Chapter 3 Wireless Network Performance; Optimizing Wireless Performance - NETGEAR WNDA3100v2 - RangeMax Dual Band Wireless-N USB 2.0 Adapter User Manual

Chapter 3 Wireless Network Performance

This chapter explains how to use your wireless-N USB adapter to connect to your wireless local
area network (WLAN) and how to maximize the performance of your wireless-N USB adapter
within your network. Included are scenarios for setting up your network in a mixed use
environment and the trade-off of using different types of technology—wireless, wired, or
Powerline.

Optimizing Wireless Performance

The speed and operating distance or range of your wireless connection can vary significantly based
on the location of the wireless router. You should choose a location for your router that will
maximize the network speed.
The following list describes how to optimize wireless router performance.
• Identify critical wireless links.
If your network has several wireless devices, decide which wireless devices need the highest
data rate, and locate the router near them. Many wireless products have automatic data-rate
fallback, which allows increased distances without losing connectivity. This also means that
devices that are farther away mighty be slower. Therefore, the most critical links in your
network are those where the traffic is high and the distances are great. Optimize those first.
• Choose placement carefully. For best results, place your router:
– Near the center of the area in which your computers will operate.
– In an elevated location such as a high shelf where the wirelessly connected computers
have line-of-sight access (even if through walls).
• Avoid obstacles to wireless signals.
– Keep wireless devices at least two feet from large metal fixtures such as file cabinets,
refrigerators, pipes, metal ceilings, reinforced concrete, and metal partitions.
– Keep the devices away from large amounts of water such as fish tanks and water coolers.
• Reduce interference.
v1.0, June 2009
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