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dynamic Broadcom MBPS??

post #1 of 50
1/22/05 at 7:04pm
Thread Starter 
I've got a D-Link Wireless router q/ super "G" and 3 wireless notebooks.
All the notebooks have "g" cards in them.
1st Notebook (avertec) connects and maintains 54 mbps (G mini-pci)
2nd Notebook (Toshiba) conects and maintains 108 mbps (super g mini-pci)
3rd Notebook (emac m6805) connects @ 54 mbps- then fluctuates constantly from 18-46 mbps w/o ever hitting 54 mbps again?
The strange thing is that the emachine is the closest to the router (2 ft or so), and it has the worst connecton.
I've even tried updating the broadcom driver to the dell ones that thunder recommended.
I've also set the broadcom to manage my wireless connection w/o an improvement.
Any ideas??? Please??

P.S. all notebooks run xp home w/ sp2
Thanks
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post #2 of 50
1/22/05 at 9:34pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by ZeroTolerence
I've got a D-Link Wireless router q/ super "G" and 3 wireless notebooks.
All the notebooks have "g" cards in them.
1st Notebook (avertec) connects and maintains 54 mbps (G mini-pci)
2nd Notebook (Toshiba) conects and maintains 108 mbps (super g mini-pci)
3rd Notebook (emac m6805) connects @ 54 mbps- then fluctuates constantly from 18-46 mbps w/o ever hitting 54 mbps again?
The strange thing is that the emachine is the closest to the router (2 ft or so), and it has the worst connecton.
I've even tried updating the broadcom driver to the dell ones that thunder recommended.
I've also set the broadcom to manage my wireless connection w/o an improvement.
Any ideas??? Please??

P.S. all notebooks run xp home w/ sp2
Thanks
yay, someone else has the same problems I do!

If you haven't already, open the Broadcom utility and check the box that lets it manage the wireless connection. This offers an improvement over WZC.

However...even with Broadcom..."then fluctuates constantly from 18-46 mbps w/o ever hitting 54 mbps again?" -- YES mine does this too! I have no idea why! Right now it's dropped down to 1, 2, and 5.5mbps, which it hasn't done since I let the Broadcom app take over. But usually it starts out at 54 then drops to a range between 18 and 46. Hah, it makes me feel better that I'm not the only one experiencing this

I'm going to try upgrading to the Sveasoft firmware for my Linksys wireless router. I don't know if it will make a difference or not but I'll make a post if it does.
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post #3 of 50
1/22/05 at 10:51pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kaido
However...even with Broadcom..."then fluctuates constantly from 18-46 mbps w/o ever hitting 54 mbps again?" -- YES mine does this too! I have no idea why!
I thought i told you guys that this is a power-saving feature of the broadcomm driver?

You can go to the device properties and disable this, but its like speed-stepping or power on demand and it works pretty damn effeciently. seldomly connecting to the net would require all 54g, but if you try to connect to another computer on your wlan/lan, the speed will automatically jump up and stay there.

its actually quite a good feature since downloading information from websites and the loading of webpages happens sparatically, and many notebooks don't have this implemented..
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post #4 of 50
1/22/05 at 11:25pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by trueno92
I thought i told you guys that this is a power-saving feature of the broadcomm driver?

You can go to the device properties and disable this, but its like speed-stepping or power on demand and it works pretty damn effeciently. seldomly connecting to the net would require all 54g, but if you try to connect to another computer on your wlan/lan, the speed will automatically jump up and stay there.

its actually quite a good feature since downloading information from websites and the loading of webpages happens sparatically, and many notebooks don't have this implemented..
oh, I thought that was just WZC. I just changed it, thanks!
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post #5 of 50
1/22/05 at 11:28pm
this is an interesting thread:

http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,12411999

One guys suggests these settings:

Quote:
IBSS 54G Mode = 54G Performance
IBSS 54G Protection Mode = Auto
Power Output = 100%
Rate = Use best rate
Express Technology = Enabled
I think I only had to change the IBSS 54G Mode from 802.11b to 54G Performance.
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post #6 of 50
1/22/05 at 11:32pm
I noticed there's an Afterburner option. I googled and found an interesting article: (ExtremeTech, March, 2004)

http://www.findarticles.com/p/articl.../ai_ziff122541

Quote:
Originally Posted by Broadcom "Afterburner" Wireless Routers Ship
Broadcom Corp. said that its new line of "Afterburner" enhanced wireless products are now shipping from manufacturers including Belkin, Buffalo, and Linksys.

Linksys announced its first wireless routers earlier this week, and Buffalo Technology disclosed its first Afterburner 802.11g router, the AirStation (WHR2-G54) in February 2004. It is priced at $199.

Broadcom's "Afterburner" technology, first disclosed by ExtremeTech in the days before the Consumer Electronics Show in January, "closes down" the timing between packets to squirt more data throgh the constraints of the 802.11g specification, up to 40 percent throughput. The technology maintains compatibility with the 802.11 specification, Broadcom claims; the company claims that competing technologies, such as the rival Atheros "SuperG" 108-Mbit protocol, do not.

Atheros, meanwhile, uses both its basic SuperG protocol as well as a "dynamic turbo" mode that sniffs out other SuperG products and provides throughput up to 60 Mbits/s. The technology "aligns with Federal Communications Commission initiatives on Cognitive Radio", promoting efficient sharing of the wireless spectrum, Atheros has said.

A Broadcom spokesman said it funded a study by The Tolly Group, which determined that the Atheros technology was a "bad neighbor" that interfered with 802.11g signals.

