How can I test my Wireless N?

[Overheal]

I've had a WRT160N router for a while, finally just now installed an N adapter and antenna (painstakingly) into the laptop, and of course my new custom build I slapped in a wireless N pci-e card.

Especially with regard to the laptop what is the best way/tool/utility to use to test the maximum throughput of the network?

[Weeman]

from my understanding, wireless N isn't faster it just means more connectivity in more places. If you can log into your router and only broadcast wireless n, and still have access... it's working. it's just a slightly higher frequency which should allow you to have access in more corners and 'odd' spots in the rooms. but as for bandwidth, you may not see any increase over wireless g. I've got a Dlink DGL-4500 and best case, full boar, doesn't get any better than 12MBps over wireless n.
In order to get Max throughput out of your router, you need wired. Cat 5e will do 300MBps, providing your cable isn't too long.
Also keep in mind I know very little about networking. I view it as typing... never admit you know anything about it, or they make you do it for them.

[Overheal]

Nah thats not quite the whole story. N increases the bandwidth from G. G had a maximum of 54Mbits whereas N standard has a maximum bandwidth of 600Mbits. N also uses the much bettererer MIMO connection type: Multiple Input Multiple Output
IEEE 802.11n-2009 is an amendment to the IEEE 802.11-2007 wireless networking standard to improve network throughput over the two previous standards — 802.11a and 802.11g — with a significant increase in the maximum raw data rate from 54 Mbit/s to 600 Mbit/s with the use of four spatial streams at a channel width of 40 MHzIn comparison standard Ethernet cables only do 100Mbits unless you are using a Gigabit capable router with a gigabit ethernet adapter on your PC.

[CompuTamer]

I'm not sure of a tool, but that particular router can't achive 600mbs. I have it myself, and with a wireless N device, it doesn't get near that high. Usually i see about 300mbs when i'm connected on someone else's laptop. Everything i have is wireless G though.

I'd think that maybe if you were to copy files from multiple PCs connected to your router with a wired connection, you could probably test the throughput. It'd take at least 3 computers maxing out their Ethernet connection though.

[PeddlerOfFlesh]

http://freshmeat.net/projects/netio/

[Surfrider77]

...In comparison standard Ethernet cables only do 100Mbits unless you are using a Gigabit capable router with a gigabit ethernet adapter on your PC.

Gigabit is 1000Mbit (~125MB/s) for what its worth.

Wired connection is always going to be much faster than wireless.

I have a DLink DIR-655 and never seen close to the 600Mb N speeds.

[splat]

i'm not 100% sure about formal benchmarks, but the easiest thing to do would be to transfer a large file between two computers on your network...like a 1gb zip file or something. Use a program like filezilla to do the transfer so you can keep an eye on the speed. Then try the transfer several times, using different methods of encryption, and most importantly do it without any encryption at least once.

[PeddlerOfFlesh]

i'm not 100% sure about formal benchmarks, but the easiest thing to do would be to transfer a large file between two computers on your network...like a 1gb zip file or something. Use a program like filezilla to do the transfer so you can keep an eye on the speed. Then try the transfer several times, using different methods of encryption, and most importantly do it without any encryption at least once.

There are FTP clients that will tell you the total average transfer speed. Who wants to set up an FTP server just to test speed though? This is why I find netio convenient. Sisoftware Sandra has a way to benchmark the local network, but I have no idea what it's actually doing or if it's accurate. I have a feeling it is not accurate, since it only tests for like half a second.

[DaveHCYJ]

+1 for netio

Also note that although the max speed of N is 600Mb, there aren't any routers on the market capable of that yet.

Since your router doesn't have gig ethernet, you will also be capped at 100Mb when transferring to non wireless clients, so you're most interesting test might be from wireless to wireless.