Fine-Tuning Your Network - NETGEAR RANGEMAX WNDR3300 User Manual

NETGEAR RangeMax™ Dual Band Wireless-N Router WNDR3300 User Manual
This chapter describes features to help you manage your RangeMax Dual Band Wireless-N Router
WNDR3300.
This chapter includes the following sections:
• "Assessing Your Speed Requirements" on page 6-2
• "Optimizing Your Network Bandwidth" on page 6-3
• "Optimizing Wireless Performance" on page 6-5
• "Changing the MTU Size" on page 6-6
• "Quality of Service (QoS)" on page 6-7
Common connection types and their speed and security considerations are:
• Broadband Internet. Your Internet connection speed is determined by your modem type,
such as ADSL or cable modem, as well as the connection speed of the sites to which you
connect, and general Internet traffic. ADSL and cable modem connections are asymmetrical,
meaning they have a lower data rate to the Internet (upstream) than from the Internet
(downstream). Keep in mind that when you connect to another site that also has an
asymmetrical connection, the data rate between your sites is limited by each side's upstream
data rate. A typical residential ADSL or cable modem connection provides a downstream
throughput of about 1 to 3 megabits per second (Mbps). Newer technologies such as ADSL2+
and Fiber to the Home (FTTH) will increase the connection speed to tens of Mbps.
• Wireless. Your RangeMax Dual Band Wireless-N Router WNDR3300 provides a wireless
data throughput of up to 300 Mbps using technology called multiple input, multiple output
(MIMO), in which multiple antennas transmit multiple streams of data. The use of multiple
antennas also provides excellent range and coverage. With the introduction of the newer WPA
and WPA2 encryption and authentication protocols, wireless security is extremely strong.
To get the best performance, use RangeMax NEXT adapters such as the WN511B for your
computers. Although the RangeMax NEXT router is compatible with older 802.11b and
802.11g adapters, the use of these older wireless technologies in your network can result in
lower throughput overall (typically less than 10 Mbps for 802.11b and less than 40 Mbps for
802.11g). In addition, many older wireless products do not support the latest security
protocols, WPA and WPA2.

Fine-Tuning Your Network

Fine-Tuning Your Network
v1.1, October 2008
Chapter 6
6-1