A while back (May 2007) I reported on the use of a new Wireless-N router solution - the
Linksys WRT150N. At the time, I was only using the USR5416 wireless-G adaptor cards and the built-in Realtek wireless-G card in an ASUS M2N32-SLI Wireless Deluxe motherboard - and could not properly expound on the limits of the WRT150 or its "N" use. That changed this week with the addition of the WMP300N to the most distant computer from the new WRT150N Linksys wireless router. Also, a new
WRT350N Linksys router and a second WMP300N Linksys card arrived the same day. For the purposes of a proper comparison, I must give you a small amount of user product history.
While I found the overall performance of the WRT150N to be roughly equal to that of my previous (and more expensive) USR5450 business-class AP, the differences were as follows using wireless-G:
Performance in transfers, signal strength, and signal quality equalled that of the excellent USR5450 at 10-30 feet from my USR wireless-G cards. Transfers were also much the same at these distances - achieving steady high rates in the 20-28 Mbps. range between these close computers. While using the USR5450, at these distances, I didn't really expect any gains due to the 12 Db. antenna I had added to it - those were added for greater distances. Performance was much the same, at these close distances, with the factory antenna or the aftermarket antenna. My wireless-G cards using connections with either unit, or with whichever antenna configuration, had transfer rates almost identical despite the USR 125 Mbps. frame bursting feature - which consistently reported a 125 Mbps. connection in Windows "Network Connection Status". The same cards only registered 54 Mbps. connections with the WRT150N - but they continued having the extremely similar real world transfer rates I had with the USR5450 between them. This proved to remain consistent using any of the various firewall settings available in either the USR5450 or the WRT150N.
*Note: Recently I have noticed interference that has caused the performance WMP300N cards to drop - unless the SSID broadcasting fron the router is enabled. (WRT150N or WRT350N)
With one of my computers some 80 feet away from where I have my SpeedStream 5200 DSL modem installed, and also where I have kept my wireless APs and routers, the 12 Db. aftermarket antenna were necessary to maintain reasonably good connections at the 80 foot location - using the USR5450 AP. Upon initial installation of the WRT150N, I was surprised to see it did not need my aftermarket antenna to maintain what were again, very similar results - but I did have to set the WRT150N to channel 6 and a 20 Mhz. bandwidth for maximum performance with my wireless-G cards, whereas I had always run the USR5450 AP in its channel one "dynamic" setting.
The CISCO firewall provides much of the same settings, but is more comprehensive than that which USR supplies - also easier to understand with the supplied help files. (Settings changes were somewhat balky in both units - continuing the similarity with the the old USR AP.)
Okay, with most of the background out of the way, this also supplies some of my reasoning for purchasing the WMP300N cards (and the WRT350N) - thoughts of what N speed could be were just too irresistible. Even so, the WRT150N and WRT350N will only provide a maximum (Windows "Wireless Network Connection") reported speed of 130 Mbps. - unless the access point bandwidth is set to 40 MHz., despite the WMP300N is capable of much greater speed. This has been 270 Mbps., as I have seen while testing using the 40 MHz. router setting.
I decided to try the WRT350N router with its new Linksys Wireless-N Draft 2.0 standard firmware update of 8/10/2007 (which was removed from the Linksys site 8/30/07 before I could download it) with its added features, to see Windows report those higher speeds. Regardless, bandwidth use in wireless-N is much greater and gives more throughput during transfers than using "G" solutions - from what I see using the the Linksys wireless-N products. The bandwidth setting for full wireless-N channel support is 40MHz. in preference to the 20MHz. bandwidth setting used for wireless-B&G channels - doubling the data capacity.
Note: The WRT150N and WRT350N have the same output power specifications, but the WRT350N supplies an added USB port for a network drive, and gigabyte wired ethernet ports.
So, this review will focus on the WMP300N in use with the WRT150N and the WRT350N routers.
The addition of advanced MIMO (Multiple-input multiple-output communications) to later wireless solutions is of significant benefit, and the WMP300N Wireless-N has taken advantage of it with its three antenna connections. Of note is the fact one could install three aftermarket antenna with a more electrically correct spacing for even greater gains, but the card circuitry design seems to take advantage of the equidistant balances provided in the supplied antenna (I tried using individual matched 6 Db antennas and saw no improvement - performance even dropped a bit).
