This isn't exactly unRAID, but it does directly affect how I can use unRAID.

 

I have a NETGEAR RangeMax™ Dual Band Wireless-N Router WNDR3300 and a gigabit switch hooked up to my HTPC and unRAID server.  I also have a desktop PC with an 802.11n wireless card.  I have my router set to broadcast wireless N "Up to 270Mbps at 2.4GHz".

 

When I transfer a file to/from my desktop, it crawls at 200-700 kb/s with a 165mb file.  I thought wireless N was supposed to be pretty fast.  Are my settings wrong?  I can't really even stream video to my desktop or laptop.

 

I live in a studio apartment and all my PCs are Windows 7.

Try a 5Ghz n router.

Try a 5Ghz n router.

 

It has all these settings:

 

Up to 270Mbps at 2.4GHz

Up to 270Mbps at 5GHz & 54Mbps at 2.4GHz

Up to 130Mbps at 2.4GHz

Up to 130Mbps at 5GHz & 54Mbps at 2.4GHz

 

I tried one of the 5Ghz options at first, but it wasn't showing up in my wifi list, so I switched it to 2.4Ghz.

N is still flaky between different manufacturers equipment, try using a Netgear RangeMax card in your PC. If you are already using a Netgear card (you didn't say), you may need to update firmware on the router and drivers on the PC to enable the faster link.

I used to have crappy wifi. i even had 5ghz... and it was passable for tablet use, but you couldnt do 720p. not a big deal as my whole house is wired with cat6.  it was starting to bother me, so i started doing research and i bought (and returned) several wireless access points.  i like to keep my waps and routers separate.

 

I finally settled on two AirPort Extremes. both are connected to ethernet (one downstairs and one upstairs).  one airport creates the network and the second extends it. there is no managing different SSIDs.  i get full speeds on my entire property and anywhere in my 4500sf house.  The speed is over 10x my previous wifi.

 

I picked the up as refurbs from Best Buy for $129 each.

If you're going to start spending $$, and assuming that a wired connection is not an option, I would seriously look into Powerline Ethernet. Much faster then wireless, AND much more stable.

 

A studio apartment is not the optimal setup, but definitely worth looking into. I've never been a fan of wireless for anything but surfing/email. It's just too slow and easily disrupted (microwave, conflicting neighbours' networks etc..).

 

my 2cents.

 

EDIT: I'm seeing a bunch of solid starter kits (2 adapters - one at source, one at destination), for under $80 total. Just make sure to go with 200 mbps/500 mbps. The 85mbps units are too slow. Check out SmallNetBuilder for reviews .

 

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=powerline+ethernet

I finally settled on two AirPort Extremes. both are connected to ethernet (one downstairs and one upstairs).  one airport creates the network and the second extends it. there is no managing different SSIDs.  i get full speeds on my entire property and anywhere in my 4500sf house.  The speed is over 10x my previous wifi.

 

I picked the up as refurbs from Best Buy for $129 each.

N is still flaky between different manufacturers equipment, try using a Netgear RangeMax card in your PC. If you are already using a Netgear card (you didn't say), you may need to update firmware on the router and drivers on the PC to enable the faster link.

 

It's a Rosewill RNX-N300.

 

If you're going to start spending $$, and assuming that a wired connection is not an option, I would seriously look into Powerline Ethernet. Much faster then wireless, AND much more stable.

 

Yeah, I can't really do wired.  If I was going to buy more hardware, I would probably do something like the power line thing.  So you guys don't think that maybe I have some settings wrong or something?  These speeds are just abysmal.

Yeah, I can't really do wired.  If I was going to buy more hardware, I would probably do something like the power line thing.  So you guys don't think that maybe I have some settings wrong or something?  These speeds are just abysmal.

 

There's definitely something wrong. Whether it's your settings or not, I can't say, but you should be getting significantly faster transfers then 200-700 kbps. On wireless-g, I believe a fairly average connection should be getting something along the lines of 1-2 MB/s, I believe wireless n usually works around the 3-4 MB/s.

