[lug] WirelessN

[Michael J. Hammel]

On Wed, 2010-05-26 at 21:36 -0600, Sean Reifschneider wrote:
> b and g are 2.4GHz.  a is 5.2GHz.  n is unlike them in that n signaling can
> be done on both 2.4 and 5.2.  So, unless you got something that is
> specifically 5.2, you will probably be running in 2.4.
> Most APs I've seen are n in 2.4, unless they say "dual band".  I haven't
> seen a dedicated 5.2 n yet, but it's definitely possible.

My original purchases:
WRT300N: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16833124332
WMP600n:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16833124342&cm_re=Linksys_WMP600N-_-33-124-342-_-Product

Both are dual band, 5.2G capable.  I was never able to get them to
behave that way, however.  I may have had the adapter configured
correctly but with the router questionable it just never worked.

> Note that unless they say "simultaneous dual band", it probably means they
> do n only on one of the two frequencies at once.  Also note that I've had a
> hell of a time getting an real n connection on my laptop unless I use
> really recent kernels (as in, more recent than the stock F12 kernels).

I think I had the latest kernels for F12 on there, but nothing beyond
that.

> You have to use a particular setting for crypto, or wide open, for n.  You
> can't use WEP, for example.  I have had no problems doing n with my AP wide
> open, but nothing but problems when running with WPA-whatever.  Try
> different crypto settings...  Also use the AP diagnostics page to show what
> established connections you have to verify what your speed is.

Ah.  Well, maybe that was the problem.  I was using WPA2.  So I'd get a
300Mbs connection (iwconfig and AP reported) but no data transfer.  

But while crypto was probably a problem, I couldn't get the router
working with G mode devices either.  So I think that router was just
fubar.

> Also note that 5.2 doesn't penetrate drywall nearly as well as 2.4.  I put
> my 5.2 AP in the same airspace as my living room (though technically it's
> in the dining room, it has a clear line of sight) for better performance.

Hmmm.  Well, reviews I'd read said it did fine through walls so I just
assumed it would.  I definitely didn't have line of sight between the
two.

> The AP I'm using is a Netgear $300 simultaneous n box -- W something
> something 330, IIRC.

I have the following arriving today for round two in my trials:
TP-LINK TL-WR1043D:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16833704038

TP-LINK TL-WN821N:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16833704032

Hopefully I'll have better luck with these.  At least they're less
expensive.  No 5Ghz to mess with.  And the router is DD-WRT compatible.

I'm hoping n is sufficient to handle the bandwidth problems.  Who knows.
Maybe a dedicated G on its own channel would have been sufficient.
-- 
Michael J. Hammel                                    Principal Software Engineer
mjhammel at graphics-muse.org                           http://graphics-muse.org
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Approach love and cooking with reckless abandon.  
  --  Credited to the Dalai Lama.