What you see is what you get -
To say the least, the new corded antenna provided in the boxed components is the most impressive visual feature. The three connections provided to the sturdy four foot cable should mean the light, 6" high by roughly 3" in diameter, antenna should hold up well. Actually the antenna is a little light for the cord, which makes the use of some care while placing the antenna so it will not fall. A magnetic or heavier base would have been of benefit, but it does have some thin rubber pads that help hold it in place. The antenna also seems to pick up the same amount of signal despite where it is moved or how it is turned - so, it is extremely omni-directional as advertised. Still, I would liked to have seen higher gain at the cards using it.
The card itself appears no different than others with their green LED to denote operation - other than the three reverse SMA antenna connections. Sigh, if only Linksys had provided reverse SMA connections on my WRT150N or its relatives. A PCI connection of the card is also simple due to its small size, it is slightly smaller and lighter than my older USR5416 cards, but it is only designed for standard PCI rear case openings.
Included again is the Linksys software CD with a driver, software, and help files - all well packaged and protected from all but a really crushing blow to the package.
Just be sure to install and only use the Linksys site download, which will install to your C drive by default.
Setup - the Alex way (my way):
I installed my first WMP300N card's site downloaded software first, opened the zip file that installed on my C drive, and shut down the XP Pro 32-bit system and installed the card. On restart, I directed the "Add Hardware" installation to the drivers in the unzipped file (the provided un-signed XP drivers causing the standard ignored warning) - the card was instantly ready for use with the Windows "Wireless Network Connection". I also later tried the Linksys software, using the Linksys procedure, but quickly saw problems once I connected to either of my new wireless routers (BSOD and repeated conflicts). I then removed the software program (and the locked file the provided disk installed to C:\Program files\ - required to eliminate conflicts and the dreaded BSOD) and used "Add Hardware" from the control panel to only install the drivers to the wireless card - then configuring Windows to handle my access.
The install is simple and uneventful - if you don't install the un-needed but provided software on the provided disk or in the site download. I will stress:
DO NOT INSTALL/USE THE PROVIDED LINKSYS OR BROADCOM SOFTWARE PROGRAMS UNLESS YOU WANT PROBLEMS. The connection and transfer rate showed immediate improvement over the old USR wireless-G card I replaced.
An electrically polluted environment -
While I recently removed my 2.4GHz. house phone in favor of a new Panasonic 5.8GHz. model, my polluted environment has worsened from the construction of a large nearby subdivision - and the recent installation of several nearby wireless routers. It seems now, a number of those new homeowners have recently installed wireless APs and routers - to the point I can even connect to some of them and use their unsecured networks if I wanted. I really have found it strange they all remain on channel six - where my previous equipment had always run with little problem.
The nearest outside and interfering connection is over 600 feet away with what I can promise is now a well over-boosted signal, which is also creating interference across all channels. I've watched that one, as the user made changes that further degraded my wireless network system. I noted he eventually removed his security in order to further boost performance on his network while I still was using my wireless-G USR card and software. His router had knocked the solid and reliable signal, I had always provided in my home, to an intermittent and poor one at the 80 foot computer location from my wireless router. Changing channels was of no benefit due to the harmonic distortions coming from that over-boosted signal and other interference. That one computer of mine had begun having difficulty maintaining connection despite a previously reported 65%-75% link quality level at its location - while using its USR5416 Wireless-G card, USR software and the Linksys WRT150N router. At peak traffic times, even my computers closer to the WRT150N were showing signs of the severe interference - but the WRT150 connection with its factory antenna has never been lost by them, and remains the same as the WRT350N, unless SSID broadcasting is shut down on one of them.
Singing the Encryption Blues - how about compatibility?
You had better believe some wireless products will have you doing this. I've been using heavier encryption policies, using WAP/PSK and Mac address filters together, for some years now. This can and will slow connections. An earlier matched wireless-B setup (USR 8022 with USR 2216 cards) could not negotiate this with its earlier WEP and MAC address filters both set. A later business quality wireless-G product (the USR 5450 with USR 5416 cards) had no problem with this, using both the improved and more intensive 256-bit WEP or PSK protocol, and MAC address filtering.
