Slow Wifi on desktop

[stuckinasquare3]

Hey guys

I'm noticing that the desktop in my room is getting really slow Wifi...ok it's not realllllly slow but it's slower than my laptop or iPhone for example. I've done a number of tests and I've been using bandwidthplace.org for speed tests. My laptop and iPhone are getting between 12-15 mbps in my bedroom next to my desktop, but my desktop is only getting 6-7. I've tried 3 different wireless adapters in my desktop and all of them get between 6-7. I'm thinking it's my desktop and NOT all 3 adapters. My first guess is that I'm not giving the adapters enough power via USB...could that be possible?

Thanks

[stuckinasquare3]

Or could it be that all USB adapters suck in general

[dave_the_nerd]

It's not a power issue.

Any of those USB adapters use an external antenna? The antenna integrated into the USB stick is usually a LOT smaller than what you'd find in a laptop.

Are they plugged directly into the back of the machine, or on an extension cable? The desktop computer could be interfering with its own signal. (Yes, really - I've had this happen.)

[Zap]

Originally Posted by stuckinasquare3

Or could it be that all USB adapters suck in general

The mini PCIe interface that notebooks use for WiFi has USB 2.0 signaling, and I believe some adapters use it.

Originally Posted by dave_the_nerd

Any of those USB adapters use an external antenna? The antenna integrated into the USB stick is usually a LOT smaller than what you'd find in a laptop.

Are they plugged directly into the back of the machine, or on an extension cable? The desktop computer could be interfering with its own signal. (Yes, really - I've had this happen.)

Very good points made.

[stuckinasquare3]

2 of the 3 USB adapters use an external antenna. I’ve plugged them all into the front of the machine, not the back, but I’ve also tried with an extension cable from the back.

[remixedcat]

what USB adapter do you have?

[007networkpro]

Use a survey program like netstumbler or inssider to see what kind of signal strength you are getting.

[stuckinasquare3]

Ok so I did some more testing. I have another desktop connected via Ethernet cable and it gets a max of like 7-8mbps. I tried wiring the modem directly into it bypassing the router and it got like 9mbps. My iPhone over wifi though can get like 16mbps. It makes it seem like the problem is windows...

[stuckinasquare3]

And a follow up. Three my Mac into the mix over wifi and got almost 20mbps. So we have a couple of non windows devices getting great speeds and two non windows devices getting less than great speeds on a combination of wired, wireless, and no router.

[remixedcat]

what router do you have?

[Cabletek]

Originally Posted by stuckinasquare3

Hey guys

I'm noticing that the desktop in my room is getting really slow Wifi...ok it's not realllllly slow but it's slower than my laptop or iPhone for example. I've done a number of tests and I've been using bandwidthplace.org for speed tests. My laptop and iPhone are getting between 12-15 mbps in my bedroom next to my desktop, but my desktop is only getting 6-7. I've tried 3 different wireless adapters in my desktop and all of them get between 6-7. I'm thinking it's my desktop and NOT all 3 adapters. My first guess is that I'm not giving the adapters enough power via USB...could that be possible?

Thanks

That test site is not so good becasue you have no idea where its hosted. Try speedtest.net instead and see what happens. I am popping 11 Mb on bandwidthplace.COM, but I get 20Mb for free and I pop 30Mb at speedtest.net. which is correct with the power boost cable offers.

[remixedcat]

do all your tests more then 250 miles away from your current location as well.

[stuckinasquare3]

Just used speedtest and even though I was getting like 6mbps on my desktop From bandwidth place got like 33mbps from speedtest. Why would bandwidthplace give me such a lower speed consistently on two of my devices but not on my others?

[remixedcat]

crappy server and could have been on the other side of the globe... or in a congested network.

[Lemon law]

With my Netgear N150 adapter for a desktop computer, its antenna connected to usb cable allows me to move its antenna our and away from the desktop. As I get the same speeds from desktop and laptop computers. As my wife's desktop computer 50 feet away and behind many layers of drywall does equally well. But even if I enable wireless N, moving 100 ft. away starts to be one bridge too far away for a desktop or laptop.

But still no handicap for me because I can easily locate my WIFI modem anywhere in the house. But I need long range like a hole in the head, after all, why allow my WIFI hotspot to extend beyond my property line where every Tom Dick and Harry can detect it and then try to hack into my Network's defenses?

[stuckinasquare3]

I would assume that all of the devices in my house would connect to the same server...it seems unlikely that my desktop would consistently connect to one crappy server and my phone to a good server