Slow Wireless Transfer Speed

[PimpinPenguin]

Ok , first i should say i don't know much about networking, so please bare with me.
So i am trying to send files between 2 PCs at home using my Wireless router, the only problem is the connection is painfully slow. It's takes around 5mins for a 1MB file to transfer across.According to Windows, the connection on both is Excellent.

Downloading from the internet is fine, and the speed is great there. It's just the transfer speed between PCs, i've look at the network utilization and it says I'm using around 7-9% of the connection speed. I know nothing about home networking and it took me ages just to be able to transfer files. I have a Netgear DG834GT, which i got from my ISP, ive looked around in it's setting and i don't see anything to change the speed. I can change the wireless mode between G, G&B and Auto, although i haven't a clue what they do. Any advice you can give would be greatly appreciated, as i don't want to go back to using my external hard drive to transfer files.

 

[Combine_Advisor]

C.a.b.l.e

 

[PimpinPenguin]

C.a.b.l.e

I would, but my PCs are not near each other. Ones upstairs the other down. So i really need to get my wireless connection working properly.

 

[Drackard]

I would, but my PCs are not near each other. Ones upstairs the other down. So i really need to get my wireless connection working properly.

Never stopped me .. just drilled a couple of tiny holes in the ceiling/floor and neatly patched a cable through.

Moving on though, in what way are you trying to transfer the files between the two PC's ?

 

[PimpinPenguin]

Never stopped me .. just drilled a couple of tiny holes in the ceiling/floor and neatly patched a cable through.

Moving on though, in what way are you trying to transfer the files between the two PC's ?

Well i just access the drive on the PC that has the file, tough the network, then i just copy it over. I'm not sure if this is the correct way to do it, cause as i said i know nothing on this.

 

[DEATH eVADER]

You may need to see what standard the wireless router is transferring data. Like you said it gives the option of transferring data by b or g. With the option of the two, g is the fastest.

But its beyond me, are you saying the computer that is wireless can download files from the internet at a decent pace, but its sluggish when transferring data between PCs, which O/S do you have?

 

[PimpinPenguin]

You may need to see what standard the wireless router is transferring data. Like you said it gives the option of transferring data by b or g. With the option of the two, g is the fastest.

But its beyond me, are you saying the computer that is wireless can download files from the internet at a decent pace, but its sluggish when transferring data between PCs, which O/S do you have?

Yep, that's what i'm saying. Both are connected to the wireless connection and both download well off the internet. It's just when they are transferring between eachother where it goes slow. Both PCs are running Vista home premium. I tried with XP but it was the same. I'll try setting it the mode to G only see if that helps. Right now it's on g&b.

EDIT: Well, setting it to g only made no difference. I've also tried to stream a movie clip over just to see if it just didn't like transferring files. But it still lags when watching a clip. It take a few minutes for it to start then it stops every few seconds. Why are wireless routers so complicated

 

[Hectic Glenn]

This is interesting, I have a very similar set-up in my house for my home network. Basically downstairs I have a media computer with a 'Glenn's Music' folder on it. This folder has been set to 'shared' by going into the folder properties. This makes it available on the local area network. You can set up your other computer to share folders too in the 'network and sharing centre' for Vista. I can't remember exactly how I did it though. I can listen to music / films by streaming them from downstairs without any lag involved.

edit: also I have my downstairs computer set as an icon on my desktop, there is a way to make it like that. I think it's something to do with putting computers in the same 'work group'.

 

[Asus]

It shouldn't be going that slow. As you said, internet seems to be fine (faster?). Could be interference and you may not be able to get it to go faster in the position your PC is in now. Or it could be a setting. Try G only and not the G+B compatibility mode.

Even if it was working though, transferring your files to a external hard drive and then walking downstairs and moving them onto the other PC might actually be faster than your wireless in good working order. It's just slow compared to any wired connection. (PC->USB->HDD or PC->RJ45->PC)

I was trying to transfer some 30 odd GBs of files from a laptop over wireless and windows wouldn't even give me an estimate on the file transfer. Laptop was on the other side of the room that the wireless G router was in. Disconnected from the wifi and plugged in a cable running across the room and it was no contest.

 

[PimpinPenguin]

Well i've checked for interference, and i can't see anything that could do that. The router is on top of a high shelf in the same room as one of the PCs downstairs with no phones there or anything. My room is where the other PC is in and has nothing i can see that could interfere. And like i said the internet speed is a lot faster on both PCs and there's no interference with that.
I already tried setting the mode to G only, but it made no difference.
I'm not trying to send massive files, just small things like MP3s and movies. I was trying to stream from one PC to another. But like i said in my first post it takes around 5 mins to transfer over 1MB, and i heard a wireless network should be able to handle that. I'm pretty much doing what Hectic Glenn is doing,except with a lot of lag

Dos the RJ45 cable just connect PC to PC, or does that go though something else aswell?

 

[Sanada]

If the router is near one of your computers then maybe try plugging it via an ethernet cable into the router (it should have atleast 4 ports) and the other buy wireless? The router should have DHCP and you'll only have to plug it in for it to work. Windows by default (2000, XP anyway) should recognised the connection if the LAN device is working properly. Make sure to disable the wireless link on the PC now plugged in via ethernet though.

On another note, if the router is indeed near one of the computers (like < 5 metres) then why not just use ethernet from now on instead of wireless on that machine? For anything this close to the router and immobile it seems pointless to use wireless. Plus, it'll never suffer from any connection issues or interference.

 

[PimpinPenguin]

I've given up trying to network them together wirelesses. Instead i've hooked an Ethernet cable from one pc to another. I'm only going to use the wireless for internet. The only problem is i don't know how to set them up with an Ethernet cable,the only options Windows gives me are wireless.Can anyone please tell me how to send files though the Ethernet cable instead?. If i can't, i'll do what Sanada said, and just connect one of the pc, by cable to the router

 

[Asus]

You need a crossover cable (usually yellow) to go just PC to PC. Same cable and plug as ethernet except 2 wires are switched inside.

 

[VirusType2]

You need a crossover cable (usually yellow) to go just PC to PC. Same cable and plug as ethernet except 2 wires are switched inside.

this

also, you can make a crossover cable from an ethernet cable, there are guides on the internet


also, you can use a workgroup switch (there are other names for it). This is probably the route I will take since making my own seems annoying, and paying for a crossover cable, they want like $15 for one locally... and i have a workgroup switch