Netgear WNDR3300 HELP

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jebise101
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Joined: 25 Sep 2009
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PostPosted: Mon Oct 12, 2009 1:51    Post subject: Netgear WNDR3300 HELP Reply with quote
Well i went out and bought 2 of the WNDR3300 and flashed both with dd-wrt.v24_std-wndr3300.chk. Do i need to install any bin's on top of it or are they just updates since they are all dated oct 10 2009?

I'm also having trouble enabling wireless N using 5Ghz mode which was the reason why i bought these routers, So if someone can post step by step instructions that would be great.

Also the data rate are like 27mbps and with my old routers i was getting 130mbps so i do not understand why the data rate is so low

P.S first time playing with DD-WRT and i have read that 5ghz mode works now so there has to be something I'm doing wrong.
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socal87
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PostPosted: Mon Oct 12, 2009 1:57    Post subject: Reply with quote
You don't need to install anything else. The .bin files are for Linksys or Linux firmware...the Netgears don't like anything else but .chk. What you uploaded to your router is a complete build of DD-WRT. All updates are self contained, and if you want to update the version of firmware on your router, you'll have to flash it again. Plain and simple.

As for 5GHz wireless N...I'm not sure if that router is dual radio. If it is, two interfaces should show up under the Wireless > Basic Settings tab. Try setting wl1 to NA mode. Should be 5GHz. Won't do you any good if you don't have a dual band client though.

Simply using a new version of firmware won't give your router the ability to use the 5GHz band. Your router has to be hardware capable. Check the Supported Device list...I'm going to research a bit and see if your router is supposed to be dual band.

Edit: Just checked, Netgear site says it is. So, once you login to the router's web management page, go to the Wireless tab, and under the Basic Settings sub tab, you should see two interfaces...Wireless Physical Interface Wl0 and WL1. Wl1 should be your 5GHz radio. On wl0, Mixed mode will be 2.4GHz BGN 270Mbps capable. On wl1, NA-Only will be 5GHz AN 270mbps capable. Doesn't mean that's what you'll get though.

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jebise101
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PostPosted: Mon Oct 12, 2009 2:21    Post subject: Reply with quote
WOW i feel dumb i went there and changed it to N only just a few minutes ago. But not really getting good speed 121mbps.

What channels should i use and should the wide channel be set to upper or lower??

What about all the bin files that are posted here http://www.dd-wrt.com/site/support/router-database I have read instructions that the .chk file is only used when flashing from netgear firmware to ddwrt firmware. So i was thinking that the bin files are to be used to update the ddwrt firmware, and when they release a new version i would just need to use one of the bins. But what confuses me is why is there so many from mini to generic what is the difference and which ones would i need.

EDIT: he different bins are the same firmware with just different features. I may flash it with the mini firmware since it removes all the junkware i will never use. Will it provide a prefomace increase as i may like the kiad feature with a xbox 360.
socal87
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PostPosted: Mon Oct 12, 2009 5:25    Post subject: Reply with quote
121Mbps is f_cking awesome. Especially if it's consistent. I wouldn't worry about your wireless speed anyway as long as it exceeds your Internet connection.

As for channels to use...Download inSSIDer to see who's on what channel in your area. For N operation, the interface must be set to 40MHz channel...otherwise, for normal 54Mbit operation 20MHz will suffice. Upper and lower determines what channel you can set. Use the 1 - 6 - 11 rule, don't use a channel that overlaps with another network with strong signal.

Yes, you can upload anything with .bin to DD-WRT regardless of what router it's on as long as the router supports it and has enough flash. And yes, using mini could help improve performance, especially if you generate a lot of p2p traffic.

