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Test Setup

Fujitsu P2110b
- Toshiba 30gb 4200 rpm hard drive
- D-link DWL-G650 PCMCIA wireless card

Routers tested (all 802.11g):
Microsoft MN-700
Linksys WRT54G
Gigabyte GN-B49G

Testing Issues

Initially, we wanted to test the range of every router as we felt that was the most important aspect of any router. However, our results came out with the consistency of Jello (no, that's not a good thing). Walking outdoors, the signal strength could stay in the 60% region the whole time, but the moment we tried to download anything, the signal would drop at random intervals. This randomly occurred with all routers, which made it impossible to get good results.

Also, our neighbours also have a wireless network running, which sometimes caused havoc with our results (it shouldn't happen, but it does).

Actual Testing Procedure

Having completely failed with our first method, we decided to select four spots that would give a relatively good representation of each router's performance (and give an idea on the range) through those figures. For each location, we downloaded a 100 megabyte file through FTP and recorded the transfer speed for the file. This was repeated 5 times, and an average of the middle four results (so no outliers). All other devices were disconnected, and the router was not connected to the Internet. Although this is not exactly a good a representation of normal use, it shows a fair guide to expected speeds between different routers. As for the four locations:

Testing location 1: Intimately Close
This involved placing the laptop next to the router, with a distance of under 15 centimeters. With no obstructions, this should show how capable a router is.

Testing location 2: Within the office
We picked a good location in the office (company couch is always a good testing spot). The couch is 4 meters away from the router(s), and there is one concrete wall in the way. For small offices and apartments, this provides a general idea of expected speed.

Testing location 3: Building lobby (indoor range testing)
The building lobby is outside the office, and is supposed to be far enough to simulate a larger office. The lobby is 8 meters away from the office door, which put the testing location about 12 meters away from the router, with 3 concrete walls in between.

Testing location 4: Building parking lot (outdoor range testing)
The parking lot is located right outside our office. I sat out in the cold 8 meters away from the office (when it wasn't raining) doing this testing. Except for a glass window, there are no other obstructions between the router and the laptop.