Would a Wireless N router fix this???

Would a Wireless N router fix this???
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Gunni @ 9th Oct 10:37PM:
Would a Wireless N router fix this???

I have Verizon DSL in the Washington DC metro area.

I generally get d/l speeds of 2800kbps and u/l speeds of 600 kbps as tested using Speakeasy.

I have a year-old iMac connected to the DSL modem/router supplied by Verizon about two years ago, specs follow:

Westell VersaLink
082.11g standard
Model# D90-327W15-06
Software Version 4.04.03.00
Transceiver Version 7.2.3.0

The MacBook is running Snow Leopard; the other two Macs are running Leopard 10.5.8.

My home LAN consists of the year-old iMac connected to the Westell via ethernet cable, and a two-year old iMac and a one-year old MacBook connected to the Westell via AirPort cards.

The problem is the often painfully slow (often up to 45 seconds) to load some web pages on the two Macs connected to the Westell via their AirPort cards. Very, very rarely do I have to wait more than 3 to 5" for a page go load on the iMac connected via ethernet cable.

When I connect the MacBook to the Westell via ethernet cable, the slow page loading disappears. Reconnect it again via the AirPort card and the slowness returns.

I can only conclude it's something to do with the fact that the two Macs connect to the Westell via AirPort.

I have tried changing DNS servers, emptying Safari caches, resetting Safari, changing the MTU from 1500 to 1492, etc., but none of these changes have produce any significant improvement in the load speed of web pages on the two computers connected by AirPort cards.

One suggestion was this:

***********
You need not replace your Westell modem, just turn off the Wireless part of it.

You would then attach a Wireless N Router to the Westell.

Access the new Wireless N router with your web browser, following the instructions that come with it, turn OFF the DHCP capabilities of the router, turn ON the wireless and you will be good to go.
Best to do this before connecting it to the Westell.

The Westell is both a Modem and a router. Technically, a router is the bridge between the inside network and the outside network so the term Gateway is applicable

Sounds a little complicated, but it's really not.

Your wireless speeds will increase dramatically.
***************

My question: with the speeds I mentioned above (2800kbps and u/l speeds of 600 kbps), would an Wireless N router make sense. I think I read somewhere that it only makes sense to use a Wireless N router if you have a very fast connection. Otherwise, it's like attaching a firehouse to the outside faucet of your house. You are only going to get a dribble of water out the end of the firehose, not a torrent.

Finally, my Westell notes this under Wireless Mode: Mixed accepts 802.11b and 802.11g connections.

Many thanks.
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nwrickert @ 9th Oct 11:28PM:
Re: Would a Wireless N router fix this???

Yes, you can turn off wireless, and use a separate router if you wish.

You can run into problems if there is an IP address conflict. This would happen if the separate router uses 192.168.1.x for its IP address (for some x, often 1), because the Westell modem/router is already using that range.

If that happens, then you need to change either the Westell modem or the separate router to use a different range, say 192.168.2.*

Whether using an N router will speed up your wireless, I do not know. That might depend on what is slowing it down.
--
AT&T dsl; Speedstream 5100b modem; Zyxel NBG334W router; openSuSE 11.0; firefox 3.0.14
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Gunni @ 10th Oct 07:51AM:
Re: Would a Wireless N router fix this???

Yeah, you hit the nail on the head: "Whether an N router will speed up your wireless, I do not know. Tham might depend on what is slowing it down."

How I wish I could be certain about what is causing web pages to load so slowly on those two Macs connecting to the Westell Gateway via WiFi
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daveinpoway @ 11th Oct 04:56AM:
Re: Would a Wireless N router fix this???

Unless you have one or more 802.11b devices in your network, it is best to select the 802.11g mode on the Westell. Mixed mode will slow things down.
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Gunni @ 11th Oct 06:59AM:
Re: Would a Wireless N router fix this???

Both my AirPort card note:
Supported PHY Modes: 802.11 a/b/g/n

Could you tell me how I change the mode on the Westell to 802.11g?

Many thanks
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nwrickert @ 11th Oct 08:57AM:
Re: Would a Wireless N router fix this???

Could you tell me how I change the mode on the Westell to 802.11g?

It should be an obvious selection in the Wireless settings of the 327w.
--
AT&T dsl; Speedstream 5100b modem; Zyxel NBG334W router; openSuSE 11.0; firefox 3.0.14
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Gunni @ 11th Oct 08:14PM:
Re: Would a Wireless N router fix this???

Well, it wasn't obvious. I looked and looked and looked and finally stumbled across it not under the Wireless settings, but under the Advanced Security Settings. Go figure.

Let's see what happens now.
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