[rampel]

Hi all,

I'm using the "D-Link" (brand name) DI-714P+ Wireless Router with the DWL - 520+ Wireless PCI Adapter on a small home lan (OSX & WinXP Pro)

The Router is connected to a Cable modem. both machines can internet and exchange files between them

I am getting conflicting information regarding this Wireless setup ability to run in Full Duplex Mode.

Some tell me it's possible. (But don't tell me how)

Some say No way Jose, that any wireless is by default Half Duplex only Period

Could you please clarify this issue for me?

Also, if it IS possible how do I configure this setup for Full Duplex?

TIA

ps
(The Installation manual does NOT mention Duplex at all and the FAQ page on D-Link's Home page mentions Duplex just once and not for these Items)

[Angus_D]

Just out of interest, why do you care?

[ghporter]

First off, the term "duplex" isn't even in the 802.11 standard. Duplex is a function of the individual network adapter, in this case, the wireless card.

Secondly, with 802.11b wireless, transmit and receive signals go on the same frequencies. This necessitates that the radio system operates in half-duplex mode. It does not mean that the network adapter thinks it's operating in half-duplex mode, and it can buffer quite a bit of data (relatively speaking) in between transmissions.

Finally, your wireless card is capable of a much higher data rate than the normal 802.11b card. The same is true of your wireless router. You should not have to worry about whether you're getting "full duplex" performance from either end, since even taking into account the necessary network overhead, your wireless net is MUCH faster than your cable modem. As long as you get a good signal level, you should have as much data throughput as your cable modem can handle.

[rampel]

Originally posted by Angus_D:
Just out of interest, why do you care?

Because:
1.the guy that installed it told me Yes, but I could tell he didn't have a clue about telling me how to. All he could say was "Well, in any case the connection speed is what it should be"

2. If I paid for something that should be there - I want to know it's there.

3. I don't like unclear and evasive replies from vendors

4. Most important, now I'm Really curious to know whether Full Duplex will have ANY effect on my setup

Do you have the answer?

[rampel]

Originally posted by GHPorter:
First off, the term "duplex" isn't even in the 802.11 standard. Duplex is a function of the individual network adapter, in this case, the wireless card.

Secondly, with 802.11b wireless, transmit and receive signals go on the same frequencies. This necessitates that the radio system operates in half-duplex mode. It does not mean that the network adapter thinks it's operating in half-duplex mode, and it can buffer quite a bit of data (relatively speaking) in between transmissions.

Finally, your wireless card is capable of a much higher data rate than the normal 802.11b card. The same is true of your wireless router. You should not have to worry about whether you're getting "full duplex" performance from either end, since even taking into account the necessary network overhead, your wireless net is MUCH faster than your cable modem. As long as you get a good signal level, you should have as much data throughput as your cable modem can handle.

Thanks,
that's the 1st clear explanation I got so far. OK so the WL is faster than the Cable modem - OK. Now how about exchanging files between machines?

BTW the card shows me I get a trasfer rate of 22mbps, but when I was connected with a switch and ethernet cables and cards - the card showed me I'm getting 100mbps. That's faster, no?

[ghporter]

Yes, the ethernet cable connection is faster than the wireless connection. You should have pretty good file transfer speeds between wireless clients, but if you're transfering anything of any great size (more than a few megabytes), it's usually more convenient to use a wired connection.

Just to set your mind at ease, you have some nice wireless equipment, and it has a good set of features. You're getting what you paid for, whether or not your installer has a clue.

[rampel]

Originally posted by GHPorter:
Yes, the ethernet cable connection is faster than the wireless connection. You should have pretty good file transfer speeds between wireless clients, but if you're transfering anything of any great size (more than a few megabytes), it's usually more convenient to use a wired connection.

Just to set your mind at ease, you have some nice wireless equipment, and it has a good set of features. You're getting what you paid for, whether or not your installer has a clue.

Thanks again, One more Q if I may?

Ever since the PC is on Wireless I can't get / find any files with WinMX. The PC's IP address is something that the router has assigned and people who could connect to me before when I was on wire - cannot connect any more. Is it the Router's Firewall that's doing that? and what's the remedy?

TIA

[ghporter]

If the PC was the only thing on the cable modem before you got the wireless router, it's likely that the problem is the way the router shares the cable modem's single IP address. This is called Network Address Translation, or NAT, and it hides what's behind the router from the rest of the world.

One way to correct this is to forward the ports used by WinMX to the PC. This usually requires assigning a fixed IP to the PC (not a big deal, really), and then going into the setup for the router and explicitly directing the appropriate ports to that IP address.

Another way is to (again) assign the PC a fixed IP address and then assign it to the router's "DMZ." A machine in the DMZ is exposed to the Internet (and thus vulnerable to attacks), so it can to everything as if it were not behind the router.

[John Strung]

Just to add to Glenn's succinct advice, you can find more detailed information at the following links:

http://www.practicallynetworked.com/...pecialapps.htm

http://www.practicallynetworked.com/serving/index.htm

http://www.practicallynetworked.com/howto/

[rampel]

Originally posted by GHPorter:
If the PC was the only thing on the cable modem before you got the wireless router, it's likely that the problem is the way the router shares the cable modem's single IP address. This is called Network Address Translation, or NAT, and it hides what's behind the router from the rest of the world.

One way to correct this is to forward the ports used by WinMX to the PC. This usually requires assigning a fixed IP to the PC (not a big deal, really), and then going into the setup for the router and explicitly directing the appropriate ports to that IP address.

Another way is to (again) assign the PC a fixed IP address and then assign it to the router's "DMZ." A machine in the DMZ is exposed to the Internet (and thus vulnerable to attacks), so it can to everything as if it were not behind the router.

Actually, before the wireless the PC and the Mac were connected to a switch - which was connected to the cable modem.

The wireless guy set the router (PC only) in such a way that I cannot modify anything. On the other hand the cable modem acceppts only dhcp.
I have a joly good mind to just get rid of it(WL) and go back to the switch

[rampel]

Originally posted by John Strung:
Just to add to Glenn's succinct advice, you can find more detailed information at the following links:

http://www.practicallynetworked.com/...pecialapps.htm

http://www.practicallynetworked.com/serving/index.htm

http://www.practicallynetworked.com/howto/

Thanks.

Now I have a whole night reading. Excelent site