Why large speed difference between TKIP and AES encryption?
Tags:
- Wireless Router
- Encryption
- Connection
- Wireless Networking
Last response: in Wireless Networking
alphanode
March 19, 2011 7:01:34 PM
I was playing around with my wireless router settings and I noticed something strange.
When I set my computer to use AES encryption, my link connection speed became greater than 54 Mbps. Unfortunately, running some internet speed tests showed a consistent download speed of less than 400 kbps, although my upload stayed around normal at 4000 kbps.
When I switched to TKIP encryption, my link connection slowed down to 54 Mbps (which I'm assuming means it switched to G mode rather than N). However, my speed tests resumed their normal fast speed of downloading at 10,000 kbps or higher, and upload around the same 4000 kbps range.
I'm trying to figure out why the heck this would happen? Is this a problem with my wireless card? A problem with my wireless router? Has anybody seen anything like this before?
Thanks.
When I set my computer to use AES encryption, my link connection speed became greater than 54 Mbps. Unfortunately, running some internet speed tests showed a consistent download speed of less than 400 kbps, although my upload stayed around normal at 4000 kbps.
When I switched to TKIP encryption, my link connection slowed down to 54 Mbps (which I'm assuming means it switched to G mode rather than N). However, my speed tests resumed their normal fast speed of downloading at 10,000 kbps or higher, and upload around the same 4000 kbps range.
I'm trying to figure out why the heck this would happen? Is this a problem with my wireless card? A problem with my wireless router? Has anybody seen anything like this before?
Thanks.
More about : large speed difference tkip aes encryption
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Reply to alphanode
thendershot
March 20, 2011 12:04:31 PM
i have never seen.. normally would recommend aes because it is a much more secure. Whenever you enable security on a wireless network you take some kind of performance hit (security requires extra bandwidth and processing time). Maybe your router did not ship with aes and it was part of a firmware upgrade and aes is to much math for the router??
when you did speed test was it to the same site? and you did it a few times?
when you did speed test was it to the same site? and you did it a few times?
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Reply to thendershot
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alphanode
March 21, 2011 6:25:07 PM
Yep. Exact same test site and performed test twice for each encryption within a matter of minutes. Did 2 aes, switched encryption, then 2 tkip, then one final round of 2 aes.
I think I read somewhere that aes uses the router hardware for encryption/decryption... so I may try another router. I may also try two laptops at the same time and see what happens.
I think I read somewhere that aes uses the router hardware for encryption/decryption... so I may try another router. I may also try two laptops at the same time and see what happens.
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Reply to alphanode
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alphanode
March 28, 2011 12:08:27 AM
songoffire
February 1, 2012 2:38:20 AM
nevilread
July 13, 2012 10:48:49 AM
The group that sets the WIFI standards are phasing out TKIP and WEP. They have well known security problems. New routers with 'n' (2010 or later) will only work with TKIP or WEP encryption in 'g' mode.
They didn't kill TKIP and WEP for 'b' and 'g' mode in order to guarantee that older equipment would still be forward compatible.
If you are using mixed mode 'n' + 'g' for example, these routers drop you to 'g' if you use anything other than AES encryption. Some routers warn you, but sadly few.
They didn't kill TKIP and WEP for 'b' and 'g' mode in order to guarantee that older equipment would still be forward compatible.
If you are using mixed mode 'n' + 'g' for example, these routers drop you to 'g' if you use anything other than AES encryption. Some routers warn you, but sadly few.
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Sam_2012
November 14, 2012 3:26:56 AM
ngrego
November 14, 2012 11:17:49 AM
ngrego said:
The encriprion slows down the connection speed. The router simply needs more time to encrypt the data it is transmitting.Agreed but why would it waste time encrypting incoming data without affecting upload speeds? Does that not imply it isn't bothering to encrypt the OP's outgoing data which, to my mind, is far more important.
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Reply to Saga Lout
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john-b691
November 15, 2012 10:08:09 AM
This a very old thread but it isn't that tkip is any slower...actually aes is since it takes more processor to encode.
The reason it works this way is part of the n standard. If you tell it to run tkip it will not run faster than the g standard. If you run AES then you can go to whatever the max speed N allows.
The reason it works this way is part of the n standard. If you tell it to run tkip it will not run faster than the g standard. If you run AES then you can go to whatever the max speed N allows.
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Reply to john-b691
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greenwood0825
October 9, 2014 5:35:42 PM
totally reviving a dead thread but this caught my attention while I was doing some network optimization and brought up a question.
So one of the responses talked about how encryption slowed connection and I noticed that though switching from AES to TKIP halved download speed, (while having no effect on upload) it made the connection more stable reducing latency and "jitter" as they call it on charter speed test resulting in less packet loss!
So for an experiment I turned off all encryption and as an end result the connection test resulted in 1/4th the speed of TKIP! if encryption slows communications why might this happen? I am using a 300mbps netgear router and wireless adapter and have charters 100meg connection. I am about 20 feet from the router with nothing in the way and I never have any connection issues this was just an idle curiosity!
Thanks for the intel guys!
So one of the responses talked about how encryption slowed connection and I noticed that though switching from AES to TKIP halved download speed, (while having no effect on upload) it made the connection more stable reducing latency and "jitter" as they call it on charter speed test resulting in less packet loss!
So for an experiment I turned off all encryption and as an end result the connection test resulted in 1/4th the speed of TKIP! if encryption slows communications why might this happen? I am using a 300mbps netgear router and wireless adapter and have charters 100meg connection. I am about 20 feet from the router with nothing in the way and I never have any connection issues this was just an idle curiosity!
Thanks for the intel guys!
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