Odd Desktop Wireless Problems

The ASUS PCE-N53 should work fine (I have 2, and a PCE-N15). The problem is likely your router; it isn't strong enough to reach your PC.

Hmm. That is rather odd. I'll come back to this thread if I think of something else.

As for the driver, I believe I just installed straight from the disk, and chose not to install the ASUS utility.

recommended to add in some extra just 'incase'

Removing the PSU doesn't 'resolve it'. It isn't interfering with the system nor the single part causing the problems. The overall power consumption is done even with parts not actually plugged in (liek USB ports) it still 'powering them' for the instant 'on' accessibility your expecting. So the overall powerlevel your providng does not meet the the needs of the system, so you need to replace the PSU. Until you do the results are too variable to get 'another answer' that doesn't resolve the PSU problem you DO have as well.

My mistake. So moving on would be to test if it is hardware or software. Your best test would be to simply setup next to the router itself and wire connect, does it also 'go slow' ? Then try wireless when your that close, is it still low? I had one person on the desktop use a Wireless Keyboard, but because it transmitted on the same bandwidth as the wireless (802.11b/g) it would cause interference. Once they turned it off and used a wired one everything worked flawlessly. Another time it was because the microwave they got whenever someone use it would cause the problem as well (loved getting them to test that one, was funny as hell!).

If your wired connection sucks as well, then your looking at more likely a software issue (Virus, malware, bad Windows drivers, bad Windows install) and less likely but still 'on the radar', PSU or Mobo (I/O chipset) is failing / now fully functional (could be a BIOS update would help) if the card is Integrated. If it is add on then running the wired connection shouldn't matter to the 'speed', and simply replace it.

If your wired connection works, AND it is integrated to the Mobo, then we are only looking at either Drivers bad install, Windows corrupted (reload from scratch) or check for BIOS update to see if there is a known issue needing to be updated (firmware).

Is your desktop's tower on the floor or on the desk? Changes in antenna height can make a big difference in signal strength, as a wireless signal traveling through a wall or floor at an angle is weaker than a signal going straight through. Try putting your laptop at the same height as the antennas on your desktop and see if the signal strength changes.

Casey

No that is basically a hack solution to make a 'wireless card' out of a wired card and a bridged router, before you could walk to Walmart and just buy a USB Wifi and get wifi.

Okay a few things to solid this up, basically it is all networking issue, so lets not worry about anything else and follow what I say. Assuming the laptop is a Windows product as well, add to both desktop and laptop http://www.softperfect.com/products/networx/ . Once installed go to the bottom bar to the left of the tray, right click > Toolbars > Networx Desk Band will add a always display meter to see what your down and up is.

Normally I do a simple test to gauge differences. My usual test would be to go to http://filehippo.com/download_avast_antivirus/ and just download Avast! (it is a free antivirus) and monitor how long it takes on the laptop. Then go to the desktop wirelessly and try it, then finally third time downloading, try with just a wired connection. Compare. You basically did that with your steam test roughly, but that is very dynamic depending on things (ever try to download during the Steam Summer Sale? OMG! LOL).

Now the 1Mb difference your seeing isn't significant realistically, I was looking more for 10Mb wired, 2 or less Wireless. That would indicate more a issue to consider some things. With the 1Mb difference this is near negligible, but lets see if we can improve it a bit?

1st) Do you have full admin access over the router? If it is a ISP provided one then you can't access the parts I am going to suggest.
2nd) Go to every connecting system and enable under Networking Panel for that wireless/wired connection QoS (Quality of Service).
3Rd) enable QoS on the router, this is a table that you can specify certain application / ports have precedence over others. You can even specify a connecting device has precedence over the other connecting ones.
4TH) Install http://www.xirrus.com/Products/Network-Management-and-Software/Network-Management/Wi-Fi-Inspector on either the laptop (much easier so you can roam around) or the desktop. Now use it to scan for signals, how many networks are nearby where the router is? Note them down (the closest being near the top) and what CHANNEL they are on. Now check for similiar names, like several CableTV Wireless are listed. Then do the same thing where you want the desktop to sit, by actually putting the laptop back to the backside of the desktop would sit. Again observe and see your quality of signal, how many other 'radios' are broadcasting and what channels.
5Th) With this information in hand you can then properly rename your network to something else. I am hoping your network is 'secure' (you need a password to get 'on it'), if not enable and setup WPS2. Also change the channel to a channel not being overloaded. For example if you have 4 neighbors all on Channel 7, then switch to 9, or maybe 11. You have to play with that to see what gives the best signal with the least interference.

Once you have all that done, then retest again with the laptop the downloads, both wireless and wired, then test with the desktop see if there is the same results and a 'difference' between wireless and wired still. This should narrow the margin.

Well then you will need to skip the parts for MAC unless you have a similiar product you can find that does the similiar task (shows wireless in range, the range to them, the channel they are on, names of the wireless you see, etc.).

That said, all the steps I provided are to help your desktop. You started off as " I was trying to figure out why I wasn't getting the speed my laptop was," so the laptop is setting the 'benchmark' or 'goal' the desktop SHOULD be expected to be near and isn't. So the steps I am providing is trying to walk through either solving or figuring out the problem more narrowly.

If your that hesitant, then hire a IT professional to make a home visit, because that would be the only way 'in your enviroment' to understand why the wireless communication on that desktop is different.