Reason for WiFi Disparity Between Different Users - Asus Eee Pad Transformer Prime

I don't have a solution, but I think I know what a pretty big contributing factor is towards some people saying WiFi is on par with other devices, and others saying it is not.
I've seen this mentioned in another WiFi thread by another user, but hasn't really gotten much attention, so I figured it deserved its own thread so people see it.
It appears that for some reason, the Prime does not like wireless N networks unless it is extremely close to the router. For example, when using wireless N, my Prime will pull over 30 Mbps when within 5 feet of my router. However, as soon as I start walking away, the Prime drops in speed at an embarrassingly bad rate. It goes from about 30 Mbps down to 3 Mbps down at about 20 feet away from my router. My other devices (Galaxy Nexus, iPad1, laptop) do not exhibit this behavior.
However, if you're using a wireless G network instead, the dropoff isn't nearly as significant. For example, when using wireless G, I'll pull about 19 Mbps when directly near the router, and still get about 9-13 Mbps when 20 feet away from the router, which is somewhat on par with my other devices.
My conclusions:
1) The Prime does not work well with wireless N networks
2) People who see speeds consistent with their other devices when not near their routers likely do not have a wireless N router (or have wireless N disabled).
Does anyone have any opinion on whether this may be software related?

Im finding exactly that rubbish WiFi on the Prime as soon as I walk away from my N-series router.
There definitely is something wrong with the Primes WiFi with mine, could be firmware related.
Sent from my Transformer Prime TF201 using Tapatalk

ToneyEricsson said:
Im finding exactly that rubbish WiFi on the Prime as soon as I walk away from my N-series router.
There definitely is something wrong with the Primes WiFi with mine, could be firmware related.
Sent from my Transformer Prime TF201 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Have you tried switching to G only mode to see if the Prime performs better? I know it may not be a permanent or acceptable solution, but that's what I'm doing for the time being, as I live in a relatively small apartment and don't need the increased range of wireless N.
The fact that the Prime can pull decent speeds at a decent range while on wireless G only has me hopeful that it is not hardware related, and can indeed be fixed (e.g., improved) with firmware.

nyijedi said:
Have you tried switching to G only mode to see if the Prime performs better? I know it may not be a permanent or acceptable solution, but that's what I'm doing for the time being, as I live in a relatively small apartment and don't need the increased range of wireless N.
The fact that the Prime can pull decent speeds at a decent range while on wireless G only has me hopeful that it is not hardware related, and can indeed be fixed (e.g., improved) with firmware.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I only have N here, all other devices work good apart from the Prime.
I tried using WiFi Analyzer to see which channel was best being 11 as my router was set to auto but that made no difference on the Prime.
Sent from my Transformer Prime TF201 using Tapatalk

ToneyEricsson said:
I only have N here, all other devices work good apart from the Prime.
I tried using WiFi Analyzer to see which channel was best being 11 as my router was set to auto but that made no difference on the Prime.
Sent from my Transformer Prime TF201 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you want to try it out, most, if not all N routers allow you to disable N and only transmit on a, b, or g. That's what I did on my N router. I changed transmission from 802.11a/b/g/n to 802.11g only.
I concur that all other devices work great on N except for the Prime, which is annoying.

I have AT&T Uverse and there wireless router is b/g only. I get download speeds of 12mbps in my plan. I was getting 11.3 to 11.5 on my OG IPad and my TFP oh and my motorola Atrix at any place in my house or my decks. Same ranges. My router is in the middle of my home so I'm probably no more than 50-75 feet from it.
So, I feel there could be credibility to what the OP says based on my setup.

Thanks a lot for this post. My router is only G and B but I decided to test this myself so I changed my router from Mixed to G-only and it increased my speeds by over 3MB/s (5MB/s to 8.1MB/s) when downstairs in my living room. I thought my previous tests were strange when it would sometimes spike up to 8MB/s but finish on 5MB/s everytime.
Anyway, very useful post which could help many on here. Maybe this could be fixed in a firmware update or do you reckon the Wi-Fi recievers in the Prime are designed that way?

My Wirless N router works fine with the Prime at both short and long distances.

SamB12 said:
My Wirless N router works fine with the Prime at both short and long distances.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I agree mine work fine also, i have a cape cod style house and my N router is in my basement I get 2 bars of strength in the "attic" part of my house, running about 12-13mps. Even when i run Wifi Analyzer on both my Galaxy Nexus and my Prime they are both very much the same DB.

I've got to say I think the Wi-Fi issues are software, not hardware. Using Wi-Fi analyzer, with my thunderbolt and prime in same location they have the same signal strength, but the thunderbolt is much faster downloading. I don't think the back is the problem with the prime WiFi, and they should be able to fix it with a firmware update.

Someone else also suggested that you can get better/higher wifi speeds with a lower channel. People have tried switching to channels 1 and 3. Maybe while trying ONLY 802.11g, try also using N at lower channels.
Lower channels = lower frequency = higher energy, which may be better able to get through the aluminum back and improve speeds?

nyijedi said:
I don't have a solution, but I think I know what a pretty big contributing factor is towards some people saying WiFi is on par with other devices, and others saying it is not.
I've seen this mentioned in another WiFi thread by another user, but hasn't really gotten much attention, so I figured it deserved its own thread so people see it.
It appears that for some reason, the Prime does not like wireless N networks unless it is extremely close to the router. For example, when using wireless N, my Prime will pull over 30 Mbps when within 5 feet of my router. However, as soon as I start walking away, the Prime drops in speed at an embarrassingly bad rate. It goes from about 30 Mbps down to 3 Mbps down at about 20 feet away from my router. My other devices (Galaxy Nexus, iPad1, laptop) do not exhibit this behavior.
However, if you're using a wireless G network instead, the dropoff isn't nearly as significant. For example, when using wireless G, I'll pull about 19 Mbps when directly near the router, and still get about 9-13 Mbps when 20 feet away from the router, which is somewhat on par with my other devices.
My conclusions:
1) The Prime does not work well with wireless N networks
2) People who see speeds consistent with their other devices when not near their routers likely do not have a wireless N router (or have wireless N disabled).
Does anyone have any opinion on whether this may be software related?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
1. What channel are you using on the N band? Also, what router and firmware?
As for testing at this point I am pulling 36Mbps on N at 15 feet and 34Mbps on G (on a Netgear WNDR4500 or ASUS RT-N56U). We will look into this behavior shortly.