 

As an aside, are you sure you don't mean 200 - 700 KB/s? (which is still much too slow to be very useable)...

Oh, yeah sorry about that.  I think it's 200 - 700 KB/s.  I always mix that stuff up.  But it's still really really slow.

I get up to 300Mbps on 5Ghz for very short range. I've never gotten over 130Mbps on 2.4Ghz

Oh, yeah sorry about that.  I think it's 200 - 700 KB/s.  I always mix that stuff up.  But it's still really really slow.

 

I had this kind of behavior using a N 2.4GHz fat channel (40MHz width) and a G wireless card. Here I got to narrow down the channel width back to 20MHz to solve it.

@dgaschk: 300M and 130M...?  Those look like reported connection speeds, which can be very different from achievable transfer speeds.

 

@cypres0099: Regarding the suggested used of power-line adaptors.  They can work well in many cases, but the performance can also be very variable and is often dependent on the mains wiring topology.  If you have separate ring main circuits on each floor of a house, for example, then the speed achieved between floors can be a fraction of that achieved between connections on the same floor.

...I believe wireless n usually works around the 3-4 MB/s.

 

I get 24-27MB/s using the AirPort Extremes.

@cypres0099: Regarding the suggested used of power-line adaptors.  They can work well in many cases, but the performance can also be very variable and is often dependent on the mains wiring topology.

 

This is a valid point. Which is why it's a good idea to buy from somewhere like Amazon, where they will take back the adapters without charge, if they don't work out in your location. The nice thing about powerline ethernet, is that if it does work reasonably well for you (No one gets the max rated speeds, but you should see 10/100 speeds or more), it rarely fluxuates... which is important for video streaming...

...I believe wireless n usually works around the 3-4 MB/s.

 

I get 24-27MB/s using the AirPort Extremes.

 

That's crazy fast!!

 

From my experience, and what I've read online, an average setup, in an average home, without crazy optimization, will rarely break 10 MB/s. Perhaps 3-4 was a bit on the low side, but certainly not uncommon...

...I believe wireless n usually works around the 3-4 MB/s.

 

I get 24-27MB/s using the AirPort Extremes.

 

That's crazy fast!!

 

From my experience, and what I've read online, an average setup, in an average home, without crazy optimization, will rarely break 10 MB/s. Perhaps 3-4 was a bit on the low side, but certainly not uncommon...

 

Apparently, Apple made some serious improvements in the last iteration of the AirPort Extreme.

 

 

Apparently, Apple made some serious improvements in the last iteration of the AirPort Extreme.

 

 

 

Damn, now I wish I wouldn't have spent the money on this crappy Netgear router.  I already had a Linksys Wireless-G router that was working alright.  I though this Wireless-N would get me a better connection.  WRONG!

Apparently, Apple made some serious improvements in the last iteration of the AirPort Extreme.

 

 

You're not kidding! I'd be curious to see if others are seeing those speeds as well with that router. That's encroaching on wired gigabit speeds!

I get similar performance from my airport extreme.  In the UK you have to set it to be in europe so it uses wide channels to get the best performance. 

...I believe wireless n usually works around the 3-4 MB/s.

 

I get 24-27MB/s using the AirPort Extremes.

B = Bytes or bits? 

 

If Bytes, then that is really good and I would imagine that the environment is not too hostile to WiFi.  Many would see only a fraction of that for sustained file transfers or streaming.

...I believe wireless n usually works around the 3-4 MB/s.

 

I get 24-27MB/s using the AirPort Extremes.

B = Bytes or bits? 

 

If Bytes, then that is really good and I would imagine that the environment is not too hostile to WiFi.  Many would see only a fraction of that for sustained file transfers or streaming.

 

Yes, B = Bytes.  See the screenshot above.

Sorry - I didn't get the pictures when browsing earlier. 

 

Very impressive.