I really doubt you're ever going to use the Kaid feature. It was designed for original Xbox anyway, and I have no idea if it'll work with a 360. The whole idea is to set up a VPN with someone else who has an Xbox behind a DD-WRT router, so you're effectively playing a local network game, and don't need a Live account. Personally, I'd shell out the $49/yr and just go with Live. More people to play with anyway. Very Happy

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jebise101
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PostPosted: Mon Oct 12, 2009 14:23    Post subject: Reply with quote
i don't know what the deal is on average is stays around 135mbps on my main router when i check the bridged router i see like 13mbps or even 1mbps i don't know if that's normal or just the way it should act. Should it not show the same transfer rates on both routers? Also the channels are different for the standard 12 we see with all regular 2.4GHz routers, i have like over a 100 to choose from so that's why i asked which ones to use. Another think i noticed is that right now the main router is set to use channels 54 + 56 but on the bridged router it only uses 54, any idea why??

Well i don't do allot of p2p but we game allot and the main purpose i'm doing all this is so i can stream movies from my desktop to my consoles in full HD.

So would it be better for me to flash it with the mini firmware (maybe i will do it on the bridged one).

The kaid feature i just want to try out and see if it works and if it's actually any good. I know it's suppose to work as a local connection but dose it not connect to some server that other can access.
socal87
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PostPosted: Mon Oct 12, 2009 17:15    Post subject: Reply with quote
Check out http://www.teamxlink.co.uk/. No, Kai does not connect to any sort of server. As I said before, it's simply a VPN connection used for console games to enable long distance system link/local network play. It's point to point...from your router to your friend's. Nothing else.
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redhawk0
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PostPosted: Mon Oct 12, 2009 17:32    Post subject: Reply with quote
socal87 wrote:
You don't need to install anything else. The .bin files are for Linksys or Linux firmware...the Netgears don't like anything else but .chk. What you uploaded to your router is a complete build of DD-WRT. All updates are self contained, and if you want to update the version of firmware on your router, you'll have to flash it again. Plain and simple.


Not really...the initial flash from Netgear FW needs to be a .chk file....if you already have dd-wrt installed (like you do)...you upgrade it using the generic.bin files from that point forward from the router gui.

If you use tftp to flash the router...then you need to use the .chk file as the CFE will be expecting a .chk file...but once booted up into dd-wrt the router gui already is "prep'd" for the .bin.

If you use the router gui to try and flash a .chk file you will get "Incorrect Image File" error message.

redhawk

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btechnet
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Joined: 16 Sep 2009
Posts: 181
Location: USA

PostPosted: Mon Oct 12, 2009 17:50    Post subject: Reply with quote
take a look here for the specs on the settings for the wndr3300

I did quite a bit of extensive testing and found out some pretty good settings

http://www.dd-wrt.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=58201&highlight=wndr3300

and here too

http://www.dd-wrt.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=56931&highlight=wndr3300

the wndr3300 has two radios, one for 2.4G, and one for 2.4/5G. If you set NA only then it will be on 5G but you also need to have MIMO enabled otherwise it won't work.

I check the forum every day, any questions leave a message here and I will help.

I got this router pretty streamlined and have it working swimmingly. I tested it at a lan party and really used the H*&L out of it.

used the 2.4G, 5G, and wired all at the same time without flaws
jebise101
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Joined: 25 Sep 2009
Posts: 594

PostPosted: Mon Oct 12, 2009 19:09    Post subject: Reply with quote
well i didn't enable the MIMO mode but i think it's already enabled and is set to auto, and when i try to change it to like 270mbps it dose go. But i am using it in 5GHz mode which is fine and it's staying at a constant 162mbps which is fine. But i still don't know why the other router reports 13.5mbps as the transfer rate.

I installed the mini version on both routers to get some free memory but the main router still uses most of the memory and i have about 0.7mb free the bridge has about 2mb free. Is that normal i want to turn everything of that would use memory that i can use to speed up my network.

I'll look at the links you posted and report back.
btechnet
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Joined: 16 Sep 2009
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Location: USA

PostPosted: Mon Oct 12, 2009 19:21    Post subject: Reply with quote
as far as memory goes, im using the mini version and it seems to handle p2p and loads of internet activity, even while at a lan party. I don't think that you'll need a ton of memory unless you plan to use the standard version of firmware.