Each system (B & G) offered its own set of early performance problems. Firmware and driver changes over the course of the first year of their production eliminated these problems, which ranged from crashing Windows to poor connection performance. Wireless-N equipment is no different, but my new Linksys Wireless-N system has now been in production long enough for the later Draft 2.0 Wireless-N updates to be available. An added bonus is Microsoft's Windows OneCare Beta 2.0 acknowledges the new Linksys Wireless-N systems as compatible hardware, and Microsoft Updates supports the Broadcom chipset drivers - that are also available for Vista 32 and 64 bit OS. Linksys Draft Wireless-N works very well now - if one only takes the time to first update and carefully configure all their Linksys equipment firmware and drivers first.
Performance - just the way it should be:
Upon installation of the WMP300N, in the computer located 80 feet from my WRT150N, I watched my reported connection there grow decidedly stronger in reported Mbps. - and much stronger in windows reported Mbps. than I had ever experienced at that location. My nemesis, with his over-boosted signal, is still an irritating problem - but without making physical changes (that would void my router warranty) to connect my WRT150N or WRT350N to the 12 Db. high gain dipole antennas I have in my attic. The results were as follows.
Note: Mixed Mode and N mode are settings to be applied to the wireless router or AP. Using the WRT150N, which only offers a maximum of 130 Mbps. Using an "auto" or "default" setting on it will cause fallback to the speed of any earlier (slower B or G) equipment the wireless router or AP senses - resulting in lower performance across the entire network.
WMP300N->80'->wireless router->USR5416 wireless-G
WRT150N Mixed Mode:
10 Mbps. average, 1 Gb. file transfer - Windows reported 26-54 Mbps. connection
WRT350N Mixed Mode:
10 Mbps. average, 1 Gb. file transfer - Windows reported 26-54 Mbps. connection
WMP300->80'->wireless router->WMP300N
WRT150N Draft N mode:
25 Mbps. average, 1 Gb. file transfer - Windows reported 54-81 Mbps. connection
WRT350N Draft N Mode:
25 Mbps. average, 1 Gb. file transfer - Windows reported 54-81 Mbps. connection
Also of note is the WMP300N cards connect easily, on their own, to authorized signals. I no longer have to physically reconnect to an access point as I did before using the USR5416 wireless-G cards. The WMP300N cards negotiate this easily and quickly in Windows and without intervention.
In conclusion:
Were I not confident in Linksys providing new firmware for the WRT350N, and the proven performance I've seen with my WRT150N, I would not have made plans for the switch to full Wireless-N and add the addition features of the WRT350N at this time - but for the new interference problems.
(chuckle) Regrettably, the wireless owners in the new subdivision nearby will now be experiencing more traffic congestion due to my use of the full 40 MHz. "N-Mode" bandwith on one of the "N" channels - my equipment locked into the N-mode setting with no wireless-G fallback, and with full security as always. Earlier, I counted no less than six overboosted signals flooding into my six acre property using the USR Wireless LAN Configuration Utility on the USR 5416 "G" cards. So far, I haven't seen the need to modify anything to use my high gain 2.4 GHz. antennas - but who knows? I may just show them what my disconnected aftermarket antennas can actually do when connected to restore the previously higher transfer rates I had with the WRT150N only months before - and all quite legally.
At any rate, I will allow no one to continue causing problems to the new wireless network in my home. Stay tuned for the future review of the WRT350N and my wireless-N configuration. I think this also shows how pleased I am with the current Linksys WMP300N cards (I was already pleased with the Linksys WRT150N using my wireless-G adapter cards). I think everyone else will be pleased also - well, except for those characters in the new subdivision using the over-boosted equipment near me. I wonder if they really think channel six is the only one available out of the eleven for B & G operation - just because most people like to use channel six. I also wonder how long it will take them to figure out they need to secure their wireless signals. For now, I'll just "N" force my wireless connections happily, and solidly - the Linksys "way". The Linksys WMP300N did show a nice improvement in connections over the wireless-G cards I had been using - considering all the new signal interference now present in my area. The wireless-G cards had become worthless due to the number of noted over-boosted wireless routers in my area. Wireless-N stopped the frequent loss of signal my wireless-G cards were experiencing due to the interference. Next, I'll get my through-put way up again using the WMP300N cards - and well above that of any of the better Wireless-G systems.