Many wifi problems stem from suboptimal router configuration. Mixed-mode use (as opposed to G-only or N-only) can also cause speed degradation.
Suggest some simple steps to troubleshoot slow wifi speed:
http://www.smallnetbuilder.com/wireless/wireless-basics/30664-5-ways-to-fix-slow-80211n-speed
Alternately, you can try a different router or access point, either as replacement or in tandem with the existing unit.

Great idea making this thread as I was going to make similar one but never got around to after fiasco in other thread..lmfao.
There was this guy that posted he was going to return his Prime because his wifi wasn't acting right and he was slow downloads speeds and big dropoffs n such. I told him the exact same things you posted here. Be came back n thanked me n said That did the trick. Now his wifi is working great and is on par with his other devices. So now he is keeping his Prime.
Ill bet you that majority of people experiencing wifi issues are because of the reasons stated in this post. A simple network settings change can can make a night n day difference in wireless performance.
This thread should be stickied also or merged with other one then stickied. This will help alot of people out having wifi issues. And its such a simple n fast fix also.
---------- Post added at 04:44 PM ---------- Previous post was at 04:42 PM ----------
nhshah7 said:
Someone else also suggested that you can get better/higher wifi speeds with a lower channel. People have tried switching to channels 1 and 3. Maybe while trying ONLY 802.11g, try also using N at lower channels.
Lower channels = lower frequency = higher energy, which may be better able to get through the aluminum back and improve speeds?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
this was said to be true also. I saw that thread that had same info in it.

Gary Key said:
1. What channel are you using on the N band? Also, what router and firmware?
As for testing at this point I am pulling 36Mbps on N at 15 feet and 34Mbps on G (on a Netgear WNDR4500 or ASUS RT-N56U). We will look into this behavior shortly.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Gary,
Thank you very much for looking into this. I ran some additional tests so I could supply you with some (hopefully) helpful information.
The following tests were performed all using channel 1 on my router. Note that I do see faster speeds on my Prime on channel 1 with both G and N transmissions. The router is a D-Link DIR-655 with firmware version 1.35NA.
The WiFi version of my Prime is V6.1.1.17.
To get accurate speed results, I transferred a large file locally from my PC to my Prime and my Galaxy Nexus. I let each transfer go for a few minutes and noted the highest speed. Below are my results:
Wireless N Mode Only
Directly Next to Router
Galaxy Nexus: 28.1 Mbps
Transformer Prime: 29.84 Mbps
25 Feet Away From Router, 2 Thin Walls In Between
Galaxy Nexus: 20.48 Mbps
Transformer Prime: 6.68 Mbps
Wireless G Mode Only
Directly Next to Router
Galaxy Nexus: 17.8 Mbps
Transformer Prime: 22.04 Mbps
25 Feet Away From Router, 2 Thin Walls In Between
Galaxy Nexus: 14.4 Mbps
Transformer Prime: 10.32 Mbps
Two important things I noticed from these tests:
1) The Prime actually downloads faster than my Galaxy Nexus when right next to the router, but consistently downloads slower when further from the router.
2) Although the Prime drops off more than my Nexus at a distance of 25 feet from the router, it is at least in the same ballpark when the router is set to G only. However, when the router is set to N only, as you can see from the results, it's not even close.
Again, thank you very much for looking into this for all of us.

I have a b and g router. changed it to g-only and tried changing the channel from 11 to 1 and 3. None of it helped. I use a Netgear WGT624 v3 router with firmware V2.0.10_1.0.1NA
I get a single strength reading between 3 and 4 bars mostly when sitting next to the router but when stepping away it drops to the 1 dot signal strength or none at all. I don't understand what happened in my case because up until yesterday I was getting excellent wi-fi performance no matter where I was in my house. I had my Prime for a week and it was working perfectly. Then yesterday the wi-fi strength just died out. I have requested a refund from Office Depot's website for it but I would love to be able to cancel the refund request and keep the Prime if I felt sure that this issue could get resolved. Office Depot will be picking my tablet up on the 19th. I'll keep an eye on the forums between now and then to see if anything changes or any other ideas pop up for things to try on my end.

Actually did some tests myself today, comparing between the TF101, TF201 and the SGS2... All tests are done with wifi-analyzer and speedtest.
Linksys E2000 router, wifi g-only at channel 1
Close to router (bout 2.5m):
SGS2: ~-45dBm, ~13.5mbps
TF101: ~-40dBm, ~13.5mbps
TF201: ~-45dBm, ~13.5mpbs
Farther away, same room still (bout 8.5m)
SGS2: ~-45dBm, ~13.5mbps
TF101: ~-45dBm, ~13.5mbps
TF201: ~-50dBm, ~13.5mpbs
Kitchen (bout 11, wall and closes in between)
SGS2: ~-70dBm, ~7.5mbps
TF101: ~-65dBm, ~10mbps
TF201: ~-67dBm, ~5mpbs
Other room (about 6m, 2 walls in between)
SGS2: ~-65dBm, ~6mbps
TF101: ~-65dBm, ~10mbps
TF201: ~-70dBm, ~7mpbs
The signal is not that different actually, but speeds can be... THe problem is that within a number of runs in speedtest the changes can be pretty huge. Ranging from 2mbps to 10 mbps... No clue if it's my connection itself (got a 20mbit connection) or the router.
Also have another wifi router so might give that one a try too later...

