[SOLVED] GT73EVR Wireless Speed - Killer Wireless 1435 AC

[Bailante]

Hi Everyone!

Killer 1435 Wireless, hard capped at 108Mbps, while other devices on the same 5Gz network (Mac Pro 2019) sits at 300Mbps on speedtest.net. Upload 36Mbps for both devices.
I've updated drivers, changed the wireless modes, installed and deleted various versions of the Killer suite ... Speed in connection properties says: 400 Mbps... but alas, actual speedtest.net (or download) speed does not get higher than 108Mbps...

Is there any hope to match MAC OS rival? Any advice would be much appreciated!

 

[bill001g]

What are the exact values you get on the connection. These are not actually transfer speeds they represent they way the data is being encoded.

From the numbers you post this would more likely it would be a 2.4g connection. It also seems to have poor signal levels, I assume you are sitting close to the router for both to get 300mbps for the mac.

The main difference would be the mac is 3x3 mimo and the killer is 2x2 but it does not make a huge difference when things are running correctly.

In any case you need the exact value in the connection speed so you can look it up in the MCS table and can guess what encoding is being done. The key thing here would be to see if the card is able to get enough signal to use the most dense data encodings. The card might have its radio chip failing.

Killer has been known for shipping product that is mostly marketing "gamer" hype. Make sure you uninstall any of the so called gamer network drivers. This software can cause massive bottlenecks on faster connections.

 

[Bailante]

So what I've done, is - there is a separate SSID network for 5g connection, which I renamed, so definitely connected to 5G.

Also choose "Prefer 5Gz" in advanced settings.
I've made sure there are is no extra, related to networking, software installed. Just the driver
The card otherwise behaves well (stable 100 Mbps speed, good ping, no packet loss, etc. It just won't go above the 100).

Here are some screenshots (I am not super knowledgeable about this, so hopefully they have the speeds you are asking about):
1. Windows connection properties window

2. Killer 1435 Laptop speedtest

3. Mac on the same network (on the same table

 

[bill001g]

That means you are only using a 40mhz wide data channel. Can you see the connection rate on the mac.

The optimum connection number for a card like yours is going to be 866 or 867 this is 2x2 mimo on 80mhz.

Not sure if you can attempt to force the channel width on your card. You might consider setting the router to channel 42 rather than 44. This does not seem to be implemented consistently between routers but 42 represents the center of the 80mhz band where 44 is the center of the upper half of that band. You would think it would affect the mac also, be interesting to see if the mac is somehow negoritating a 80mhz channel and your laptop is not. The connections speed/MCS number will tell that.

 

[Bailante]

Really interesting... So I've changed the router settings to as shown below (to 20/40/80 Mhz and Channel #40 - there is no channel 42 in this one for some reason AND unchecked channel optimization).
Mac went from 200mbps to 350 mps (on the speedtest!!!!)
The Killer 1435 laptop went to 866 in the propertis, but STILL 100Mps in the speedtest... Feels like getting somewhere, but missing something
1. Mac on channel 44 with Channel optimization on the router

2. Changed settings on router

3. New Mac speeds

4. New network properties on Killer

5. Speed tests on Mac 350 Mps, on Killer - same 100Mps...

 

[Bailante]

Aaaand, after the above - another iteration of removing Killer suite drivers and installing old Qualcom one - fixed the problem! 350 Mps.
Thank you so much for your help @bill001g

 

[bill001g]

I am glad killer is no more but now we have to hope intel does not ship this crap software.

 

[Bailante]

Aaaand, after the above - another iteration of removing Killer suite drivers and installing old Qualcom one - fixed the problem! 350 Mps.
Thank you so much for your help @bill001g

A year later, I am with this problem again. One of the updates "renewed" drivers, I bet... But I can't find any old Qualcom ones any more 🙁
Even though the driver version is the same, when I fixed it last time - 12.0.0.1118 so not quite sure how to fix it now 😵