pci network card vs wifi dongle

[Eamon Burns 99]

So here's the deal I have virgin media 60mb broadband and I am not getting the connection I should this is because of the wifi dongle I have (almost sure of it) It cost me £20 and says up to 300mb/s So I was wondering whether or not I should buy I a pci network adaptor but my budget is around £10 is it worth changing or should I just stick with the dongle If I should switch can you recommend a good pci network card that suits my budget please

Thanks

 

[USAFRet]

So here's the deal I have virgin media 60mb broadband and I am not getting the connection I should this is because of the wifi dongle I have (almost sure of it) It cost me £20 and says up to 300mb/s So I was wondering whether or not I should buy I a pci network adaptor but my budget is around £10 is it worth changing or should I just stick with the dongle If I should switch can you recommend a good pci network card that suits my budget please

Thanks

What connection speed are you actually getting?
How far away is the router?
What is in between (rooms, walls, etc)?

 

[Eamon Burns 99]

I am upstairs my router is downstairs it is about 4-6 metres away and on bf3 I am getting things like 70 ping

 

[USAFRet]

I am upstairs my router is downstairs it is about 4-6 metres away and on bf3 I am getting things like 70 ping

And the reported connection speed?
Ping may just be that server.

 

[Eamon Burns 99]

on speedtest.net it says 59.64mbp/s

 

[Eamon Burns 99]

that was download my actual connection is 144.5 mbp/s

 

[USAFRet]

on speedtest.net it says 59.64mbp/s

that was download my actual connection is 144.5 mbp/s

Well, then. Good news. No new equipment is needed. Your router and dongle are performing exactly as they should be.
The 59.6Mbps you see at Speedtest.net is within 1% of the 60Mbps you get from your ISP. The 144.5Mbps is you talking to your router. The "300Mbps" is a bit of marketing trickery. Most mainstream WiFi equipment, that is actually 150Mbps up + 150Mbps down = 300Mbps.

So...talking to Speedtest.net or anywhere else outside, you will never go above ~60Mbps. talking inside your LAN, you'll see that theoretical 150.

Read here for a fuller explanation:
http://www.smallnetbuilder.com/wireless/wireless-basics/31883-how-to-buy-a-wireless-router-2012-edition

 

[Eamon Burns 99]

Thank you, great explanation

however I have another question when I download games from steam there are time when I will be on 5mbps then drop to 1-2mbps any idea what that is or is that normal ?

 

[USAFRet]

Thank you, great explanation

however I have another question when I download games from steam there are time when I will be on 5mbps then drop to 1-2mbps any idea what that is or is that normal ?

That's just what the Steam server is coughing up at that particular moment. You can only download as fast as the other end is serving it up. Load on their servers, lots of concurrent connections...completely normal.