nyijedi said:
Gary,
Thank you very much for looking into this. I ran some additional tests so I could supply you with some (hopefully) helpful information.
The following tests were performed all using channel 1 on my router. Note that I do see faster speeds on my Prime on channel 1 with both G and N transmissions. The router is a D-Link DIR-655 with firmware version 1.35NA.
The WiFi version of my Prime is V6.1.1.17.
To get accurate speed results, I transferred a large file locally from my PC to my Prime and my Galaxy Nexus. I let each transfer go for a few minutes and noted the highest speed. Below are my results:
Wireless N Mode Only
Directly Next to Router
Galaxy Nexus: 28.1 Mbps
Transformer Prime: 29.84 Mbps
25 Feet Away From Router, 2 Thin Walls In Between
Galaxy Nexus: 20.48 Mbps
Transformer Prime: 6.68 Mbps
Wireless G Mode Only
Directly Next to Router
Galaxy Nexus: 17.8 Mbps
Transformer Prime: 22.04 Mbps
25 Feet Away From Router, 2 Thin Walls In Between
Galaxy Nexus: 14.4 Mbps
Transformer Prime: 10.32 Mbps
Two important things I noticed from these tests:
1) The Prime actually downloads faster than my Galaxy Nexus when right next to the router, but consistently downloads slower when further from the router.
2) Although the Prime drops off more than my Nexus at a distance of 25 feet from the router, it is at least in the same ballpark when the router is set to G only. However, when the router is set to N only, as you can see from the results, it's not even close.
Again, thank you very much for looking into this for all of us.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is almost exactly the behavior i see. In my case it is even a little more extreme, as i actually get occasional wifi crashes (the wifi icon on the prime disappears, then reappears and reconnects after a few seconds) with my router set to GN or N only. Sitting next to the router, speeds on N only are very erratic, ranging from 6-12 Mbps. On G-only, i get a solid 10-12 Mbps.
Overall i find the speeds to be extremely slow. my other devices (G only Droid X included) have no problem handily besting the download speeds at any range.
TF201 | XDA Premium

ToneyEricsson said:
Im finding exactly that rubbish WiFi on the Prime as soon as I walk away from my N-series router.
There definitely is something wrong with the Primes WiFi with mine, could be firmware related.
Sent from my Transformer Prime TF201 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
part of the issue is, we don't know which chip the azurewave has for wifi.
Because the OS has drivers for both the 4330 and the 4329 installed in system.
check your etc for driver confs.

I one of the few userr who don't have any problems. wireless n does,'t work will on 2.4 even my laptop has pronlem trying to get n speeds they is why i went to 5 mhz to get full n speeds

Related

huge speedtest improvement?

Was getting between 5-8 mbps past week on 4 different local servers now today I am getting 15-20 mbps on those same servers has anyone else noticed this or is this just a fluke for me tonight?
Were the tests done at the same time-of-day, and none in the weekends?
Speed tests over the Internet add its variability into the mix. You should limit the test to your LAN only. A simple big-file-copy test should suffice.
Time-of-day may still matter, depending on your wireless environment's density. If it's crowded, a 9PM test would have lower performance than, say, a 3AM test.
no but ill check that now
it's odd but it seems like the more I use my prime the faster it gets in general... maybe I am getting used to it. Opera browser+ Go keyboard with tablet plug in in 10" tablet format is ftw
I've had the opposite experience with speed test results. After the update yesterday, I'm getting a puny 3mbps when I usually averaged 20+ on a 35+ network.
distance is key
People keep just mentioning speeds but not their location in respect to the router.
In the same room as router I get 20 mbps. Next room over 1 wall I drop down to 5 mbps.
In my bedroom 2 walls I drop to about 3mbps. Meanwhile my HTC tbolt is getting 12 mbps.
Is this kind of quick dropoff common for other users
I get .5 to 2.5 mbps on my prime my gnex gets ~10 and so does my dads iPad on our wifi. I got one of the bad units
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using XDA App
erismaster said:
I get .5 to 2.5 mbps on my prime my gnex gets ~10 and so does my dads iPad on our wifi. I got one of the bad units
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There was speculation among some of the Prime reviews that router brand matters.
In fact I think one of them made of a chart with speedtests from the same location and different routers.
time of day, location or distance from router, router brand, and network settings will all affect download and upload speeds. too many variables in the mix.
I tried doing a speedtest test yesterday, and the first time got a 5mbs DL and 1mbs UL. I then did the test on my phone and it said 18mbs DL and 5bms UL. So I was like wtf until I noticed that the app chose 2 different servers. I changed it up to the closest to me and what a difference. I hit 25mbs DL and 5mbs UL on my TP and I got 22mbs DL and 5mbs Ul on my phone. I am still rocking the .29 update since I can't update to the .33 just yet.
My Wifi speeds got quite a bit faster from the .33 update.
Before the update speedtest.net app showed around 15-20Mbit/s now it's up to 25-30Mbit/s.
My internet connection has a constant speed of 32Mbit/s which is working all day no matter what time. Upload speeds are always 1Mbit/s which is the maximum of my line.
So I got a perfectly working Touchscreen and faster Wifi with this update --> perfectly happy now!
Edit: location was both times the same ofc.
movielover76 said:
People keep just mentioning speeds but not their location in respect to the router.
In the same room as router I get 20 mbps. Next room over 1 wall I drop down to 5 mbps.
In my bedroom 2 walls I drop to about 3mbps. Meanwhile my HTC tbolt is getting 12 mbps.
Is this kind of quick dropoff common for other users
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, this is exactly what I'm suffering from as well.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using xda premium
erismaster said:
I get .5 to 2.5 mbps on my prime my gnex gets ~10 and so does my dads iPad on our wifi. I got one of the bad units
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm pretty sure they're all "bad" units. People who claim they have no wifi problems just aren't comparing the speed to other devices at decent distances from the router. Rather, I suspect they're basing their conclusions on the fact that browsing is fine.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using xda premium
For any other WiFi device I use on my network, I can use the results from SpeedTest as a true estimate of the actual speeds that device can achieve, but I don't feel that way about the Prime.
While my SpeedTest results are in the 3 Mbps range for the Prime, I have no problem HD recording from Netflix, Veetle, Youtube or VLC.
Can anyone suggest another method for testing speeds on the Prime?
Best speed on my prime was on lower odd-numbered channels 3,5,8. But I'm on a 3-4 year old linksys router running dd-wrt.
jfortier777 said:
There was speculation among some of the Prime reviews that router brand matters.
In fact I think one of them made of a chart with speedtests from the same location and different routers.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Maybe, though I tried both my Actiontec FIOS Wireless N router
and my Linksys WRT54GL Wireless G router
and both results were bad
q
jfortier777 said:
There was speculation among some of the Prime reviews that router brand matters.
In fact I think one of them made of a chart with speedtests from the same location and different routers.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
We have the apple router. The extra game files for gta took 5 minutes to download on my phone, it took 45 minutes on my prime. Web browsing if fine, but downloading any data or streaming is almost impossible
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using XDA App
nyijedi said:
I'm pretty sure they're all "bad" units. People who claim they have no wifi problems just aren't comparing the speed to other devices at decent distances from the router. Rather, I suspect they're basing their conclusions on the fact that browsing is fine.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
not neccessarily. as i said before I tested Prime against my ipad1 and Atrix4g phone and Prime consistently pulled faster speeds regardless of distance and signal strength shown. did the same with atrix4g. and Prime using wifi analyzer. Prime was right on par with signal strength of phone. the Prime is just more sensitive to changes. but once again, it never affected its speeds. you have me, Diamondback2010 and a lot more showing great wifi download and upload speeds. maybe those who are experiencing issues need to check their router settings or something. Because to say everyone has bad wifi is incorrect. especially since 12/22 my prime has been connected to my wireless network nonstop. never dropped a connection or had issues with speed dropping off no matter where I was or how far from router.
edit: just did a quick speedtest.net test on Comcast network on Netgesr router
Download: 25mb
upload: 4mb
ping: 16ms
that's pretty damn good in my book n I've pulled even higher speeds on Prime b4
For those of you noticing poor WiFi range and wondering whether you have a defective Prime from the much talked about early defective batch (like me), I suggest you read this article:
http://www.anandtech.com/show/5178/an-update-on-transformer-prime-battery-life-wifi-issues
The reviewer in the article had both a defective Prime and a non-defective, replacement Prime, and compared the WiFi between the two.
Basically, the defective Prime had a cap of about 2 Mbps at any location. That is, even right near the router, the defective Prime wouldn't pull more than 2 Mbps, and was averaging about 0.5 Mbps in speed tests.
The non-defective replacement Prime the reviewer later got fixed this 2 Mbps cap problem, but still didn't have great speeds when moved away from the router. For example, the non-defective Prime the reviewer had got about 10-16 Mbps, while the original Transformer got about 34-37 Mbps at the same location.
So for those of you considering returning or RMA'ing your Prime because you get big speed drop-offs when moving away from the router, I strongly suggest you reconsider, since it seems this is a limitation/design flaw in all Primes. Stated simply, if you're not capped at a ridiculously low speed while at any location, your Prime is not defective.

