How can I improve my home network wireless speed?

My home network is using a Dlink 624 with firmware 2.76 and my remote computer is using a Belkin USB G version F5D7050. When I log onto the computer and it get on the wireless signal it shows as VERY GOOD and 56Mbps but then it drops to 18-24. I figured that it would be better than my 11Mbps antenna i had but it seems slower? Any suggestion? Oh, it's about 40 feeet from the Dlink-single level house on channel 11 with extended range mode on and Qos enabled also. Long preamble and CTS in auto. Mu internet is WAY slower with the Belkin G adaptor than it was with the B adaptor i had? Looking at 10-20 seconds to load a page campared to 1-10 with the B ? Just can't figure it out????

Public Comments

1. If you are getting a good signal at 40 ft - you are doing well. You know - your wireless signal for Internet is only going to as fast as your ISP provides. Unless you are running FIOS - you are not going to reach the 'potential' of 18-24.
2. Let's see, drops to 18-24 that's very low to low. I'm thinking that the 40 foot distance may be causing signal interference even with ERM on. At times you can have too much of a good thing, or too much of a signal is just as bad as not enough. Have you tried turning ERM off and see what you get. Also try using short preamble with Ch11 should give a better connection. I would think but then you never relly know until you try.
3. Try and use a different channel. If you can use a wireless scanner and try and see who is using what channel. The typical channel that is defaulted on most wireless routers is 11. Try switching channels, that should help out, especially if the other people running wireless only did a plug and play setup on their routers. You could have a bunch of people using channel 11, which means your router and wireless card are having to do encryption and authentication checks all the time. Disable QOS if you can do that and enable wireless MAC filtering at the same time. B & G have an estimated distance of 300ft so you should be fine, but you could also have problems with what is in your house such as, tvs, radios, universal remotes, phones, and anything else that broadcasts. But first things first, change the channel to I don’ t know 5 or 9. Sorry I forgot something, With your USB adapter can you go in and configure what spec you are using? If you can go in and turn off B and make it G only. Also go in and configure the wireless adapter through windows and set "Minimum Power Consumption" to Disable, set "Power Output" to 100%, set "Power Save Mode" to Disable, set "Rate" to Use best rate, set "Blue tooth Collaboration" to Disable (Especially if you have an blue tooth devices in your house). Try those they should help. The channel is the most important thing though, and QOS being disabled with MAC Filtering on. Your router is working too hard. Also check your firewall settings in your router and make sure that you don’t have any unnecessary protocols or processes taking place.