Question on wireless network speeds

I recently installed a new wireless router - ASUS RT-N56U - that provides 300mb/s or 600mb/s with the right nic. I am aware that the speeds generally are not as advertised and usually about 200mb/s due to ideal situations and so on so forth.

I haven't had a chance to run any throughput tests yet.

My ISP provides a typical speed of 4.7 mb/s.

Now for the question
When actually downloading files from the internet, I can't seem to get my speeds to break 650 kb/s. Is this typical or is there a bottle neck at the modem or some where else?

Thank you in advance,
Noruff

Edit: network setup is as follows:

Modem -> Wireless Router -> various computers (never more than 2 at a time)

 

Could be the server or comp you are downloading from. If they aren't up to speed, your ISP can't pull it from them any faster than the server/comp transmits the info.
Do some speed testing and see what you get. If you are getting 75% - 80% or better than what you are paying for, I'd say you are good to go.

 

Thanks for the response,

The download sources vary, Steam: with the selection of maximum dl rate (10mb/s), Windows, Itunes, etc

None of them are able to break the 650kb/s wall I am hitting.

I have run speed tests, from various sources (1 provided by the ISP and 2 from google searches) , which show that things are running at the advertised speed of 4.7mb/s, which is the only reason this is bothering me.

 

Ran another test in which I downloaded things on two different computers from two separate sources, both computers download but only at the rate that adds up to 650kb/s

so:
computer one will be at 150 kb/s
computer two will be at 500 kb/s

and the speeds change consistently back and forth, but never passing 650

 

Certainly sounds as if some setting in the router is limiting the through-put.
I tried looking for the manual at ASUS and there was only a Quick Start guide available.
Have you looked through the manual on the support CD for any QOS settings that are possibly set at this rate? I have not used this router so am unfamiliar with it's configuration.

 

I ran some through-put tests on the internal network

wireless computer to wireless computer: 8mb/s to 14mb/s
wireless computer to wired computer: 20mb/s to 32mb/s

I am going through the routers documentation and manual right now, and will post anything I find. However I don't think it is the router as I just installed it yesterday. Prior to this router I was using a Netgear WNDR3300 and was having the same problems, accept it would not break 600kb/s. Still going to look into it though and post back on anything I find.

 

I would suggest contacting your ISP to have them run line tests. This should help narrow down the culprit.

Do you have ADSL or cable?

 

Looked at few other things:

When downloading a file and running a speed test at the same time:

Bandwidth = 2.2mb/s

When running a speed test alone:

Bandwidth = 4.6mb/s


I'm not sure what this means in all its entirety, but I still have a download rate cap at 650kb/s

After contacting the ISP and receiving little to no actual help along resolving the issue I am at a loss for further ideas, beyond a different ISP or something along those lines.