[SOLVED] Need advice on my usb wifi dongle set-up - crippling internet speeds

[lordofthetrance]

My main work PC has a usb wifi dongle and when performing any internet speed tests, always underperforms compared to my other devices. I use it because there's no room on the motherboard for a proper network card.

Just moved country and temporarily staying with my mother who has a router with a very weak signal, so I'm barely getting one mbps (other devices get around 10). I'm about 15 feet from the router and on the floor above it.

Here's my current dongle: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Archer-T2U-Wireless-Supports-10-7-10-13/dp/B00K11UIV4

So my question is (on top of getting a router upgrade) will a better dongle, perhaps with an antenna, help the signal? or are they all pretty much the same?

 

[jay32267]

My main work PC has a usb wifi dongle and when performing any internet speed tests, always underperforms compared to my other devices. I use it because there's no room on the motherboard for a proper network card.

Just moved country and temporarily staying with my mother who has a router with a very weak signal, so I'm barely getting one mbps (other devices get around 10). I'm about 15 feet from the router and on the floor above it.

Here's my current dongle: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Archer-T2U-Wireless-Supports-10-7-10-13/dp/B00K11UIV4

So my question is (on top of getting a router upgrade) will a better dongle, perhaps with an antenna, help the signal? or are they all pretty much the same?

No they are not the same.
I've had similar problems as you using apparently substandard dongles.
These eliminated my bad dongle problems.
https://www.amazon.com/NETGEAR-AC600-IEEE-802-11ac-Wi-Fi/dp/B077HD38VF
I imagine there are other dongle models that would have as well. I obviously don't know if these will solve your problem....but there are differences...and these worked for me.

Also, the one in my living room which is furthest from the router....I have a USB extension cable and I have the dongle up near the ceiling. It gets better signal that way.

 

[lordofthetrance]

No they are not the same.
I've had similar problems as you using apparently substandard dongles.
These eliminated my bad dongle problems.
https://www.amazon.com/NETGEAR-AC600-IEEE-802-11ac-Wi-Fi/dp/B077HD38VF
I imagine there are other dongle models that would have as well. I obviously don't know if these will solve your problem....but there are differences...and these worked for me.

Also, the one in my living room which is furthest from the router....I have a USB extension cable and I have the dongle up near the ceiling. It gets better signal that way.

Cool, thanks for the advice. That USB extension sounds interesting. Might look into that if the signal is still weak!
Also, that one you linked doesn't have antenna, so what in particular makes it better than the one I have?
cheers

 

[jay32267]

Cool, thanks for the advice. That USB extension sounds interesting. Might look into that if the signal is still weak! cheers

You're welcome.
The extension is about 8 feet long.
It gets the dongle up to the ceiling...the PC is near the floor.
But, I definitely think the quality of the USB adapter comes into play because I have two other PCs...that are much closer to the router....that I also had trouble with cheap adapters....and they both started acting correctly after I changed the dongles....and they DON'T have extensions.