Linksys will ship three 802.11g Afterburner-enhanced products, which it calls "SpeedBooster": a $129.99 broadband router, a $99.99 notebook adapter, and a $99.99 PCI adapter.

Copyright © 2004 Ziff Davis Media Inc. All Rights Reserved. Originally appearing in ExtremeTech.
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post #7 of 50
1/22/05 at 11:54pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by trueno92
I thought i told you guys that this is a power-saving feature of the broadcomm driver?

You can go to the device properties and disable this, but its like speed-stepping or power on demand and it works pretty damn effeciently. seldomly connecting to the net would require all 54g, but if you try to connect to another computer on your wlan/lan, the speed will automatically jump up and stay there.

its actually quite a good feature since downloading information from websites and the loading of webpages happens sparatically, and many notebooks don't have this implemented..
Thanks for the update- As I titled this thread, it appeared to be dynamic from the way it handled/changed as I browsed.

I never noticed this until i recently upgraded to SP2. As a matter of fact, My 6805 processor was never dynamic as well.
The notebook has behaved differently ever since I got my RMA back. I assume this is a combo of the new bios+ Sp2.

Thanks again
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post #8 of 50
1/23/05 at 2:01am
Quote:
One guys suggests these settings:


Quote:
IBSS 54G Mode = 54G Performance
IBSS 54G Protection Mode = Auto
Power Output = 100%
Rate = Use best rate
Express Technology = Enabled



I think I only had to change the IBSS 54G Mode from 802.11b to 54G Performance.
I only had to change the one setting as well. Why would they set the default to 802.11b only?
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post #9 of 50
1/23/05 at 2:13am
I don't understand why "Afterburner" doesn't work. The 7405gx's sticker says 125mbps and the Linksys WRT54GS says Speedbooster. According to the articles I've been reading about the Afterburner thing, Broadcom, Linksys, and a couple other companies adpoted the standard.

I bought two Speedboost PCI cards which I'm going to install within the next couple days. If I can get 125mbps on those, maybe I can figure out something that will let my 7405gx get to that speed too.
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post #10 of 50
1/23/05 at 2:25am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by trueno92
I thought i told you guys that this is a power-saving feature of the broadcomm driver?

You can go to the device properties and disable this, but its like speed-stepping or power on demand and it works pretty damn effeciently. seldomly connecting to the net would require all 54g, but if you try to connect to another computer on your wlan/lan, the speed will automatically jump up and stay there.

its actually quite a good feature since downloading information from websites and the loading of webpages happens sparatically, and many notebooks don't have this implemented..
I'm possibly dumb- how do I disable this?
I tried the suggestion in the thread and changed it to 54g performace w/ no change.
I did this in device manager.
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post #11 of 50
1/23/05 at 2:30am
Quote:
Originally Posted by ZeroTolerence
I'm possibly dumb- how do I disable this?
I tried the suggestion in the thread and changed it to 54g performace w/ no change.
I did this in device manager.
No, you're not dumb, there are just too many options. The option you want to change is the one labeled, "Power Save Mode" -- select Disable from the drop-down list. I didn't even know about that entire section of settings until trueno92 pointed it out.
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post #12 of 50
1/23/05 at 4:26am
Thread Starter 
It already was- and still it fluctuates
I just want to be sure I get the best connection while gaming.
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post #13 of 50
1/23/05 at 12:19pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by ZeroTolerence
It already was- and still it fluctuates
I just want to be sure I get the best connection while gaming.
Hmm. I'd say it might be the router itself, but your other laptops have consistant connection speeds, right?

Try switching your router from mixed B and G to G-only, if you haven't already.
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post #14 of 50
1/23/05 at 1:24pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kaido
Hmm. I'd say it might be the router itself, but your other laptops have consistant connection speeds, right?

Try switching your router from mixed B and G to G-only, if you haven't already.
Already done...
This is very strange
Could you let me know which driver version you have please?
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post #15 of 50
1/23/05 at 1:29pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by ZeroTolerence
Already done...
This is very strange
Could you let me know which driver version you have please?
Absolutely:

Driver Provider: Broadcom
Driver Date: 6/26/2004
Driver Version: 3.70.17.0
Digital Signer: Microsoft Windows Hardware Compatibility Publ

I think I have this version on disc somewhere, I cand send it to you if you'd like.
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post #16 of 50
1/23/05 at 3:17pm
Thread Starter 
That would be great- I'll pm you my email addy
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post #17 of 50
1/24/05 at 3:36am
Thread Starter 
I've tried 3 drivers so far- and the same thing.
Are you sure that you are getting a steady 54g?
Do you have SP2?
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post #18 of 50
1/24/05 at 3:51am
I get a steady 54 out of mine. Sometimes it drops to 48 but it is expected and consistent with where I am in the house. FWIW, my power save mode has always been set to disable when I install new drivers. I also have had better luck just using WZC. Apparently I am one of the few though. Try both and see which yields better results.
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post #19 of 50
1/24/05 at 3:59am
Thread Starter 
Still the same- im going to experiment by moving the laptop out of the room. Right now its about 2ft away. Wonder of there is such a thing as too close??
Thanks
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post #20 of 50
1/24/05 at 4:06am
I fixed my network by setting the router to a fixed 56Mbps from the original setting of AUTO on my D-Link DI-624 Super G router. If your router doesn't have this feature then ur outta luck.

For instance my 2WIRE SBC DSL modem with built in wireless can connect up to a maximum of 56Mbps but it can range anywhere from 10Mbps on up depending on load and distance. It has no option to set it to a fixed transmit rate of 56Mbps. It only has a maximum setting. Other than that it is always auto.
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