1.5Mbps Wi-fi on 100mbps network?

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midrange

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Can't figure out why my laptop is getting such horrible speed test results. It's an older gateway M model, unsure of the specific. I have the default wireless card disabled and am using a TP link wireless N 2.4Ghz adapter.

My router is a belkin 450N.

My desktop is testing around where it should be ~90-100 mbps on speedtest.net. My phone (M8) is testing around 50-80mbps.

My laptop, which is in the same place I'm testing my phone from, is jumping all over the place. I just tested below 1Mbps. It's consistently around 3-10, and sometimes goes as high as 25. Previously I was testing much closer to the rated 100 a week or two ago. I haven't changed any settings.

My router settings are as follows:
2.4/5 Ghz
802.11n only
20/40Mhz bandwidth
auto wireless channel
WPA2-PSK

I think all other router settings are more or less default other than guest access off. I can't think of why my laptop is struggling so hard compared to my phone. I can't imagine traffic is the issue as the problem has been consistent recently and I'm <20ft from my router
 
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kicsrules

kicsrules

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can you explain why the 5Ghz band on auto or 40 mhz causes problems with 2.4 ghz band ?


also, make sure if you have a dual band router, set ssid different for the 2.4 ghz and 5 ghz
 
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M

midrange

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I did have both SSID the same. I changed them each. I'm not sure if it helped much. I'm getting about 25-30MBps right now, but I was occasionally getting that before as well. Still, I'd think I should be getting much closer to at least 70 or so I'd think.

As far as band, I changed the 2.4GHz to 20.. should I change the same on my wireless adapter? It has the same setting.
 
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abailey

abailey

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You can leave the settings on your card alone. The card will take what the AP has. Another thing you can try is to change the encryption from WPA2-PSK to WPA2-AES (if your router has that). To be honest, if you are getting a steady 25-30Mbit/s on the 2.4Ghz bandwidth that is not too bad. I get right at 30Mbit/s on 2.4Ghz at my house. I can get right at 100Mbit/s on the 5Ghz band (because the channel is free of interference and I can use 40Mhz wide channels on that band).
 
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abailey

abailey

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I just looked up your router, the Belkin N450. It shows link rates of 150Mbit on the 2.4Ghz band and 300Mbit on the 5Ghz band. So to get actual throughput you need to do some calculations. Since you have your router set to wireless N only (which is the highest speed) you wireless overhead is about 33%. So your actual throughput is 99Mbit/s. Now since wifi is half duplex you have to cut that speed in half to compare it to a wired speed. So your max throughput with a perfect signal on the 2.4Ghz band would be 49.5Mbit/s. In reality you will almost never see that throughput once you talk about signal attenuation and interference from other sources. So 30Mbit/s may be the max you can get in that band in your location with that router.
 
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midrange

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Hey.. thanks. Well, that certainly makes sense. If I was consistently getting 30Mbps I'd be perfectly happy. Right now I'm testing back at 1-3. I am in an apartment complex so I do understand there's interference. But that much just seems unreal. 1Mbps!! On a 100Mbps network.
 
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M

midrange

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This is really becoming frustrating. I'm in a LDR, and currently, we can't even hold a Skype conversation for more than 10 seconds without things freezing or the call dropping altogether. I thought for sure I'd solve everything by buying this wireless N adapter, but right now I'm just having massive issues and a bit unsure where to go from here
 
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abailey

abailey

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My bet is massive interference from other devices, probably other Wifi. Remember a wifi radio can only talk to one device at a time, and can only transmit or receive at any one time, but not both. So the more devices you have on wireless, the less time each gets (and thus less bandwidth). This applies not only to your radio, but to other wifi radios and devices on your same channel. So even if just one other person was on your channel and he had two devices streaming all the time, there would not be much airtime left for your devices. In an apartment complex you probably have many on the same channel, and in fact many on every 2.4Ghz channel (since there are only really three channels 1,6, and 11). It is even worse when someone chooses a channel besides 1,6, or 11. If they are on the exact same channel, your device can "negotiate" somewhat with others on the channel for airtime. If they are on overlapping channels this does not happen. Is it possible for you to use the 5Ghz band?
 
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M

midrange

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Ok, so yes I've scanned and I know there are others on my channel. And yes 5Ghz is significantly better. I just did some tests on my M8 switching back and forth between 2.4 and 5. Starting on 2.4 I got 3Mbps. Switching to 5 I got 46. Back to 2.4 I got ok results at 14, then 10. Back to 5 I got 78, then 39, then 42.

So yes the 5Ghz is significantly better (although still jumping a good bit). But also my laptop is testing much consistently lower and sporadic on 2.4Ghz than my phone is. Ugh.. I could get a 5Ghz adapter, it's just frustrating I just bought this one, and they're not exactly cheap.

I was reading up a bit on DD-WRT which seemed interesting but I didn't see anything for support on my router.

Is there anything at all I can do to salvage what I have, or is buying a new 5Ghz adapter the only solution?
 
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