Wifi adapter slow

0

I find that my Wifi gives 0.5-5 mb/s at a speed-test site on my Windows 7 Lenovo laptop with Centrino® Advanced-N 6205 wireless card.

With two other computers, I get the nominal 15 mb/s.

This happens even when I am right next to the router.

On another Wifi network (at my office), the speed is up to 17 mb/s, so there is no fundamental limit in my wifi card. The problem is in the interaction of the laptop and the specific network.

What could be causing such slowness that is specific to this one laptop?

Joshua Fox

Posted 2013-05-27T19:02:52.513

Reputation: 495

1you could try updating the drivers – Shekhar – 2013-05-27T19:03:22.083

Answers

1

It can be driver related, it may also be hardware related.

If the issue is driver related, go to the manufacturers site and download the latest drivers available for your card.

If hardware is to blame, the card is required to conform to the standard they don't necessarily have to have peak performance. Reading carefully, every card will advertise "Up To 54Mb/s" for 802.11g. The card may just not be up to the task. I don't know the brand myself, but I have seen plenty of disappointing network cards in the past.

If possible, test another wireless card in the laptop and see if you get better performance. You may want to invest in another card if so. (They are relatively inexpensive)

Finally, depending on your testing methods, this issue may actually be between your router and the ISP. Note that you only want to be testing the connection between your laptop and the router. Everything else is out of your control. Also, since WiFi is all about contention, depending on the number of devices currently connected can effect your test. Check your router's DHCP lease table for a list of devices connected.

Will.Beninger

Posted 2013-05-27T19:02:52.513

Reputation: 1 402

On another Wifi network (at my office), the speed is up to 17 mb/s, so there is no problem with my wifi driver or card alone.

The problem is in the interaction of the laptop and the specific network. – Joshua Fox – 2013-05-28T14:32:52.600

As to "issue may actually be between your router and the ISP" -- I have no way to measure speed just to the router, though I can see ping tims. But in any case, I ran the speed test from different laptops, and most of them achieved the nominal 15 mb/s. Only this computer was achieving 0.5 - 5 mb/s. – Joshua Fox – 2013-05-28T14:35:23.190

As I said, when adding in more than one testing parameter you introduce errors. If you want to narrow down the issue you need to narrow down what you're testing. If you think the connection between the router and laptop is slow, only test that link. You can find tons of programs online to do data bursts and test the connection speed just between your router and you. – Will.Beninger – 2013-05-28T16:20:41.913

Asked: 2013-05-27T19:02:52.513

Viewed: 481 times

Active: 2013-05-28T14:32:42.507