MIMO is enabled by default so thats good if you havent changed it. if the bridged router is reporting less than 112Mbps then its safe to say that you have some interference. If you are using bridged mode for the 5G then try changing the channel. or use lower instead of upper.

if you are turning everythying off that you dont want to use, the process my just be sleeping in the os. Which means that it is still loaded in the ram. turning the option to off may not increase your memory usage but probably speed the transfer rate (not the connection speed.
jebise101
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Joined: 25 Sep 2009
Posts: 594

PostPosted: Mon Oct 12, 2009 19:41    Post subject: Reply with quote
well transfer speeds between a laptop connected to the bridge and the main router is around 4-6MB and i would take better transfer rates over features like telnet and ttraff daemon which i have disabled already. Any other i can do without?

Yeah on the bridged router it stay's at 13.5mbps even if i change the channel before i was at 56 + 54 and now it's set to 104 + 102 on the main router. I don't have any options to pick on the bridged router in-terms of channels, so i can only change the channels on the main router. The thing that i don't get is when the main has 2 channels 104 + 102 why dose the bridge only connect to one like right now it's connected to 102 only.

I have a few more question if you don't mind

1.) How can i reserve ip address to my devices coz right now it assigns random ones. Like one is 192.168.1.117 and another one is like 192.168.1.125 i would rather like to use .100 .102 etc.

2.) Would increasing the TX Power increase my range? right now i'm getting about 37% signal strength when it set to 71MW (but i had this problem with every wireless router that i have gotten and i had like 5 different ones in the past 2 week.)

3.) Anyway to customize the dome lights? I like it off but it would be cool if you can set the lights in different patterns.

P.S i swapped the routers around to see if maybe one router was faulty but they are fine.

EDIT:

It seems when i started streaming a movie to test the connection and actually started using the bridge i get 100+mbps on the bridge router and and 100+mbps on the main on average i would say like 108mbps for bother routers.
btechnet
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Joined: 16 Sep 2009
Posts: 181
Location: USA

PostPosted: Tue Oct 13, 2009 4:09    Post subject: Reply with quote
For question #1 i think i know what your saying. correct me if im wrong but you want to assign a ip address to a certain computer or device.

To do that, open dd-wrt on you main router. Click the services tab. About half-way down the page you should see in really tiny text "Static Leases". Click add and add you mac address of the device along with the host name and the ip address you want it to have. click save then apply settings then reboot.

For question #2, If your getting poor signal strength, again you'll have to play with the channels. BTW where are you getting 37% from the router or computer? Some routers are set by default for signal strength and it cannot be changed, i know that when i change my strength over 150mW my router starts to get buggy and shutdown.

It is normal to get between 4-6MB on bridged routers. When you are using a repeater bridge the wireless transfers are going to be slow. If you have your laptop connected wirelessly to the bridged router and the bridged router is connected wirelessly to the main then you can only get 1/2 the bandwith for your laptop and 1/2 for the bridge to main.

If you are using client bridge mode then you can only be hooked up wired to the bridged router and wirelss to the main router. The data speeds are a bit faster but not really super fast.

My expirence has led me to believe that you should use the mini firmware on both routers. use dd-wrt.v24_mini_generic.bin 12533. i've been using that one for a while and it seems pretty bulletproof.

The dome lights, not anything that im aware of yet at this time.
socal87
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Joined: 30 Jun 2009
Posts: 944
Location: Here

PostPosted: Tue Oct 13, 2009 5:12    Post subject: Reply with quote
Another way to simplify your IP leases is to disable DNSMasq. It basically uses the hostname (or MAC) of each client to determine which IP to assign. If you disable it, it will start at the bottom of the pool (.1, if your pool is default) and increment with each client.

