Question Laptop WiFi is so slow

[simnerd]

The Wifi on my Toshiba Satellite C50-B-13N is getting slower and slower - download speed of <1Mb and upload 0.2Mb or zero. My other Laptop in the same location is getting 35Mb up and 10Mb down so its not the Router. Could it be the Network Adapter (Qualcomm Atheros AR956x) or is there something else likely to be going on? Can I measure the Network Adapter's performance somehow?

 

[Phillip Corcoran]

See if Toshiba have a later WLAN driver for that laptop model. If they don't, just try re-installing existing one.

 

[simnerd]

See if Toshiba have a later WLAN driver for that laptop model. If they don't, just try re-installing existing one.

Thanks for that tip Phillip. However, I updated the driver as you suggested but the download average speed has decreased further although the upload speed has increased quite significantly (although this may just be a coincidence)! Can I do any other checks or is there any process that might be going on that would result in the poor download speed?

 

[Phillip Corcoran]

I don't know what else to suggest other than trying a USB WiFi adapter and disabling the internal one in Device Manager.

 

[Wrecker75]

There may be something new that is interfering with that card and the other laptop may have a card running on 5GHz band or has more channels to choose from. I'd start by moving right next to the wifi router and see if speed improves.

Other options would be...

I don't know what else to suggest other than trying a USB WiFi adapter and disabling the internal one in Device Manager.

Or if you are comfortable doing it, you can buy and install a better internal card.

 

[simnerd]

I don't know what else to suggest other than trying a USB WiFi adapter and disabling the internal one in Device Manager.

Thanks for your help. I might try that.

 

[simnerd]

There may be something new that is interfering with that card and the other laptop may have a card running on 5GHz band or has more channels to choose from. I'd start by moving right next to the wifi router and see if speed improves.

Other options would be...


Or if you are comfortable doing it, you can buy and install a better internal card.

Thanks for your help. I'll try the WiFi dongle route first.