Wireless N-Only problem?

I was wondering if any prime owners tryed to connect on a N-Only wifi?? on the box it says a/b,g,n wireless but when i try to set my wifi to N-Only, i can see the network but theirs no way the prime is connecting to it. I have to switch it back to either Mixed or G/N Mixed, and then im able to connect with a max connectivity with router of 54mbps. This problem was present before and after ICS update, my router is a Asus RT-N12 (tryed with stock firmware, updated stock firmware and with DDWRT). I Would like to know if any of you guys tryed this out I feel i'v been kinda scammed
PS. (I checked out on Q&A for the prime and couldnt find any post related to this if you guys know there is already one, please just give me the link i'll continu posting on the other thread thanks)
I can't connect to my "N" router either. Mine doesn't even show up in my TF.
is it a TF prime or the first one?
N-5ghz is not supported, putting it in 2.4Ghz mode should work (at least, it does on mine... whether there's a difference or not is another thing)
I can connect my prime to my router with N only as long as its on 2.4GHZ and between channels 1-11. I wish I could pick up 12-14 because I live in an apartment complex with crowded wifi. Router is Cisco E2000 with DDWRT firmware...
The link speed showing on the network signal app only maxes at 54 mbps though. I can stream 1080p mp4s from my network drive though so its fast enough for me...
RT-N12 is operating on 2.4ghz and does not support 5ghz. Are you sure you are in "N-Only" mode or are you in "Mixed"??
This has been discussed in great detail in general section. Its known Prime can't connect to 5Ghz. set it to 2.5 or G only. G only seems tl yield best results. also check this article out..might help.
www.smallnetbuilder.com/wireless/wireless-basics/30664-5-ways-to-fix-slow-80211n-speed
Yes, it connects 2.5 N only but the performance is pathetic. Prior to ICS, I got curious changing my 2.5 GHz band to strictly G. Saw an immediate boost in performance + speeds.
Yes so far I am very disappointed. I just got the Prime today and it immediately updated to ICS. Once that was done I started checking out the wifi ability right away, because of all the bad reports all over the internet. Much to my surprise, mine doesn't see my wireless N either. I had the TF101 prior and it worked fine with my router. My Samsung E4GT phone sees it just fine, and what really hurts is my wife's iPad 2 sees it, connects to it and pulls just under 20mbps speeds.
To say this sucks is an understatement. I hate losing to Apple in any way, and here I am with the latest and greatest Android tablet, and being punked by a nearly year old IOS device.
Crap
I have no wifi issues with my N router... Performance can be a little better (speed wise) but no issues connecting at all, my router is cisco
Sent from my Transformer Prime TF201 using xda premium
wherestheanykey said:
Yes so far I am very disappointed. I just got the Prime today and it immediately updated to ICS. Once that was done I started checking out the wifi ability right away, because of all the bad reports all over the internet. Much to my surprise, mine doesn't see my wireless N either. I had the TF101 prior and it worked fine with my router. My Samsung E4GT phone sees it just fine, and what really hurts is my wife's iPad 2 sees it, connects to it and pulls just under 20mbps speeds.
To say this sucks is an understatement. I hate losing to Apple in any way, and here I am with the latest and greatest Android tablet, and being punked by a nearly year old IOS device.
Crap
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What do you stream over 5ghz network to iPad? 1080p movies? It redundant...just turn down to 2.4 and everyone is happy.
Having a technically higher spec which does not improve on daily usage is redundant.
jedi5diah said:
What do you stream over 5ghz network to iPad? 1080p movies? It redundant...just turn down to 2.4 and everyone is happy.
Having a technically higher spec which does not improve on daily usage is redundant.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Exactly, the prime doesn't support the 5Ghz frequency. Only supports 2.5ghz N or whatever. There's only a few tablets that do actually support 5ghz. All it takes is a simple change n it'll work. THE whole argument that it should work on any network is b.s. Especially if you have it set to something not supported. Doesn't take a genius to figure that out.
I've always used N-Only. I get a decent connection to my Transformer Prime with it too.
Mines is the cheap Belkin N150 router so I doubt it does that 5Ghz range as that seem like a setting for a higher priced N router.
Scott1620 said:
I can connect my prime to my router with N only as long as its on 2.4GHZ and between channels 1-11. I wish I could pick up 12-14 because I live in an apartment complex with crowded wifi. Router is Cisco E2000 with DDWRT firmware...
The link speed showing on the network signal app only maxes at 54 mbps though. I can stream 1080p mp4s from my network drive though so its fast enough for me...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Point 1: Your are in the US, so you are not allowed using anything except 1-11 by FCC regulations.
