Here Goes:

1-Have Comcast 25Mbps internet w/Arris cable modem
2.)Bought Linksys E2500 series router
3.)It installed and works, hooray.....or not.
4.)Signal strength is full bars everywhere and anywhere in my 3 story home.
5.)Laptop has an N-band wireless card.
6.)All software is up to date.

So, everything is great except that the wireless speed is very slow. I can plug my laptop into the router and top out at around 25mbps BUT if I go wireless my speed tops out at around 5Mbps. Upload speeds for wired/wireless are around 6-7Mbps consistently. As for router placement...well, it's in an empty room in the center of the house and I can put my laptop right next to it and nothing changes. This sucks, since I gave my "old" E1500 N-router to my mother...it works great with the same Comcast internet speed, full bars in all floors of house and gets max available speed whether my laptop is plugged into it or wireless.

Things I've Tried:

1.)New channels for 2.4/5ghz bands.
2.)Turn off router firewall
3.)Decreased the size of the MTU's
4.)Power cycle the router
5.)Power cycle the modem
6.)Power cycle both and hook them up in reverse order.
7.)Reboot router
8.)Turn of IvP 6
9.)Did I miss something?

So, is it defective? I really like the Linksys b/c I put the CD in do about 2 steps and it works.

Just try to be an all knowing techno-douchebag, please. It's a wireless router and not an attack on your honor and pride.