The easiest thing to do, if you want each client to use a specific IP, is static leasing, as described.

Increasing the TX power won't necessarily increase your range or throughput. It will broadcast a somewhat stronger signal from the router, but ONLY from the router. Your computer's wifi radio remains the same, and remains the limiting factor in range. Keep in mind that wifi is a fickle animal, and it's hard to get near perfect throughput, even in a quiet RF environment with little sources of attenuation or reflection. The best speed you'd ever see would probably be in the middle of a field, 10 meters from the router, with no buildings or fences or anything around. The best thing to do to improve signal between your router and computer is to 1) use a router with external antennas, 2) use a wireless card also with an external "whip" antenna, or 3) use improved antennas on both...not easy or feasible if they have internal antennas.

As for the lights...I know it is possible to change their operation, however exactly -how- I don't know. Check the wiki for gpio, maybe someone else in here will interject with their knowledge on the topic.

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jebise101
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Joined: 25 Sep 2009
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PostPosted: Tue Oct 13, 2009 5:23    Post subject: Reply with quote
Yes for question 1 that's what i was looking for.

Alright here is my setup one main router that's hardwired to a desktop in the office with the internet modem etc. Then another router in a room that is bridged to the main router, the bridged router is hardwired to a laptop (dose not have a wireless N card) and a console. All devices are hardwired to the bridge or are hardwired to the main. Except another laptop that i could careless for since it has a N card built in(not the problem).

So the 37% signal strength i was talking about was for the main router and the bridge and nothing more. The transfer rates as of right now are
Main shows 108mbps
Bridge shows 13.5mbps

Tried all lower channels with no effect on the bridge speeds. I got 243mbps on one channel but it quickly dropped to 13.5mbps again. The main router had little effect also.

As a test i started a movie on my console so i can test the transfer rate (movies are all stored on the desktop[use it as a server]) so it would have to go through between both routers and checked the data rate on the bridge and it changed to like 162mbps. Which means that it working fine and uses the more data when it needs to!!! seems weird to me??

I tried to change the MIMO - Transmission Fixed Rate to a different value other then Auto but cannot and it goes back to auto no matter what value i pick.


Lastly i'm using DD-WRT v24-sp2 (10/10/09) mini(SVN revision 13064)so why would i use build 12533? is there any reason why i should not use the latest??
When checking the database yesterday that was the recommended version so that's the one i choose.

@socal87
Thanks that's what i been looking for i been used to having my main desktop at 192.168.1.100 and need static for torrents and it just neater to have it increase in increments.

What dose DNSMasq do? whats so special about it that it's enabled by default?

I know i will never get full 300mbps i will be happy with a stable 162mbps, So increasing the TX on both routers should help no? like if i change the TX on both routers to like 81mW or something should help no??


The routers are like 30-40 feet apart with 3 walls in between.
dcd693
DD-WRT Novice


Joined: 18 Sep 2009
Posts: 11

PostPosted: Tue Oct 13, 2009 19:06    Post subject: Reply with quote
I have two of these routers as well, and the signal strength also hovers around 35-40% (for that matter, I also have 3 walls between them). I'm running them at 84mW, but I don't think that's made a change (+ or -) from the default 71.

I, too, have found very inconsistent behavior from these routers when used in bridge mode (client or repeater). My connections can start at 270mbps, then suddenly dip for no apparent reason, then go back up.

I used a utility called netcps: http://www.netchain.com/netcps/ to measure the real speed of the network and not depend on what was reported in dd-wrt. What I found was pretty erratic (and generally disappointing) results. I tried it on 5Ghz N, 2.4Ghz N wide, 2.4Ghz N 20Mhz wide, and using plain G only. I'd start out with a really good speed, then it would dip as soon as any real data was pumped through the network. G was the most reliable at keeping a speady connection speed.

Though I love dd-wrt and spend mucho money on these routers, I'm pretty much settled on a Powerline setup. Anybody in the market for one of these? Smile
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