WeRtheBorg wrote:
Hello, Lupunus.
Thank you for your reply.
I am using only wireless connection.
OK, first some boring technical stuff...
All participants in wireless network share the available bandwidth equally.
The available bandwidth is NOT the displayed connection speed. Due to the way wireless works and the normal network traffic (name resolving, key-sharing, beacons and so on) the real throughput is roughly 40%-60% of the displayed connection speed, depending on configuration and disturbances (e.g. interferences, obstacles) in the network.
For example: A 802.11n 2.4GHz wireless provide (optimal conditions) a max. connection speed of 150 MBit/s and the real throughput will be app. 70 MBit/s.
So if your access point (wifi router) provide the Internet connection one connected computer will have a real speed of around 70 MBit/s. If you add another computer accessing the Internet both will have app. 35Mbit/s and if a third computer joins the network each will have app. 23 MBit/s and so on...
On moving files from one computer to another computer in the wireless, the slowest one dictates the speed.
The values mentioned above are only theoretically as in real world wireless networks the speed varies due to the radio conditions in the environment and other existing traffic like file sharing or media streaming.
WeRtheBorg wrote:
Via airport extreme it's 20-22mbit on my macbook air and about 30mbit on my PC.
Therefore, given you use the 2.4GHz 802.11n of the AP-Extreme, the reported values are within a normal range.
What can you do to improve your wireless?
You may try to connect your systems (if 5GHz capable) to the 5GHz wireless of the Extreme.
To reach that enter the manual setup of the Extreme and set a dedicated name (SSID) for the 5GHz wireless. (Airport - wireless - options)
For the MacBook (depends on model) this could increase the connection speed up to 300-450 MBit/s due to the 5GHz MiMo technic which provides 150MBit/s for each spatial stream.
To force the MacBook on the 5GHz you should switch off the wireless on the Mac, delete the 2.4GHz name (SSID) from the list of known networks in the wireless section of the Mac's system settings and reboot the Mac before joining the wireless again.
What else can you do to improve the speed?
Check the location of the AP-Extreme.
It should NOT be placed on the floor, in a corner, flat at the wall, behind furniture, near metal objects like radiators or near magnetic fields e.g. live high voltage wires, antenna cables, speakers.
It should be placed as high as possible (up on a shelf or ceiling mounted) and with a maximum line of sight to all stations, even thru walls. Imagine the radio field of the Extreme as flat lying Mentos with the Extreme in the center.
Prevent obstacles between the Extreme and the stations, especially Humans as people contain a lot of water and water is a big bar for radio. For instance try not to sit between the Mac and the Extreme.
Good luck - Lupunus (resistance is futile) đ
