm this for me. I have a N class router, and connected to it, is a N class card on a pc, but my phone is only a G class device, will my network drop to G class throughout or, will it do N speeds to the N class devices and G speeds to the G class devices etc etc.

qasdfdsaq · 12-07-2011, 11:14

N speed to N class devices and G speeds to G class devices.

Some routers are better at managing this than others...

tvout · 12-07-2011, 11:32

Many thanks qasdfdfaq. I managed to get my girlfriend's awkward laptop connected by changing it to bg mode rather than bgn. I also switched it to 40hz and set it to channel 6 manually. It could then see the router and stayed connected fine after I changed it back to bgn mode. The dlink 11mbps wireless bridge saw the router fine and connected no problem at all, the laptop seemed to be the only device that was a problem.