Point 2: N-Only often turns on channel bonding in soho equipment like yours, so it needs 8 full channels to use it properly. Each channel is 5 MHz apart from the other and a WiFi device uses channels in a/b/g that are 20 MHz wide, in 11n with channel bonding (which is an optional feature for the high data rates) they use channels of 40 MHz. So dividing the 40 Mhz by 5 Mhz makes using of channel 14, 13, 12, 11, 10, 9, 8, 7. If you would live in Japan, on only country that is allowed to use channel 14. So for US it would be channel 11-4. This explains why channel bonding in the 2.4 GHz band is a band ides unless you are living in a big ranch 500 feet away from the next WiFi router.
---------- Post added at 11:28 PM ---------- Previous post was at 11:24 PM ----------
the_game_master said:
I've always used N-Only. I get a decent connection to my Transformer Prime with it too.
Mines is the cheap Belkin N150 router so I doubt it does that 5Ghz range as that seem like a setting for a higher priced N router.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Cool device, taken from the specs page of belkin.com:
Security: Wi-Fi Protected Setup, 256-bit WEP (64-128bit), WPA-PSK (TKIP), WPA2- PSK (AES) with WPS Push Button
Range of up to 1,000 ft.
Link Rate: Up to 150Mbps in 40MHz Channel Mode Bandwidth 20 MHz & 20/40 MHz auto
ISP Protocols Supported Dynamic, Static, PPPoE, PPTP, Telstra Bigpond, L2TP
Compliant Standard IEEE 802.11b, 802.11g
So no 11n support per specs, but the Overview page tells 150 MBits are supported, so it can run 75 Mbits without channel bonding and 150 with.
Try out the WiFi Widget it tells you the data rate to the WiFi router.
jedi5diah said:
What do you stream over 5ghz network to iPad? 1080p movies? It redundant...just turn down to 2.4 and everyone is happy.
Having a technically higher spec which does not improve on daily usage is redundant.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I spent the extra money to purchase a dual band router, so I could broadcast N and G as two separate signals. As I understand it, if you broadcast both on a single signal, and you have some older devices that require and connect to the G band, it will automatically cut the speed back, to whatever the slowest device connected is capable of. At least that is the way it was explained to me. So the N was on 5ghz and G was on 2.4ghz. It has always worked with any other wireless N device I have had, until I got this "latest and greatest" tablet. So yes now I have downgraded my wireless network to only 1 band, to accommodate the Prime.
wherestheanykey said:
I spent the extra money to purchase a dual band router, so I could broadcast N and G as two separate signals. As I understand it, if you broadcast both on a single signal, and you have some older devices that require and connect to the G band, it will automatically cut the speed back, to whatever the slowest device connected is capable of. At least that is the way it was explained to me. So the N was on 5ghz and G was on 2.4ghz. It has always worked with any other wireless N device I have had, until I got this "latest and greatest" tablet. So yes now I have downgraded my wireless network to only 1 band, to accommodate the Prime.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you have 2.4ghz g network, prime should be able to detect it. Check if your dual band is working properly...
Wireless n is impt only if you stream HD movies. I stream music on g with no problem at all.
I know you feel frustrated, and I know it sucks as prime is supposed to be PRIME. If you intend to stream HD movies to prime you may have to "down grade" to 2.4ghz if not wireless N is kind of overrated or "miss used" as I see no use of having to stream HD to non HD devices. If you are a home theater enthusiastic or business it then wireless n 5mhz is a must.
Hope you can move on to appreciate the quad core of prime than dwelling on this issue.
Cheers!
dagrim1 said:
N-5ghz is not supported, putting it in 2.4Ghz mode should work (at least, it does on mine... whether there's a difference or not is another thing)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Dah!!
I just open a new thread for this very issue.... I'm sure I'm going to get ding for it.
any way...
Mine doesn't connect to the "N" wireless
My router hosts "N" and "a/b/g" modes cisco 3200
it only connects to the 2.4 Ghz a/b/g mode...
Desn't work even if I set the "N" mode to 2.4 Ghz channel and turn OFF the a/b/g mode.
PuroKaibil said:
Dah!!
I just open a new thread for this very issue.... I'm sure I'm going to get ding for it.
any way...
Mine doesn't connect to the "N" wireless
My router hosts "N" and "a/b/g" modes cisco 3200
it only connects to the 2.4 Ghz a/b/g mode...
Desn't work even if I set the "N" mode to 2.4 Ghz channel and turn OFF the a/b/g mode.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You right about getting ringed..lmao. I just posted to your thread. 5Ghz N range is marketing b.s. its way overhyped n not as good as people think anyways. Read this tech article to get the real scoop on it and tips.
Www.smallnetbuilder.com/wireless/wireless-basics/30664-5-ways-to-fix-slow-80211n-speed
demandarin said:
You right about getting ringed..lmao. I just posted to your thread. 5Ghz N range is marketing b.s. its way overhyped n not as good as people think anyways. Read this tech article to get the real scoop on it and tips.
Www.smallnetbuilder.com/wireless/wireless-basics/30664-5-ways-to-fix-slow-80211n-speed
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I did read it and thank you at the other thread....
Great Read...
Thanks again.

