WiFi works perfectly except for mysterious problem

Growltiger

Reputable
May 22, 2015
5
0
4,510
This is an Acer laptop, a few years old, running Win 8.1 64 bit, 4GB memory.
The wifi chip is an Intel Centrino Wireless-N 1000, which supports 802.11 b g and n.
Everything works perfectly. The driver for the wifi is the latest.

The problem is when the laptop is taken to a conference centre (this has happened at multiple locations) where it is competing with dozens of other users. It still connects to the router OK, with a good strong signal. Other users all around are using the internet OK, and not having problems. But this laptop is incredibly slow to get data, and emails often fail to go as the smtp times out. When the other people leave, it then works.

So what seems to happen is that there are people with laptops, iPads, iPhones, all happily communicating and this laptop is (unfairly it seems) getting discriminated against.

I can't think of any logic to explain this. Any suggestions?