The authors investigate the convergence speed problem of nonlinear adaptive equalization. Convergence constraints and time constant of radial basis function network using stochastic gradient (RBF-SG) algorithm is analyzed and a method of making time constant independent of hidden-node output power by using sample-by-sample node output power estimation is derived. The method for estimating the node power is to use a single-pole low-pass filter. It is shown by simulation that the proposed algorithm gives faster convergence and lower minimum MSE than the RBF-SG algorithm.