What is consider as "weak wifi"??

So what is consider as weak wifi?!.
I've recently got my prime and have been testing the wifi of the prime to my sg2 and vibrant...
Standing next to my router i get about -45dBm while my sg2 gets like -33dBm. The dl speed is also slightly faster on the sg2. Then when i compared the signal to my vibrant....my vibrant gets about -45 to -50dBm.
So just curious is that normal? Or weak? Or any other opinions...
Thanks
Sent from my SGH-T989 using XDA App
Don't feed into all that weak wifi hype. If you even have to ask then that means your device is performing fine. OR YOU won't even notice anything unless someone tells you its bad n starts making you think that.
Base it off of performance, not what Tom, ****, n Jane tell you..lol
Try running the same test on the same devices but move farther away and test each result. the "common" problem is the rate at which the wifi looses strength is roughly around 20'. But this is all based on individual results i have read. Others claim there are no issues or problems. To each their own.
My question for you is, When and where was yours purchased from? Im curious if the newer purchases are as common to show issues.
For me it's pretty simple to prove.
From family rooms and bedrooms I can get 16Mbps.
From kitchen and dining room I get 2Mbps, while the iPad right beside pulls in 16Mbps still.
I used wifi analyzer to find what channel was best in G band than configured my router to it and my prime pulls the same or better numbers than my SGII, daughters iphone4s and wifes Kindle fire. All devices have better speedtest results since I switched to channel 1 on G band I wish I would have known this along time ago because places that I previously had weak or no wifi now have a strong signal.The configuring router thing has been posted hundreds of times on this forum
Sent from my SPH-D710 using xda premium
Hab1 said:
For me it's pretty simple to prove.
From family rooms and bedrooms I can get 16Mbps.
From kitchen and dining room I get 2Mbps, while the iPad right beside pulls in 16Mbps still.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
My experience is pretty similar. Near the router, all devices get a pretty fast download speed, above 11 Mbps using Speedtest. Farther away, at about 20-25 feet, Prime slows to 10% of that, while the other devices are still up near 11 Mbps.
Don't go looking for problems. If it is running fine for you and seems fast why try to get technical about whether it is weak or not.
I brought mines recently on the 21st of Jan.
For mines wifi seems okay when compare with other devices when there is no/few obstacles...ie i get the same speed but different signal strength when Im on the lobby of my neighbors(1 house away) while my router is on the 3rd floor.
But when Im in the lobby within my building my prime gets very weak signal and often disconnect while my sg2 remain connected with 2-3 bars and about 4-5mb dl
Sent from my SGH-T989 using XDA App
Agreed. But Im just worry if it will work within campus since i only brought it for skool. And bb only gives 14 day return window...
Sent from my SGH-T989 using XDA App
I havent noticed weak wifi with mine as well. To be honest, I'm actually seen the exact same performance with my Galaxy Nexus and Ipad 2.
atoy74 said:
I havent noticed weak wifi with mine as well. To be honest, I'm actually seen the exact same performance with my Galaxy Nexus and Ipad 2.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Maybe you are checking WiFi close to the router? Most folks that report WiFi problems (including me) report that near the router is fine, but that 20 feet or more away, the Prime's download speed is WAY less than other devices. (my Prime is about 10% of other devices at distance.)
Yep, standing right beside the router I can get 30Mbps. This is in the basement. I live in a large bungalow. Standing right above the router on the first floor I can get about 18Mbps and then it drops from there and very quickly. In the dining room, which is main floor but about 30-40 linear ft distance from the router, the speed drops to 2Mbps.

Wireless N or Wireless G?

