Severe Internet Problems..... random blips and dips

the_fury · #1 2nd January 2009, 01:55 AM

Hey I'm relatively new to Fedora, so try not to get too technical with any explanations. =)

My wireless adapter works fine, and i've never experienced many of the problems that others have complained about on these forums. However, on Windows I always had a 270 - 300 mbps connection, guaranteed.

However, with the same router, same ISP, same connection basically, on Fedora I'm getting on a maximum of 60 mbps. I also get moments where no pages will load, but network manager will report that nothing is wrong and that the connection is 100%. These happen often, and I'm worried about something that I might have done to cause this.

Any solutions? Thanks in advance.

Seve · #2 2nd January 2009, 02:07 AM

Hello:
In the absence of personal inspection, even with a car, you would have to let someone know the make and model to get an appropriate response to your problem.

Can you let the folks know

Which version, including arch of Fedora you are using.
Which wifi card you have
Which driver for you card that you are currently using
Your current network configuration

Thanks in advance.

stevea · #3 2nd January 2009, 02:52 AM

Most 802.11G top at ~30mbps in the real world and 802.11N perhaps 70mbps in the real world. So I assume your rate (270-300mpbs) is for a wired gigabit ethernet ? Is that right ?

Also you have to be very careful when you compare across OSes. Some tools report the maximum throughput possible and others report the real measured throughput. How did you measure these rates for Win & Lin ?

You may have a config problem. I'll suggest you use the network config tool (system-config-network) and disable IPv6 as it reduces packet traffic a little. Also report the result of:

su -
/sbin/ip addr

Then for each interface listed above (except lo0) try ...

/sbin/ethtool eth0
replacing eth0 with the interface name.

the_fury · #4 2nd January 2009, 01:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Seve

Hello:
In the absence of personal inspection, even with a car, you would have to let someone know the make and model to get an appropriate response to your problem.

Can you let the folks know

Which version, including arch of Fedora you are using.
Which wifi card you have
Which driver for you card that you are currently using
Your current network configuration

Thanks in advance.

OK...

I'm using Fedora 10, 64-bit version.
I have a Intel PRO Wireless 4965 AG or AGN Network Connection (I'm just reading this out of Network Configuration)
Says that i'm using iwlagn.
And I'm not sure what you mean when you say network configuration. (Please clarify)

Hope it helps.....

the_fury · #5 2nd January 2009, 01:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stevea

Most 802.11G top at ~30mbps in the real world and 802.11N perhaps 70mbps in the real world. So I assume your rate (270-300mpbs) is for a wired gigabit ethernet ? Is that right ?

Also you have to be very careful when you compare across OSes. Some tools report the maximum throughput possible and others report the real measured throughput. How did you measure these rates for Win & Lin ?

You may have a config problem. I'll suggest you use the network config tool (system-config-network) and disable IPv6 as it reduces packet traffic a little. Also report the result of:

su -
/sbin/ip addr

Then for each interface listed above (except lo0) try ...

/sbin/ethtool eth0
replacing eth0 with the interface name.

No, when I was on Windows it was a wireless connection, through a router, and it was predominantly drifting around 270 mbps.

Output of /sbin/ip addr:

Code:

1: lo: <LOOPBACK,UP,LOWER_UP> mtu 16436 qdisc noqueue state UNKNOWN 
    link/loopback 00:00:00:00:00:00 brd 00:00:00:00:00:00
    inet 127.0.0.1/8 scope host lo
    inet6 ::1/128 scope host 
       valid_lft forever preferred_lft forever
2: eth0: <BROADCAST,MULTICAST> mtu 1500 qdisc noop state DOWN qlen 1000
    link/ether 00:1a:80:49:33:8c brd ff:ff:ff:ff:ff:ff
3: wmaster0: <BROADCAST,MULTICAST,UP,LOWER_UP> mtu 1500 qdisc pfifo_fast state UNKNOWN qlen 1000
    link/ieee802.11 00:13:e8:96:2a:01 brd ff:ff:ff:ff:ff:ff
4: wlan0: <BROADCAST,MULTICAST,UP,LOWER_UP> mtu 1500 qdisc pfifo_fast state UP qlen 1000
    link/ether 00:13:e8:96:2a:01 brd ff:ff:ff:ff:ff:ff
    inet 192.168.2.2/24 brd 192.168.2.255 scope global wlan0
    inet6 fe80::213:e8ff:fe96:2a01/64 scope link 
       valid_lft forever preferred_lft forever
5: pan0: <BROADCAST,MULTICAST> mtu 1500 qdisc noop state DOWN 
    link/ether e6:a7:28:02:3e:40 brd ff:ff:ff:ff:ff:ff

Output of /sbin/ethtool eth0:

Code:

