I'm having problems with an Edimax EW-7612PIn internal wireless card!!

[ruby34]

Hello

I'm having problems with an Edimax EW-7612PIn wireless PCI-E card.. it's on a PC with Windows 7 64 bit.

I can connect to the home network router (from the ISP) and surf the net and download data (games on Steam etc) and it NEVER disconnects me etc.. but sometimes they will be a sudden drop in speed and then after a few minutes or so it rises.. the normal speed for us is about 520 KB/sec but I don't always get this.. I'll mention a few things to here:

I use other machines (laptops) and I ALWAYS get over 500 KB/s ie top speed.. it doesn't have the drop outs etc.

I always use sites like Nvidia (for drivers) or Oracle (for Java JDK) as TESTS for speed.. again when I use OTHER machines in the SAME house the SAME router/ISP and same websites/download file the speed is our TOP speed ie over 500 KB/s.

I DID move the position of the antenna connected to wireless card and it DOES make a difference it can hit that top speed for some time.. it is BETTER but not PERFECT like the other machines.

I also discovered that having the antenna in close proximity to USB 3.0 cables slows the speed down.. I have external hard drives (via USB 3.0) and when I switch the power off to them.. the downloading speed
jumps up in an instant.

I have when having these sudden drops in speed.. tested different apps.. for example downloaded a file using Firefox and then Steam and then GOG.com downloader and they ALL had the same slow speed.

I have got help from some PC manufacturer who say it seems like a DRIVER ISSUE.. and I should update the drivers etc.. I think this seems correct as the PC can sustain those high speeds for some time but has these dropouts in speed from time to time.

I have downloaded/updated drivers and am monitoring the situation to see if it helps but I have general questions about DRIVERS.. when you're updating/replacing drivers can you install OVER existing ones (for any hardware)?

If the driver file/setup program is being run.. will that check to see if the driver matches the hardware etc?

If anyone has any suggestions and ideas then please let me know?

Thanks in advance.

 

[JackMDS]

Make sure that you only loaded the Drivers and that there is No Edimax Wireless Manager running in tandem of Widows Wireless manger.

 

[ruby34]

Hello JackMDS

The installation file from Edimax does install a wireless utility.. technical support from SC (Scan Computers) said it may be helpful but having seen it.. it's no different to what Windows can do therefore I don't see the point?

How do you just install the drivers.. I THINK you go to "update drivers" and search for an .INF file yes?

The other thing is Edimax in their support section have 7612PIn and 7612PIn V2.. unless I dig up the original CD for this card.. is their someway via software I can determine what I have V1 or V2?

SC have said if a driver program is run.. then it CHECKS if you have the correct hardware item.. in other words if it was wrong it would warn you.

I ran V1 and then V2.. and then SC said just use V1 and if you reinstall drivers you can do it OVER existing ones.. and it just replaces it.. so I am back on V1.. I was also told that V2 may refer to an updated BIOS on the wireless card.

I remember when this started.. the download speed never hit top speeds of 560 KB/s but other machines in this house did.. when I adjusted the antenna then yes it started getting top speeds.. but it still has these drop out issues.. for example it can DL at 540 KB/s for an hour and then for 5 mins it will drop to 250 KB/s.. and it's every program and source (Nvidia or Oracle website) not just Steam.

I'm not a Physicist but interference shouldn't work like that.. I'm trying to find the cause of these drop outs... I will do some more monitoring/testing.

Thanks for your help

 

[ruby34]

I've got some new information that MAY help. I did open the Edimax Wireless Manager and it showed Signal Strength and Link Quality and when I'm DL at like 560-580 KB/s (top speeds) the values seen to be high.

I'm observing the two green bars and will see if there is any correlation... ie screen shots and compare values during high/low DL speed periods.. if it is some sort of interference then an antenna extension cable MAY help.

The other thing the DL speed seems to hit high when BOTH SS and LQ are at highs.. there have been speeds of 100 KB/s and LQ is high (like 99%) but the SS is low at 62% (relative speaking)... when I'm hitting high DL speed the SS is like 76%.. when it's low its 60-70%.. but I will monitor.