Ok guys I read somewhere in here that the Prime did not play nice with Wireless N so here is what I did using my D-link wireless router:
Changed wireless settings from N to G only and ran some tests here is what i got:
WiFi Analyzer - -50/-44 dbm
Speedtest.net- Ping 17ms 8275dn and 2125up Average ( I have a 8Mb connection)
GPS Test - it now can see 9 sats and lock to them but the signal is still very poor (between 10 /20 SNR) so the navigation dops the signal but IT CAN SEE THE SATS!
Changed wireless G to N and this is what I got:
WiFi Analyzer - -61/58 dbm ( the lower the number the better the signal)
Speedtest.net- Ping 72ms 6420dn and 1233up Average ( I have a 8Mb connection)
GPS Test - 0 sats
Changed the wireless N to N+G and this is what I got:
WiFi Analyzer - -55/50 dbm
Speedtest.net- Ping 24ms 8225dn and 1790up Average ( I have a 8Mb connection)
GPS Test - It can see 4 sats but wont lock
What does it all mean???? I have no idea, all i know is that im going to leave my router on G from now on.
Can anyone else confirm and post? Thanks
>What does it all mean???? I have no idea, all i know is that im going to leave my router on G from now on.
It shouldn't matter. N's main advance over G is its MIMO transmission, 5GHz inclusion, and doubled bandwidth (40MHz) mode (some turbo-G versions have channel bonding, but they were proprietary and not interoperable between brands). The Prime has a single xmit/2 rcv ant (nix MIMO), single-band (nix 5GHz), and only works with 20MHz bandwidth. You should not notice a difference between N and G wrt the Prime. In fact, as the majority of wifi in laptops and PCs are of the cheaper single-band variety, this applies to those as well.
Many early N routers are draft-N, and N mode can be problematic, especially in mixed mode use. That's probably why some people noticed an improvement when they switched to G. Many people also use TKIP in WPA/WPA2, which also leads to slowdowns.
To answer your question directly, sure, change the various settings and see if they make a difference. But if you get an improvement in G over N, it probably means you should upgrade to a newer router--or at least find an updated firmware if one is available. The improvement would apply to other devices and not just the Prime.
BTW, since wireless performance is highly variable, you would want to take a number of tests and take the avg, rather than rely on a single reading.
That was a helpful post E.mote, thank you.
e.mote said:
>What does it all mean???? I have no idea, all i know is that im going to leave my router on G from now on.
It shouldn't matter. N's main advance over G is its MIMO transmission, 5GHz inclusion, and doubled bandwidth (40MHz) mode (some turbo-G versions have channel bonding, but they were proprietary and not interoperable between brands). The Prime has a single xmit/2 rcv ant (nix MIMO), single-band (nix 5GHz), and only works with 20MHz bandwidth. You should not notice a difference between N and G wrt the Prime. In fact, as the majority of wifi in laptops and PCs are of the cheaper single-band variety, this applies to those as well.
Many early N routers are draft-N, and N mode can be problematic, especially in mixed mode use. That's probably why some people noticed an improvement when they switched to G. Many people also use TKIP in WPA/WPA2, which also leads to slowdowns.
To answer your question directly, sure, change the various settings and see if they make a difference. But if you get an improvement in G over N, it probably means you should upgrade to a newer router--or at least find an updated firmware if one is available. The improvement would apply to other devices and not just the Prime.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
or maybe is one more thing that the primes have wrong with them...don't get me wrong I love my prime and I DO NOT WANT TO GET RID OF IT i just wish there were some answers to all of our questions or maybe i should stay away from all the forums and pretend that there is nothing wrong with it and the $500 was money well spent. Thanks for your input
router is 2 weeks old and it has the latest firmware. (first thing i checked) the post does say Average.
Wireless N 5Ghz is so overhyped n overrated. It get less range than the 2 4Ghz band.
Read this tech article that shows how most people got scammed by 5Ghz band hype.
http://www.smallnetbuilder.com/wireless/wireless-basics/30664-5-ways-to-fix-slow-80211n-speed
demandarin said:
Wireless N 5Ghz is so overhyped n overrated. It get less range than the 2 4Ghz band.
Read this tech article that shows how most people got scammed by 5Ghz band hype.
http://www.smallnetbuilder.com/wireless/wireless-basics/30664-5-ways-to-fix-slow-80211n-speed
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I work in IT field and deal with plenty of routers I will take G over N any day range is always much better which explains why Prime works so much better with G because of the aluminum backplate blocking some of the Wi-Fi signal the range isn't as good as your everyday Wi-Fi device dead spots about 10 ft difference.
Maybe this doesn't apply to some but with wireless g my speed tests are at about 15-20mbs and with N its the full 36-42 mbs. So if your internet is slower than 20mbs g is probally fine but I NEED n to work to get the most out of my connection.
Sent from my Transformer Prime TF201 using Tapatalk
So ive got 20mb internet and have the virgin media hub, wireless connection is awful upstairs, do i go with n or g and is the prime not compatible at all with n
The Prime operates in the 2.4ghz band, forget the 5ghz, it will do nothing for your Prime, I also made tests to my network and disconnected the 5ghz band after getting results like the OP. ATM, my network operates G only and I'm getting great results.
Cheers
Spurs027 said:
So ive got 20mb internet and have the virgin media hub, wireless connection is awful upstairs, do i go with n or g and is the prime not compatible at all with n
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I would definitely go with wireless N. If you have problems like very slow speeds switch back to G.
The prime seems to support wireless N speeds up 65 mbs.
Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk
>with wireless g my speed tests are at about 15-20mbs and with N its the full 36-42 mbs.
N has better throughput and range, assuming good antennas on both ends that allow for MIMO/dual-stream use. G is needed for legacy pre-N devices. I use both.
>wireless connection is awful upstairs
Options to boost wifi in your home:
. Try a different router. Routers can vary in performance.
. Repeater (old router retrofitted with DD-WRT firmware) to extend your router's range. Repeaters aren't common as consumer products nowaday, since they need some knowledge to set up.
. Powerline adapters (pair). These are convenient but relatively expensive. Advertised for ~200Mb/s, but more realistically 100-150. They're getting more common; most vendors have a line. Performance depends on house electrical wiring.
. MoCA adapters, assuming house is wired for cable-TV (RG-6 coax). These can also be expensive, but you can hunt around for older stuff on eBay for cheap. It's more reliable than powerline.
I dropped 802.11g long ago like it was hot like I did 802.11b before it.
802.11n is now, the Transformer prime supports all of them and changing wireless broadcast to anything lower than N is just to give you less of what's current and best.
the_game_master said:
I dropped 802.11g long ago like it was hot like I did 802.11b before it.
802.11n is now, the Transformer prime supports all of them and changing wireless broadcast to anything lower than N is just to give you less of what's current and best.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not really if the devices you own don't "see" the 5ghz frequency, only but the newest electronics operate on that band, you Prime don't for example, and it's new.
Cheers
After reading this I was interested to see if this was having any effect. I tried several different settings:
G - only
N - 20MHz (single channel)
and N - 40Mhz (channel bonding)
I found that by far the best setting was single channel N. I've gone from having virtually no usable connection in parts of my house, to a usable throughput in all parts of the house. Also did some tests using WiFi analyser and speedtest.net and found consistently higher throughput and signal strength using this setting.
My conclusion, it seems to have a problem with wireless N channel bonding.
PrimeUser said:
Not really if the devices you own don't "see" the 5ghz frequency, only but the newest electronics operate on that band, you Prime don't for example, and it's new.
Cheers
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't have a dual band N router but if I did I wouldn't set it to operate in 5Ghz only mode, I would keep it functioning as a dual band mode so both 2.4 and 5 Ghz bands were active for complete 802.11n functionality.
That way all my N devices would see the N broadcast.
That's the point, I do have a dual band router, I tested the network with both frequencies on, and disconnected the 5ghz band after testing the 2.4ghz alone, the network signal is weaker with both on.
If you stream alot of video and have devices capable of taking advantage of the higher frequency, very well, if you don't or don't stream that much video anyway, having the 5ghz on, doesn't make any sense. In my case, weakens my signal, it works for me to shut it down, maybe for others this doesn't apply.
Signal strength depends of so many factors, the environment where a network is set, strongly dictates the outcome in performance and stability of it, no network behaves the same. My network is working in top condition for the environment around it, that's what it matters for me.
Cheers

