When I place the mouse over the wireless icon in the task bar, it says the speed is 54Mbps. When I run an online speed test it states that my conection is 1301Kbps Down 162.6 KB/sec transfer rate and 665Kbps Up 83.1 KB/sec transfer rate. also with a latency/ping of 142 ms. it seems slow but my ISP says it is ok. I am supposed to be 1.5M. hat is the real speed? Please help..

I think that your wireless connection is working normally.The 54 Mbps (megabits per second) speed is the theoretical maximum speed of your computer's wireless network hardware. Real world speeds never come close to the rated speed.The 1301 Kbps (kilobits per second) speed from the download test equals 1.27 Mbps, and is close to the ISP's rated speed of 1.5 Mbps.Boulder Computer MavenMicrosoft Most Valuable Professional

I should have started off with this is a replacment DSL modem. The old one was just a modem, so I had a wireless router with it for my laptop. At that time when it was working the speed registered on the icon was 108Mbps now I have this NEW wireless one and it says the previous stated 54Mbps. BUT it does not seem to be that slow. I just want to know and really understand it. I am not a newbie, but also not an IT admin.Any help really is helpful because if it's the ISP I want to know.ThanksM. Sackal

The maximum rated speed of your wireless hardware, whether it's 54 Mbps or 108 Mbps has no practical importance. All home Internet connections and wireless networks run at substantially lower speeds.My car's speedometer goes up to 140 miles per hour, but I can't drive that fast on any highway. :-)The speed test result that you obtained shows that your Internet connection is working properly.Boulder Computer Maven Microsoft Most Valuable Professional

Thanks for the quick respose Mr. Winograd, so let me see if I have this right, What speed the icon says isIrrelevant, I understand that using a wireless connection will loose some of it's speed, but what I was asking is.1. the old modem and wireless router seperate units had a stated speed of 108Mbps2. The new wireless router/modem assy. has a stated speed of 54Mbps.3. My computers wireless adapter is rated at 108Mbps4. It does seem to be slower than before.5. the speed test states that it is at 1301 Kbps6. Who or what is going on, is it the new router that is slowing it down? ThanksM. Sackal

Yes, the rated speed shown by the network icon is irrelevant. A rated speed of 54 Mbps shows that the wireless router and the computer's wireless network adapter communicate with each other using the IEEE 802.11g standard. A rated speed of 108 Mbps shows that they use a proprietary, non-standard extension to the IEEE 802.11g standard. You said that your ISP rates the speed of your Internet service at 1.5 Mbps (megabits per second), which is a small fraction of your networking equipment's rated speed. So 1.5 Mbps is the highest speed that your Internet connection could achieve under ideal conditions. But ideal conditions never occur.Your download speed test result of 1301 Kbps (kilobits per second) is equal to 1.27 Mbps, which is 85% of the ISP's rated speed. Since real world speeds never equal rated speeds, I think that your Internet connection is working properly, and that nothing is slowing it down.Boulder Computer Maven Microsoft Most Valuable Professional

HiMaybe this can clarify a little more, http://www.ezlan.net/net_speed.html Jack-MVP Windows Networking. WWW.EZLAN.NET

I guess I understand, The speed tests are stating that I am running at about 85% of my ISP's stated bandwith.And that the wireless icon while stating that it is only running at 54Mbps is wrong.And that the old modem just happen to be stating 108Mbpos.The reason I was asking was that if my new modem is only letting me run at 54Mbps. I would be contacting my ISP for a replacement, Now do you understand why I was asking?Thanks All who helped.

hI54Mb/sec is what Wireless 802.11g can do, it is Nothing to do with the Internet or the ISP.The 108Mb/sec. was an unsuccessful attempt years ago to speedup 802.11g Wireless it never worked well and basically disappeared.The ISP can do nothing about your local Wireless environment, if the current Wireless is Not good enough, use a wire connection., or upgrade the whole Wireless (both computers and Access Point) to 802.1n Jack-MVP Windows Networking. WWW.EZLAN.NET

Man, You guys are the best, I think I kinda understand it now.At least I won't be calling the ISP and looking like an a**. Thanks againm. Sackal