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WiFi speed question

I have noticed that my iPod Touch is twice as fast for downloads and four times faster for upload than my Droid. (I used the speedtest.net app for both)

I have already used WiFi Analyzer to find the best availabe channel, updated the firmware on my Linksys WAP54G access point, and tried turning the WPA security off. I also tried "forgetting" my network and configured it manually by entering the network name and password through the Add WiFi Network tool. I even switched my access point from wireless G to B with no improvement.

Originally the iPod Touch was four times faster for downloads too but by changing the WiFi channel after using WiFi Analyzer I doubled my Droid's download speed. That app is really amazing.

On my Droid I get 4.4 Mbps down and 1 Mbps up. On the iPod Touch I get 8.5 and 4.2. My laptop gets 13.7 and 4.2 and I have Comcast cable internet.

Is there anything else I can try to change to improve the WiFi speed of my Doid?
 
It almost seems like there are some kind of bandwudth caps defined in the phone, because my Droid is getting 6500kb down but only 1000kb up (using the SpeedTest app). My FiOS service is a true 25mb both up and down, and I see a solid 10mb up or down when connecting via wifi with my laptop... so something definitely has room for improvement.
 
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Sorry guys but its not a Droid hardware issue. I have gotten some 10-12 Mbps download results on my Droid using the speedtest app. I have Cablevisions Optimum Online and I get pretty much the same results back to back on my PS3 and on my laptop (when it was working). So there is no bandwidth cap on the Droid.
 
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It almost seems like there are some kind of bandwudth caps defined in the phone, because my Droid is getting 6500kb down but only 1000kb up (using the SpeedTest app). My FiOS service is a true 25mb both up and down, and I see a solid 10mb up or down when connecting via wifi with my laptop... so something definitely has room for improvement.

I am getting 7 down and 1 up at the moment. I have seen it as high as 9 on the download. I am also on 25mb fios (symmetrical)...
 
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Sorry guys but its not a Droid hardware issue. I have gotten some 10-12 Mbps download results on my Droid using the speedtest app. I have Cablevisions Optimum Online and I get pretty much the same results back to back on my PS3 and on my laptop (when it was working). So there is no bandwidth cap on the Droid.


What network hardware are you using? I am using a Linksys cable modem connected to a Linksys WAP.
 
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Droid HW is adequate over wifi.

Code:
ftp> put XP_PRO_SP3.iso 
local: XP_PRO_SP3.iso remote: XP_PRO_SP3.iso
200 PORT command successful
150 Binary data connection
226 transfer complete
625680384 bytes sent in 296.44 secs (2061.2 kB/s)
ftp> get XP_PRO_SP3.iso 
local: XP_PRO_SP3.iso remote: XP_PRO_SP3.iso
200 PORT command successful
150 Binary data connection... sending file /sdcard/tmp/XP_PRO_SP3.iso
226 transfer complete
625680384 bytes received in 271.36 secs (2251.7 kB/s)

Transfer speed is rated in K-bytes per second
8 bits per byte....

Download speed = 16.5 Mb/s (megabits / sec)
Upload speed = 18.0 Mb/s (megabits / sec)

No kittens were harmed during this test...



... ok maybe 1 kitten.
 
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Droid HW is adequate over wifi.

Code:
ftp> put XP_PRO_SP3.iso 
local: XP_PRO_SP3.iso remote: XP_PRO_SP3.iso
200 PORT command successful
150 Binary data connection
226 transfer complete
625680384 bytes sent in 296.44 secs (2061.2 kB/s)
ftp> get XP_PRO_SP3.iso 
local: XP_PRO_SP3.iso remote: XP_PRO_SP3.iso
200 PORT command successful
150 Binary data connection... sending file /sdcard/tmp/XP_PRO_SP3.iso
226 transfer complete
625680384 bytes received in 271.36 secs (2251.7 kB/s)

Transfer speed is rated in K-bytes per second
8 bits per byte....

Download speed = 16.5 Mb/s (megabits / sec)
Upload speed = 18.0 Mb/s (megabits / sec)

No kittens were harmed during this test...



... ok maybe 1 kitten.

Is anyone else seeing this type of speed on their Droid?

I checked at work today and it was 5 Mbps down and 1.1 Mbps up. So that is now 2 Droids and 2 networks and the top speeds are roughly the same. Okay my work network is not blazingly fast but it is not a snail either.

If someone can tell why I am not seeing the same speeds as I get on my iPod Touch I would be very happy to hear it. (I should have tried the iPod Touch at work too!!!)
 
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Is anyone else seeing this type of speed on their Droid?

I checked at work today and it was 5 Mbps down and 1.1 Mbps up. So that is now 2 Droids and 2 networks and the top speeds are roughly the same. Okay my work network is not blazingly fast but it is not a snail either.

