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Should bandwidth affect home networking?

  • 13-02-2010 2:49pm
    #1
    gnolan
    Registered Users Posts: 1,486 ✭✭✭


    This is probably a stupid question, but does my bandwidth affect the speed of my home network? Just now i'm tranferring a file of 700MB from a folder on my laptop to another computer through the wireless router. By the time its finished it probably will have taken 45 minutes. Basically it'd just be easier and quicker to transfer by USB key.

    My initial thought was that it shouldn't matter that i've only got 2Mb broadband, because i'm not actually using anything outside the home network; basically laptop-->router-->laptop two. Am i correct in assuming that the speed of the home network is only dependent on the speed of the router and each of the wireless cards in the laptops?

    Also, are there any tweaks i can implement to speed up my home network?

    Thanks


Comments

  • #2
    paulm17781
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,858 ✭✭✭paulm17781


    No it won't. For large files you're better of using cables, faster and more reliable than wireless.


  • #3
    gnolan
    Registered Users Posts: 1,486 ✭✭✭gnolan


    paulm17781 wrote: »
    No it won't. For large files you're better of using cables, faster and more reliable than wireless.

    Given that the two computers are quite far from each other, wires aren't really an option.

    If my wireless connection speed is 54.0Mbps, is this my theoretical max transfer rate? Anything i can do to improve the speed over the network, either physically with the router or tweaking any software?


  • #4
    dub45
    Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 12,450 Mod ✭✭✭✭dub45


    gnolan wrote: »
    Given that the two computers are quite far from each other, wires aren't really an option.

    If my wireless connection speed is 54.0Mbps, is this my theoretical max transfer rate? Anything i can do to improve the speed over the network, either physically with the router or tweaking any software?

    If you read up a bit at all on wireless you will find that the 54Mbs is aspirational rather than the real speed - articles I have read about it usually say that in reality you will do well to get speed in the 30's and even then its dependent on the factors in the individual location.


  • #5
    paulm17781
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,858 ✭✭✭paulm17781


    gnolan wrote: »
    If my wireless connection speed is 54.0Mbps, is this my theoretical max transfer rate? Anything i can do to improve the speed over the network, either physically with the router or tweaking any software?

    As above, you'll rarely get 54mpbs on wireless. I think it will split between the two giving 27mbps on each (I'm open to correction on that) and then there are other factors: distance, wall thickness, other networks, other wireless equipment on the same range etc.

    Can you connect one by cable to the router? It may work a bit better that way.


  • #6
    gnolan
    Registered Users Posts: 1,486 ✭✭✭gnolan


    dub45 wrote: »
    If you read up a bit at all on wireless you will find that the 54Mbs is aspirational rather than the real speed - articles I have read about it usually say that in reality you will do well to get speed in the 30's and even then its dependent on the factors in the individual location.

    Having said that though, if i was able to sustain a speed of even 20Mbs which, if i'm right, is 2.5MB/s, i should be able to transfer a 700MB file in just under 5 minutes?

    Having seen a 700MB file take about 40 mins earlier on, does this indicate that there is a problem with the network?


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  • #7
    gnolan
    Registered Users Posts: 1,486 ✭✭✭gnolan


    paulm17781 wrote: »

    Can you connect one by cable to the router? It may work a bit better that way.

    Afraid not, both computers are quite distant from the router


  • #8
    guil
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 10,496 ✭✭✭✭guil


    gnolan wrote: »
    Having said that though, if i was able to sustain a speed of even 20Mbs which, if i'm right, is 2.5MB/s, i should be able to transfer a 700MB file in just under 5 minutes?

    Having seen a 700MB file take about 40 mins earlier on, does this indicate that there is a problem with the network?
    gnolan wrote: »
    Afraid not, both computers are quite distant from the router
    well there ya go, if both of them are a a good bit from the router its gonne take longer to do


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