Why am I getting slowdown with external wifi access point?

[twentw]

I've hooked up a Netgear WN802T to my network, and I'm getting a strong signal.  I've turned off the RG's wifi so there's no interference.  For some reason, my speeds through the Netgear WAP never get over 2mbps as measured using speedtest.net on an iPhone.  On my laptop, I never get over about 3mbps.  Using the RG's built-in wifi, I consistently get very close to my capped speed of 12mbps.  So, what is causing this slowdown?  The Netgear router is capable of n speeds, and I've already tried changing channels and going to "mixed mode".  Is there something on the RG that needs to be changed to get it to work better with the Netgear WAP?

[oz_1 ACE - Wizard]

How did you set up the Netgear is it in DMZ or Bridge Mode ?

[twentw]

No.  Since I posted the original message, I've discovered that the internet performance is erratic.  Sometimes I get decent speeds, but most times it's 1-2 mbps or I get no internet at all even though I still have a strong signal and valid ip address.

This is the fourth WAP I've tried - I've previously tried a Linksys and 2 Medialink WAPs and all display the same behaviour.  I can't maintain speed or an internet connection for any length of time.  At this point I strongly suspect there's either a configuration problem with the RG or it's defective.  Any ideas would be appreciated.

[oz_1 ACE - Wizard]

Did you have the same problem with the RG's wireless?

[twentw]

No. The RG's wireless has always worked fine.

[oz_1 ACE - Wizard]

Then I would ask again how did you set up the router the easiest way is bridge mode which makes it a wireless switch and speeds should be the same.

If you set it up in DMZ, Somejoe7777 has a guide use search.

[twentw]

I think I found the answer.  I have 2 switches hooked to the RG, a Netgear GS108 (which AT&T supplied) which generally handles the TVs in the house, and a Netgear GS608 which handles the computers.  I had the WAP plugged into the GS108.  So I unplugged it and plugged it directly into the RG and the problem appears to be solved.  For some unknown reason the GS108 switch was degrading the throughput, although I haven't seen any evidence of problems with anything else plugged into it.

[JefferMC ACE - Wizard]

The reason is not unknown (to many of us, at least).

The problem is most (if not all) consumer-grade wireless routers and WAP's can't handle multicast traffic.  When you connect one of them to the same RG port as a STB or DVR, then the mutlicast TV traffic will swamp the router.