Settings for eth0:
	Supported ports: [ TP ]
	Supported link modes:   10baseT/Half 10baseT/Full 
	                        100baseT/Half 100baseT/Full 
	Supports auto-negotiation: Yes
	Advertised link modes:  10baseT/Half 10baseT/Full 
	                        100baseT/Half 100baseT/Full 
	Advertised auto-negotiation: Yes
	Speed: Unknown! (65535)
	Duplex: Unknown! (255)
	Port: Twisted Pair
	PHYAD: 0
	Transceiver: internal
	Auto-negotiation: on
	Supports Wake-on: pg
	Wake-on: d
	Current message level: 0x000000ff (255)
	Link detected: yes

Output of /sbin/ethtool wlan0:

Code:

Settings for wlan0:
No data available

Output of /sbin/ethtool wmaster0:

Code:

Settings for wmaster0:
No data available

Output of /sbin/ethtool pan0:

Code:

Settings for pan0:
	Link detected: yes

Hope this helps.... thanks for any suggestions!

the_fury · #6 21st January 2009, 02:40 AM

um....... could use some help........ i appreciate it.

SuperSkippy · #7 21st January 2009, 03:47 PM

Where are you getting your speeds from?

the_fury · #8 21st January 2009, 10:32 PM

The connection icon on the notification bar, right click and "Connection Information".

Why, is this unreliable?

the_fury · #9 21st January 2009, 10:33 PM

The connection icon on the notification bar, right click and "Connection Information".

Why, is this unreliable?

SuperSkippy · #10 22nd January 2009, 11:22 AM

OK. Like the previous poster said, around 60 Mbps sounds "right" for a wireless network. Where did you get your Windows figure from?

I think the bit we need to focus on is "I also get moments where no pages will load". Did this ever happen with Windows? Does this happen if you plug your laptop into the router directly with a wire? How long does this last for- a couple of seconds? A minute?

pwca · #11 22nd January 2009, 10:02 PM

Whoa!!! Hold on everyone. I've got some scoop on this particular problem.

As the OP stated they are using the "Intel PRO Wireless 4965 AG or AGN"

The Intel Pro/WiFi 4965 comes in several flavors.

There is the:
a) 4965AG_ Note the underscore... it means that the card has N on it but it's been disabled and can't be enabled. This card comes in TWO varieties. Regular which cannot be managed is sold to printer OEM's for use in network printers. The second variety is the Pro which can be managed and is sold to laptop OEM's for use in laptop's.

b) 4965AGN This card has 802.11N enabled. And like the card above it comes in Regular and Pro versions for the same end market uses. HOWEVER... this card has two additional varieties... they are: 802.11N (draft N) and 802.11N1 (draft N version +1).

ALL of these different versions are handled by the same driver: iwl4965-firmware.noarch

Whether you're getting N networking throughput depends upon which card you actually have.

What settings you can make to the card using the driver depends on whether the card is a managed or unmanaged card. AND the managed cards have all the different security features whereas the unmanaged cards have no security features/standards. Hence the reason why the latter's end use is network printers rather than laptops. But... CHEAP laptop OEM's will... yep you guessed it... put the unmanaged cards in the laptop so the user has no security and can't manage the card and the even cheaper OEM's will put in the 4965AG_ card and try to pass it off as 802.11N "capable" when it's not.

Finally, this card from Intel (as well as the 5000 series) has 3 antenna connection points rather than the standard 2 of most other cards. If your laptop only has 2 antenna leads it matters which connectionors you hook those leads up to. The black colored lead is connected to #1 and the white colored lead is connected to connector #3. Leaving connector #2 blank.

So... before we get all crazy about what the configuration software is doing or isn't doing what needs to happen is an EXACT identification of the card and to ensure that's it's been installed correctly.

To find out what card is actually installed Intel has a small utility you can download, install and run it's located: HERE

To find out all the little tid-bits I've just explained you need Intel's to view all the publications available on the card (make sure you read ALL of the small print VERY carefully too) HERE

Finally, if you're looking for a reliable merchant that knows the differences between the cards then go here:

The4965AGN Regular
The 4965AGN Pro

I don't know where you can get the 4965AG_ card and it's versions.

the_fury · #12 23rd January 2009, 02:03 AM

Sorry, but I'm not getting any kind of identification. All I'm getting is a sequential link to the iwlagn page, where it lists the chips supported.

Any idea how to identify it, since apparently the real identity of my wireless card is in question?

pwca · #13 23rd January 2009, 04:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by the_fury

Sorry, but I'm not getting any kind of identification. All I'm getting is a sequential link to the iwlagn page, where it lists the chips supported.

Any idea how to identify it, since apparently the real identity of my wireless card is in question?

OBVIOUSLY if the Linux identity toolkit is no longer available then the solution is to download the M$ one and use M$ to identify the card. If that's too difficult then there's always the option of opening up the case and looking at the thing to see what the stickers on it might have printed on them.... you know serial numbers, part numbers... then looking them up on the Internet... Or calling Intel with those numbers and asking them.

Sorry, further answers from the crystal ball require tokens of the proper denomination in order to supply you with hand-holding services.

the_fury · #14 3rd March 2009, 09:24 PM

Seems like nothing will fix it, however the connection does still randomly fail. Don't know what's causing it, and it seems there are no problems ......... but........