Drop in wireless speeds

I have wireless internet service provided by my cellular provider since
Dec.06.

Dell Dimension 2200
WinXP home
Linksys WRT54G router (original) replaced w/ WRT54GL
Linksys LNE100TX v5 Fast internet
This has an external radio wired to the router then to the pc.

Mid-March I started having problems with the dropped connections that could
be solved by repowering/rebooting the radio/router/pc. This would occur
every 2-4 hours or so. Called the provider and they replaced router with
Linksys WRT54GL. This solved the dropping problem.

For 3 months prior to the dropping problem, my connection speeds were
~1400/1100 kbps as measured at http://www.speakeasy.net/speedtest/ . My
neighbor about ¼ mile closer to the tower (4 miles) had installation about
the same time and had never gotten more than 550/300 range speeds.
Originally we thought that it may have been tree interference that he had
that I don't. I had checked my speeds at least once a week always getting
the higher speeds and when the dropping problem started, I checked again.
Now I was getting 550/300 kbps and have been consistently since this
started, even through the router change. When the tech/installer was here to
replace the router I ask about the connection speed and he verified the
slower speed as he had made the original installation and remembered the
higher speeds. He said he would pass the information up to the 'system
guy'. I waited for several days with no change or response from them. I
finally emailed customer service asking about it and 2 days later got an
email response that the tech/installer would be out to re-align my radio
transceiver. Until this time the radio had been firmly connected to its mast
and had not changed. In fact, I tried various degrees of adjustment on it
myself with no effect on the speed, before returning it to its original
position.
I don't know squat about this, but suspect that I was getting higher than
anticipated speeds originally (they advertise 512/128kbps), they corrected
this through some setting at the source or in my router to maximize my
speeds to more nearly normal.
Now I know that I'm getting the speed I am paying for, and that's OK: I'm
fine with that. I'd just like to know why, all of a sudden, my speeds
dropped by more than half.
Will someone try to explain this for me if you know?
Thanks so much.

Steve
Southiowa
41N

You were probably "capped" by your provider. Such capping is common on
consumer broadband to keep you from getting more than you are paying
for.

On Sun, 01 Apr 2007 10:58:08 -0500, Steve IA <bringemhome@now.invalid>
wrote in <460FD690.A4BC863B@now.invalid>:

>I have wireless internet service provided by my cellular provider since
>Dec.06.
>
>Dell Dimension 2200
>WinXP home
>Linksys WRT54G router (original) replaced w/ WRT54GL
>Linksys LNE100TX v5 Fast internet
>This has an external radio wired to the router then to the pc.
>
>Mid-March I started having problems with the dropped connections that could
>be solved by repowering/rebooting the radio/router/pc. This would occur
>every 2-4 hours or so. Called the provider and they replaced router with
>Linksys WRT54GL. This solved the dropping problem.
>
>For 3 months prior to the dropping problem, my connection speeds were
>~1400/1100 kbps as measured at http://www.speakeasy.net/speedtest/ . My
>neighbor about ¼ mile closer to the tower (4 miles) had installation about
>the same time and had never gotten more than 550/300 range speeds.
>Originally we thought that it may have been tree interference that he had
>that I don't. I had checked my speeds at least once a week always getting
>the higher speeds and when the dropping problem started, I checked again.
>Now I was getting 550/300 kbps and have been consistently since this
>started, even through the router change. When the tech/installer was here to
>replace the router I ask about the connection speed and he verified the
>slower speed as he had made the original installation and remembered the
>higher speeds. He said he would pass the information up to the 'system
>guy'. I waited for several days with no change or response from them. I
>finally emailed customer service asking about it and 2 days later got an
>email response that the tech/installer would be out to re-align my radio
>transceiver. Until this time the radio had been firmly connected to its mast
>and had not changed. In fact, I tried various degrees of adjustment on it
>myself with no effect on the speed, before returning it to its original
>position.
>I don't know squat about this, but suspect that I was getting higher than
>anticipated speeds originally (they advertise 512/128kbps), they corrected
>this through some setting at the source or in my router to maximize my
>speeds to more nearly normal.
>Now I know that I'm getting the speed I am paying for, and that's OK: I'm
>fine with that. I'd just like to know why, all of a sudden, my speeds
>dropped by more than half.
>Will someone try to explain this for me if you know?
>Thanks so much.

--
Best regards, FAQ for Wireless Internet: <http://Wireless.wikia.com>
John Navas FAQ for Wi-Fi: <http://wireless.wikia.com/wiki/Wi-Fi>
Wi-Fi How To: <http://wireless.wikia.com/wiki/Wi-Fi_How_To>
Fixes to Wi-Fi Problems: <http://wireless.wikia.com/wiki/Wi-Fi_Fixes>