Wi-Fi Adaptor query

[#1]

@pvmb 

How far from the external wall to the duct? It would appear digging is required which would delay installion as ground works is the responsibility of a different team from house installs. The latter can't be done until the former is completed.

The good news is that this may require a survey first and if you catch the surveyor on the day then you can speak about the location of the ONT.

Brian

[#2]

I tried removing USB wireless adaptor from rear of PC and plugging in to USB port on front.

Result? Exactly the same as before: PC still reporting adaptor speeds of 867 Mbps on 5GHz (maximum quoted spec.), but only 173.5 Mbps on 2.5 GHz (quoted maximum spec. 400 Mbps)

Strange...

Anyone have any knowledge of maximum 2.5GHz Wi-Fi link speed with Hub 2 router?

[#3]

@pvmb this https://superuser.com/questions/1226681/why-is-my-wi-fi-router-showing-link-speed-of-72-mbps is worth a read

[#4]

Thanks MisterW, lots of linked to reading there. I also learned a new word: 'cromulent' (might come in useful at Scrabble).

Reading about Wi-Fi speeds rather brought to mind DAB radio. Super! Oh no it isn't... 😞

https://www.xda-developers.com/how-to-double-the-wifi-speed-on-your-oneplus-3-3t/

https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2017/03/802-eleventy-what-a-deep-dive-into-why-wi-fi-...

[#5]

CAT 5, 6 and 7 all provide 4 pairs (= 8 wires), whether 2 or 4 pairs are actually USED depends on the connection: 10 meg and 100 meg (aka Fast Ethernet) ethernet just need 2 pairs (can be CAT 5, 6 or 7!), but Gigabit ethernet needs 4 pairs.

Yes, old CAT5 will work for gigabit, but might have issues on longer runs. CAT5e is higher performance, so WILL work ok on longer runs. CAT6 supports up to10 gigabit speeds.

(CAT7 also supports 10 gigabits, but is a very high performance cable, aimed at noisy electrical environments, like data centres, so is overkill for home / office use...and costs a lot more!)

Telephone wiring is CAT3, typically has 4 wires, and will work with ethernet at 10 meg (and maybe even 100 meg for short lengths, with a good tail wind!)

[#6]

A little more on Wi-Fi Link speeds:

What does the link speed of a WiFi connection depend upon?

https://superuser.com/questions/1222561/what-does-the-link-speed-of-a-wifi-connection-depend-upon#12...

[#7 · Accepted solution]

Better late than never! I may as well post my answer to this query I posted in September 2024

https://community.plus.net/t5/Everything-else/Wi-Fi-Adaptor-query/td-p/1985720

Briefly: Why does my TP-Link USB AC1300 Wi-Fi dongle report speeds significantly below its maximum specified "400 Mbps on 2.4 GHz" but always shows full speed on it's maximum specified "867 Mbps on 5 GHz" when checked on the PC?

The simple, but puzzling, answer (which I came to suspect) was because seemingly on 2.4 GHz the device driver reports the operational speed of the link, whereas on 5 GHz it reports the device characteristics (i.e. it is an 867 Mbps capable device)!

Now that I routinely use the AC1300 to connect to my Hub 2 router, only on 5 GHz Wi-Fi, I can see from the router logs that it actually connects at various speeds from time to time, typically around 600-700 Mbps

[#8]

For a typical 2.4Ghz Wi-Fi service operating at 20Mhz bandwidth, the Wi-Fi connection speed will max at 72Mbps,
this gives a real world throughput limit of about 50 to 55 Mbps on a speed test / file transfer.

The connect rate of 72Mbps or lower can be seen in the network info of your computer.

[#9]

I can't now seem to add to this old thread, so this is the final addition.

https://community.plus.net/t5/Everything-else/Wi-Fi-Adaptor-query/td-p/1985720
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
It has still occasionally been nagging away at me. Briefly:

I am using a little TP-Link Archer T3U Mini Wireless MU-MIMI USB 3 Wi-Fi adaptor on my PC. Given specs are:
867 Mbps on 5 GHz
400 Mbps on 2.4 GHz †

† "Maximum wireless signal rates are the physical rates derived from IEEE Standard 802.11 specifications. Actual wireless data throughput and wireless coverage, and quantity of connected devices are not guaranteed and will vary as a result of network connections, AP limitations, and environmental factors, including building materials, obstacles, volume and density of traffic, and AP location."

When I first got it I tested it out with my Hub 2 - on 2.4 GHz and then on 5GHz.
On 2.4 GHz I couldn't even get to half the claimed maximum link speed of "400 Mbps" - maxing out at about 173 Mbps. Why ever not? An exaggeration? A false claim?

Whereas, my experience of this device since on 5.GHz has confirmed it can indeed achieve its claimed twice as high link speed on a 5GHz link. This makes the seemingly 'false' claim of "400Mbps" on 2.4GHz puzzling.

I now believe I know the full answer - at least theoretically, I can't test it in practice. This maximum link speed of 173Mbps on 2.4 GHz seems the typical 'maximum' for run-of-the-mill 2.4GHz Wi-Fi devices. But, seemingly greater link speeds can be achieved on 2.4GHz with the right equipment. I have seen link speeds of 200, 500 and even 600Mbps claimed (for an Archer AC80 router). So the claimed "400Mbps" on 2.4 GHz for the T3U is actually credible, but would require suitable hardware at both ends of the link. So the likely explanation for my T3U dongle maxing out at 173 Mbps on 2.4GHz is simply that it is the maximum the Hub 2 hardware can achieve on 2.4Ghz.

Whew!

[#10]

@pvmb 

Maybe some research into the different WiFi generations, channel widths.

The Hub two uses 20 MHz for 2.4GHz and 80 Mhz for 5 GHz, typically you will see:

20Mhz will have speed around 72Mbps

80MHz will have speed around 500Mbps

Link speeds are not the same as achieved speeds as you need to consider overheads

[#11]

Hi @pvmb 

I've merged your final update thread with the original thread you were trying to post to. 

{Mod Note: thread merged}

[#12]

@RobPN try to reply

[#13]

@dvorak 

Replying as requested, possible now you've fixed the thread (Reply buttons were missing previously, now showing).