Having issues with networking and very confused

My basic network is as follows:

Cable modem to Belkin F5D7230 wireless G Router.

Notebook with intel 2200 card connected wireless

Desktop connected via hardwire

I get lowered bandwidth on my network approx 30-30% of the time. Happens randomly and to both the wireless and the wired computer simultaneously then speeds up as randomly as it slowed.

Network detection on the notebook never registeres anything other than "54mbs, connection excellent" but when I go to toast.net's speed test I'll get around 550kb when slow, and 2.8mbs when operating at normal speed.

In some ways this sounds like the typical issue with the 2200 but it's not the Linksys and it's not happening only wireless. If it were only wireless I'd blame it on the card, but since it's happening to my wired 'puter also I tend to think it's the router as that's the only thing I've introduced recently.

I had an old Linksys but got rid of it when I got this new notebook becasue of the apparent compatibility issues with it and this card.

Router has most up to date firmware.

Any suggestions or comments?

Thanks in advance.

 

cable does not offer you dedicated bandwidth. sounds like your provider and not any of your hardware.

 

I would think that also if not for the fact that the 1st time I ever went below 2.4mbs was after the introduction of this router 3 days ago.

I have NEVER EVER, been below the 2.4 in 18 months with Charter until I installed this router.

Seems to be getting worse, also. I'm now up to 60 or more % of the time with average of 508kbs.

 

I litterly have the same problem with my linksys. Basically, i think its faulty router and nothing to do about it.

 

Spectre,

Do you mean that when transfering with wireless & wired at the same time, your speeds are slow?

If so, this will explain it. Connecting with both devices and downloading on the net at the same time will share the cable modems bandwidth. If you cable modem is 3Mbits/sec, then if you download something on both the notebook & desktop at the same time. Well, you're speed is now cut in half (1.5Mbits/sec each device) as you now have 2 devices.

1st thing to do is to turn off your wireless and try just with just the desktop. If the speeds are fine, then try just the notebook via wireless (disconnect the desktop). If the speeds are fine for each, then it's not the router.

But you also have to remember, when connecting devices to a router, you will get a decrease in speed as it must pass through the router before it gets to your computer.

If you believe it's the router, try getting a different router as a test.

-Vb-

 

That's not quite the situation.

Basically, I'll notice the slowdown browsing or whatever.

If I'm not on one of the machines I usually have the software firewall block all traffic.

So, say I'm on the lappy and I notice several pages loading excruciatingly slow I'll hop on toast.net to see what kind of throughput I'm getting. If it's confirmed less than 2mbs there I'll check the other machine.

So, I'll lock down the lappy and go to the desktop.

The scenario I'm talking about is when it's slow there as well.

A reset of the router or complete power cycle seem to be remedies but it's too frequent for that to be feasible.

Bascially, I think this Belkin is confirmed as a piece of crap. Wanted some input to confirm this.

You think it sounds like the router since it's not a bandwidth sharing issue?

 

Well, at this point, since you've already tested that it will resolve the problem temporarily by rebooting, then it's a good possiblity it's the router. As I suggested earlier, try getting a new/different router as a test as this will show what the problem is, either router or something else.

-Vb-

 

I'd try using a different router as well. Perhaps you could take the computer over a friend's house and test it with their router - then you would know wether or not the router is the problem.

Chaz