[SOLVED] Troubleshooting a slow wifi connection that should be fast?

[matthewjay]

I'm on an almost new Dell laptop, running Windows 10, fully updated. It runs great on my home wifi but is choking at my inlaws' place -- less than 0.5 Mbps. Their computers (also new Dells, running Windows, and sitting right next to mine) get full speed.

I feel like I've ruled out any inherent problems with my machine (like spyware, etc.) by virtue of the fact that it runs fine at home. And I feel like I've also ruled out any inherent problems with my inlaws' router because their also-new computers are working fine with it. Maybe I'm jumping the gun, but it seems like there's something on my computer that simply doesn't like their router.

Would love some tips for troubleshooting this as I need to get some work done during my time here and the Internet is almost unusable.

 

[kanewolf]

I'm on an almost new Dell laptop, running Windows 10, fully updated. It runs great on my home wifi but is choking at my inlaws' place -- less than 0.5 Mbps. Their computers (also new Dells, running Windows, and sitting right next to mine) get full speed.

I feel like I've ruled out any inherent problems with my machine (like spyware, etc.) by virtue of the fact that it runs fine at home. And I feel like I've also ruled out any inherent problems with my inlaws' router because their also-new computers are working fine with it. Maybe I'm jumping the gun, but it seems like there's something on my computer that simply doesn't like their router.

Would love some tips for troubleshooting this as I need to get some work done during my time here and the Internet is almost unusable.

There are a couple possibilities. Your laptop may not be connecting to 5Ghz WIFI. If they have the same SSID (name) then there could be a problem in connecting to 5Ghz for some reason. Their router could be using WIFI channels that your laptop is incompatible with. WIFI channels 2 - 11 on 2.4Ghz and channels less than 50 on 5Ghz are universal. If the router is set to "auto" channel selection it could have picked channels that your laptop can't use.

 

[matthewjay]

There are a couple possibilities. Your laptop may not be connecting to 5Ghz WIFI. If they have the same SSID (name) then there could be a problem in connecting to 5Ghz for some reason. Their router could be using WIFI channels that your laptop is incompatible with. WIFI channels 2 - 11 on 2.4Ghz and channels less than 50 on 5Ghz are universal. If the router is set to "auto" channel selection it could have picked channels that your laptop can't use.

Thanks for your quick reply. I forgot to mention that I'm connecting to 2.4Ghz on channel 6. (The router is the oldest part of this equation and doesn't support 5Ghz.)

 

[kanewolf]

Thanks for your quick reply. I forgot to mention that I'm connecting to 2.4Ghz on channel 6. (The router is the oldest part of this equation and doesn't support 5Ghz.)

That could be a big part of the problem. Unknown what interference or even other devices using the WIFI. I would suggest a "present" to your inlaws of a new router.
Tell them it is for "increased security" because old routers had security holes.