WiFi strength, range, and throughput

Rate this thread to express how you think the Samsung Galaxy Note 9's Wifi performs. A higher rating indicates that it has excellent range, throughput, and signal strength. Like when you're taking a dump in the bedroom upstairs, do your videos have to buffer or do they come through without interruption?
Then, drop a comment if you have anything to add!
Wifi throughput is very bad, constantly drop its speed on WLAN, happens to few. Address?
Wifi signal is excellent. I live in a triplex. On the top floor i workout. I disable the LTE, still can have 2 bars of wifi. The modem is in the first floor.
Used to have an iphone 8 plus. I could never have even a 1 bar of signal.
Guys, before you comment, make sure it's not your router or home equipment causing issues, and not your phone.
GFTB said:
Wifi throughput is very bad, constantly drop its speed on WLAN, happens to few. Address?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Need more info, what wireless router do you have? How old is it? How far away are you when testing?
I get my packaged speeds fine! http://www.speedtest.net/my-result/a/4187326458
This is my router https://mikrotik.com/product/RB962UiGS-5HacT2HnT
MartyDingo said:
Guys, before you comment, make sure it's not your router or home equipment causing issues, and not your phone.
Need more info, what wireless router do you have? How old is it? How far away are you when testing?
I get my packaged speeds fine! http://www.speedtest.net/my-result/a/4187326458
This is my router https://mikrotik.com/product/RB962UiGS-5HacT2HnT
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have create a thread in Question & Answer but seems like nobody is interested in.
My router are, RT-AC87U and Archer C2600 both on stock lastest firmware. 4 meters from the AP, no obstacle, direct sign. On 5GHz/80MHz, my XZ Premium, Z4 tablet, Nexus 6, iPhoneX have very good connection and would never drop* on either one.
Keep in mind this is throughput of the receiver (here is Note9) is low and kinda unacceptable, it will impact the speed of everything using internet connection. Signal is 4 bars full strength, you can have a look on the pic i posted.
---------- Post added at 02:31 PM ---------- Previous post was at 02:26 PM ----------
I checked that Note8 also had a fewer complain address the wifi issue, nothing related to the signal or reception. Just the throughput/bandwidth was low and probably not fully compatible with Wifi chipset, it sometimes happens with Apple iDevices and Broadcom-used Router.
Just did another test to make sure no updates from Samsung broke anything, and I'm getting 375mbit, which I've seen the note 8 get up to about 350mbit and start maxing out. I have a feeling there's a bit more headroom with my note 9.
http://www.speedtest.net/my-result/a/4187326458
I have a 400mbit connection at home so I'll have to test when I make the next wireless rig up for work, where I'll have a gig to test with!
Really sounds like interference for your problem.
Mate, do me a favor and search for wifi issue with the Note8. Considering not much change physically and internally this year.
Nothing to do with interference, if it does, then not only my Note9 is experiencing it.
The Note 9 is the ONLY device in my home which suffers from poor WiFi speeds. I have 2 access points from UBNT and my wife's iPhone 7 can saturate the connection and peg at the speed caps of my provider (200 down/7 up). My laptop and other WiFi devices can do the same. On the note 9, I can only muster 10 down and 7 up. So it is DEFINITELY an issue with the Note 9 hardware or drivers.
Throughput is the same as my note 8 . All good. Running a t mobile Asus router.
Sent from my SM-N960U1 using Tapatalk
GFTB said:
Wifi throughput is very bad, constantly drop its speed on WLAN, happens to few. Address?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm having the same issue. Wifi in my home is terrible no matter where I am.
i dont get bad wifi on my note i think its good
GFTB said:
Mate, do me a favor and search for wifi issue with the Note8. Considering not much change physically and internally this year.
Nothing to do with interference, if it does, then not only my Note9 is experiencing it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
robroy90 said:
The Note 9 is the ONLY device in my home which suffers from poor WiFi speeds. I have 2 access points from UBNT and my wife's iPhone 7 can saturate the connection and peg at the speed caps of my provider (200 down/7 up). My laptop and other WiFi devices can do the same. On the note 9, I can only muster 10 down and 7 up. So it is DEFINITELY an issue with the Note 9 hardware or drivers.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
marvv916 said:
I'm having the same issue. Wifi in my home is terrible no matter where I am.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So there's definitely something wrong the note 9 then? Even with my stuff is correctly configured, TX powers all set, interference cleared out, sitting on a 80Mhz channel I'm getting 380mbit, -49dbm, and that's shaped by my internet package. My router is reporting it can hit 747mbit on this modulation, which I've attached.
I think you guys need to reassess your wireless networks.
So have 100 mbps internet and hitting 112 on N9. Using Asus rt ac87u with Merlin firmware. Router has always kicked everything away. N9 is getting good connection and has. Better signal in my outdoor shed ( laundry room) than my n8 and s9+ I have not complaints. Some might be having issues but I'm not.
Using 5ghz 80mhz channel.
82mbps on 2.4ghz
Sprint replaced my phone. all is good now.
Mine doesn't do too bad, I do experience slowness with some apps. I circled speeds that are close to my Spectrum connection which is 200/10. I am battled so wifi interference.
I'd figure I'll add to this. My speeds are gig, my computer gets roughly 750-950 on the daily. My phone gets roughly 450-580. Asus rt 87r
Sent from my [device_name] using XDA-Developers Legacy app
My reception is pretty good. My internet speed is 200 Mbps but I'm getting over that.
I too experience slow internet speed on my Note 9. I have created a thread and seems like few others are also facing this issue. I have given my thread URL below.
https://forum.xda-developers.com/galaxy-note-9/help/slow-wifi-speed-t3841900
avengethis1 said:
So have 100 mbps internet and hitting 112 on N9. Using Asus rt ac87u with Merlin firmware. Router has always kicked everything away. N9 is getting good connection and has. Better signal in my outdoor shed ( laundry room) than my n8 and s9+ I have not complaints. Some might be having issues but I'm not.
Using 5ghz 80mhz channel.
82mbps on 2.4ghz
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Have 150 hitting 178...
I have Fios Gigabit internet. My wifi speeds are solid. A little better on average than the modem in my Note 5. The 2Ghz speeds are an atrocity, but I live in NYC where my neighborhood alone has a higher population than most towns in other states. So heavy interference is commonplace resulting in lower speeds while not plugged in.

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