Kong: This is generic issue that I don't believe is related to your firmware, however with your knowledge of these routers I'm hoping you'll have a suggestion. I have a WNR3500L, version 1, running your build 20500 currently. I have seen issues like this with other routers too.
For whatever reason, the speed of my Wi-Fi drops off dramatically with use/time. I notice this primarily on my various Android phones and tablets that are active on this connection. After a cold boot of the router, it's very fast - internet speed tests of at least 18Mbps.
However, after sustained usage or a few hours, the speed drops off dramatically, often I'm only getting 1Mbps or less in speed tests.
What I've noticed, is that the "Rate" reported in DD-WRT under the Wireless tab of Status, will decrease with usage/time. It'll start off at 54Mbps, then decrease until it his 5.5Mbps and it often stays there.
What I think is happening, is my Android devices are going into a low power mode that uses a reduced speed. The router is catering to the slowest device, and drops it's speed. However, it never goes back UP, and as such, stays slow for ALL devices.
This is the very reason I flashed DD-WRT in the first place (I used to run the OEM Netgear f/w), trying to combat this issue. At first, I thought all was solved! Wi-Fi was blazing fast on all devices! But a few hours later, and it's back to it's old tricks...
My room mate and I both have Verizon Galaxy Nexus phones and Nexus 7 tablets, running AOKP Android JB-MR1 4.2.2. On the Phones, there is a low power setting for Wi-Fi that you can turn off. But not for the Tablets (perhaps the radio doesn't support one)?
But either way, once the speed drops, it effects all wireless devices, including Windows laptops... ALL devices have N wireless.
I am hoping there is a setting I can set to keep the wireless fast, or make it go back UP after it decreases in speed... Thanks!
This sounds like a case of overlapping/blocking caused by neighboring wireless interference. Do you happen to be using HT40 in the 2.4Ghz band? You are not including enough details about your settings to really troubleshoot with, only symptoms.
I don't know what HT40 is reffering too, so probably not? I looked around and I'm not finding an explanation, and I don't see a setting named that? I am using 2.4GHz - this is not a dual band router, no 5GHz here...?
Neighboring Wireless Interference sounds like it could be a cause? I live in an apartment with HEAVY nearby wireless activity. I frequently see at least 8 other networks from anywhere in my apartment at one time, across the whole channel band. Moving around my apartment I'll see other networks, for a total of like 20 sometimes. I'm using the channel that has the least number of other networks.
I'd be happy to provide any details on my settings needed, or even a settings dump. I haven't changed much from the defaults: I'm using WPA2 Personal with AES for security. ALL of the advanced settings are default except "CTS Protection Mode" is set to Disabled. My Basic settings are as follows:
Wireless Mode: AP
Wireless Network Mode: N-Only
SSID: ProtoNET
Wireless Channel: 11 - 2.462 GHz
Channel Width: 40 MHz
Extension Channel: upper
SSID Broadcast: Enable
ACK Timing: 2000 (default)
Network Config: Bridged.
Let me know what other details you'd like, Thanks so much!
HT40 refers to High Throughput and yes your channel width is at 40Mhz, so yes you are using HT40 which is what i thought. When you use HT40, you are eating up over half the 2.4 spectrum, that won't leave for alot of leeway in terms of not overlapping someone else in the same band. What i would do here is a site survey and see out of channels 1,6 and 11 you can use. And just because someone else isn't using a channel same as yours doesn't mean that they won't overlap/block the channel you choose to use. Also i would get it off HT40, if you got alot of AP's around you, HT40 is only going to hinder them and you as you already have seen.
Thanks so much for the info. After your original post I continued searching until I figured out that HT40 referred to the 40MHz channel width; I had never heard that before, yay for learning new terms! I had only ever really read about the positives of setting channel width but never the downsides until now. After reading, I definitely think that's a big part of my problem. I'm pretty sure in an effort to squeeze performance out of my router I was using 40MHz even on the stock firmware, so that probably explains it! When I first got this router there was only 1/3 as many networks around here...
I was just using wifi analyzer on my tablet and phone and at one point I saw 16 wireless networks at the same time! It's crazy around here. Unfortunately my tablets don't do 5GHz (for shame Google, for shame...) so I'm stuck on 2.4.
Anyways I set the width back down to 20MHz, and so far, it seems to be helping. The Rate in Router Status hasn't dropped below 58Mbps yet, and I'm still getting at least 15Mbps down on my devices. Time will tell, but this may have been all it was.
11 still seems to be the best channel for me in terms of SNR on my devices and thruput achieved. I tried 1 and 6 again for giggles, but they were worse. There are always multiple networks on each of those channels, no channel is "free".
Thank you again for your input!!
Ack, I'm still having this problem :-(
The wireless performance declined until the Rate reported in the Status page, was 5.5Mbps. I disconnected all of my wireless devices, so now the Status page isn't reporting any connected wireless devices. Yet, the rate, is still 5.5Mbps and isn't going back up. Turning my wireless devices back on and trying to use them isn't causing it to go back up either.
What is making the router drop the Rate, and holding it there? When the rate is higher, things work great! If this is due to wireless interference, it seems to be a bit overzealous! Is there a way to tweak this?
Anyone else got any thoughts on this? Still having this issue. Have to pull power on my router every few days, if not every few hours, in order to keep my wireless fast. About ready to just replace the router with something newer/better for no other reason than this. Hoping there is a setting or something I can tweak.
This was an issue some time back. It came about with the more recent Broadcom wireless drivers. Common advice out there, was to set your Wireless Interference Mitigation value to "None." I did this when on DD-WRT and it definately worked better. I now run Shibby's Tomato and use the same setting. It is in Tomato under the Advanced => Wireless, You'll have to look around in DD-WRT as I don't recall where it was located.
I'm using Kong 20575 on my E2000 and have the following Startup Command...
sleep 40
wl -i eth1 interference 3
I only use Channel Width of 20Mhz and I have an uptime of 15 days with connection speeds of 104mbps.