If someone can tell why I am not seeing the same speeds as I get on my iPod Touch I would be very happy to hear it. (I should have tried the iPod Touch at work too!!!)

Your not testing your network. Your testing your internet connection, and every path to the server it selects for your test.

I grudgingly installed the app, and tested. I got 6600 kb/s down, and 1100 kb/s up.

I then used the flash applet on my desktop and got 9.18 mb/s down and 0.98 mb/s up

These are apples to oranges comparisons as the applications to do the test are different .. as is the iphone app is different from the android app .. etc.

The ftp test above is done via the local lan with nothing in between but the access point (WPA2 encryption @ 54mb/s). The access point is a Linksys WRT54G flashed with DDWRT using a broadcom SOC @ 200mhz. That test (which I transferred 1.2 GB of data) is the closest (and easiest) test I could show the maximum throughput of the phone connected to this AP. A more robust AP might allow the phone to go faster, but I can't tell as I don't have any others on my test bench atm. ... I could be at the maximum switching speed for the router using the wireless @ those speeds mentioned above. I'm not sure this is likely but ... @ nearly 20mb/s that is quite respectable for an embedded processor w/encryption.

I digress, back to speedtest.net. The app itself is saturating my uplink. It is not saturating my downlink on the phone. There are a number of reasons for this.

1) different server
2) I'm saturating the uplink of the test server chosen (unlikely, but still possible)
3) The other ppl testing from the same server with me included are saturating the uplink of the testing server (more likely)
4) the test server has a max uplink per connection (more likely)
5) the test server has a max uplink @ the border router with its peering point (possible)
6) The logging the app is doing to Log.i() is messing with the results as the method call is rather expensive. (possible) << checked via logcat


Why are you seeing disparate results between multiple devices connected to your local network? I haven't a clue. But you may want to remove all the other variables first ... to see really if your device is having issues.

Is your phone having issues negotiating speed on the wireless segment? menu > settings > wireless & networks > Wifi-settings > (select your connected wifi network under the wifi-networks heading) .. what does it say for speed & signal strength?

You should also turn off any other wifi devices when testing.


And yes... I stayed @ a holiday inn express.
 
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Your not testing your network. Your testing your internet connection, and every path to the server it selects for your test.

I grudgingly installed the app, and tested. I got 6600 kb/s down, and 1100 kb/s up.

I then used the flash applet on my desktop and got 9.18 mb/s down and 0.98 mb/s up

These are apples to oranges comparisons as the applications to do the test are different .. as is the iphone app is different from the android app .. etc.

The ftp test above is done via the local lan with nothing in between but the access point (WPA2 encryption @ 54mb/s). The access point is a Linksys WRT54G flashed with DDWRT using a broadcom SOC @ 200mhz. That test (which I transferred 1.2 GB of data) is the closest (and easiest) test I could show the maximum throughput of the phone connected to this AP. A more robust AP might allow the phone to go faster, but I can't tell as I don't have any others on my test bench atm. ... I could be at the maximum switching speed for the router using the wireless @ those speeds mentioned above. I'm not sure this is likely but ... @ nearly 20mb/s that is quite respectable for an embedded processor w/encryption.

I digress, back to speedtest.net. The app itself is saturating my uplink. It is not saturating my downlink on the phone. There are a number of reasons for this.

1) different server
2) I'm saturating the uplink of the test server chosen (unlikely, but still possible)
3) The other ppl testing from the same server with me included are saturating the uplink of the testing server (more likely)
4) the test server has a max uplink per connection (more likely)
5) the test server has a max uplink @ the border router with its peering point (possible)
6) The logging the app is doing to Log.i() is messing with the results as the method call is rather expensive. (possible) << checked via logcat


Why are you seeing disparate results between multiple devices connected to your local network? I haven't a clue. But you may want to remove all the other variables first ... to see really if your device is having issues.

Is your phone having issues negotiating speed on the wireless segment? menu > settings > wireless & networks > Wifi-settings > (select your connected wifi network under the wifi-networks heading) .. what does it say for speed & signal strength?

You should also turn off any other wifi devices when testing.


And yes... I stayed @ a holiday inn express.

Let me guess: your hobbies are rocket science and brain surgery. :)

I would not even know how to perform an internal network test like you just explained. Thank you for your time and effort to explain this better to me.

My phone shows a connection speed of 54 Mbps and good signal strength.
 
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This is all funny because I have the same speedtest.net app on both my iTouch and Droid going to the same hosted servers and the Droid is higher (close to my desktop) in terms of speed.

iTouch: 465 up 6557 down

Droid: 561 up 7305 down

So I'm not seeing anything wrong with the Droid's WIFI performance here...
 
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