The WMP300N cards are ready now for better harder-to-break connections. Just don't expect them, using their "fallback" to be better than the better Wireless-G equipment - unless you provide a proper Wireless-N signal for them.
*Update 9/05/07*
Having issues with this card? Linksys has not published the latest Broadcom drivers for this card, nor will a Linksys tech advise you other than to return the card for a replacement. I repaired a PCI IRQ management problem, and then found a signed driver that adds properties to the "Advanced" tab of the adapter "Configuration", stabilizes the connection, and improves the transfer rate.
After one of my cards began crashing XP on one computer, I looked to HP for a "softpack" driver. The
Compaq softpack sp34152 has a good one available. I downloaded the install file and opened the package to a file on my desktop (I didn't allow the Compaq software package to install.). I then updated my current driver from the file I had made. The driver I installed was the
Broadcom 4321AG 802.11a/b/g/draft-n Wi-FiAdapter. The driver date is oddly dated 10/12/2006, but the version is 4.100.15.5 and it is signed for XP. Hmmm, that's the same version number of the un-signed driver Linksys provides at their site.
The Linksys WMP300N will only improve as better drivers become available.
**Update 11/25/07**
Want the latest working Broadcom driver and software utility for XP x32 and x64? Try
version 4.170.25.12, Vista is different download:
Broadcom driver:
http://ftp.hp.com/pub/softpaq/sp37501-38000/sp37951.exe
Broadcom software utility:
http://ftp.hp.com/pub/softpaq/sp37501-38000/sp37953.exe
I've been using
version 4.150.29.0 for a month or so without problem. You can find both driver and software here for download:
software utility and driver:
http://ftp.hp.com/pub/softpaq/sp36501-37000/sp36687.exe
***Update 2/14/08***
Linksys finally got it together with signed Windows drivers and software in December of 2007. The new wireless-N Draft 2.0 update for the WMP300N, at their site, gives what users needed - very stable connections at higher transfer rates than wireless-G ever could accomplish, even over "turbo" modes provided by D-Link or USR. The performance was even an improvement over the latest Broadcom offering I had been using!
Even installing the new Linksys software was a breeze. I simply installed the program from the file un-zipping the Linksys zip file made in C:\programs\Linksys, and using the installer in the Linksys file removed my Broadcom software while installing the Linksys program. It then restarted my computer and I used the "advanced tab to re-install my encryption. It really was just that simple!
For a test, I transferred a 20 Gb. file using only my WRT350N router and WMP300N cards with one computer at 80' from the router. (I have a WRT150N connected by Ethernet cable to the WRT350N to offer a wireless connection point nearer the 80' location that is no longer required.) The connection and rate remained stable throughout the entire transfer. A direct wireless route from the 80' location to the WRT350 had never been reliable before with large file transfers, and the Windows reported connection rate never dropped below 108 Mbps. Of course, I easily beat this using my dual zones provided by the WRT350N and the WRT150N with their Ethernet connection. But, the WRT150N is really no longer necessary unless I need the full 270 Mbps. for full speed and very quick transfers. My testing proves wireless-G (even with added high gain antenna) never attained anywhere near the speeds I now have.
The six interfering routers that offered me so many problems have totally ceased to be a problem. As it turned out, they were all Linksys wireless-G routers - as noted by the various "Connection Manager" softwares I have used. Yes, they are still overboosted (and they are all on channel six), but my wireless-N equipment in full wireless-N mode (with PSK2 AES encryption) ignores their pollution. All but one of those users has no encryption in use - so I doubt they will ever have enough sense to change channels, secure their networks, or can even do this for better performance. Remember, they're also interfering with each other and that's probably making security for them impossible to use. (chuckle) At least I can always use their Internet connections if mine were ever to be out. I also imagine they have no idea of what my wireless-N equipment now provides.
CompuVest
