[SOLVED] Unacceptably slow WiFi with Intel 9260

Mar 14, 2020
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Hello Forum,

I really really hope you can help me as I write this in big frusturation after spending whole days trying to figure out something - with no luck.

My new built PC is getting really slow with the in-built WiFi card on the motherboard. My PC is only a month old and did not have these issues until few days ago.

My motherboard is a MSI B450 Gaming Carbon Pro, with a built in Intel 9260 WiFi adapter. This is the specific reason I chose to pay a little extra for this, because I no longer had an opportunity to run a cable. The PC is about 6 meters away from the router, with only a thin 10cm soft wall between.

So the issue is this:

I am paying for 75/75 download and upload. I am actually getting this speed on my OnePlus 5T sitting where the PC is. My Huawei Laptop gets about 50/50. The new built PC gets spikes all over the place, topping at 20 download which would probably last about a second and then drop to the usual 500KB-2mbps or something alike this.

I tried installing new drivers for the WiFi card but that basically messed the adapter up and now I can't get access to internet or admin page on router when on 5ghz connection. Now only 2.4GHz works. So then i chose to remove the 9260 from Device Manager and reboot because the new driver didn't do anything. Then factory installed my PC completely, only to find out that this did no good.

I hope I am not missing out information as I really need help with this. I have tried everything!


Specs:

Motherboard: B450 MSI Gaming Carbon AC
GPU: ASUS GTX 2070 SUPER
CPU: Ryzen 5 3600
RAM: Corsair 16GB 3200Mhz
OS: Windows 10 Home
Storage: Samsung 970 Evo SSD (M.2)
PSU: Corsair TX650W

Router is a D-Link DIR-842. (Does this suck? by the way)?

Ever since I installed the new driver, whenever I connect to my 5G WiFi it will actually say it is connected, but no internet connection. However, I do not have access to the admin page to router (The 192.168.x.x) page. And once in a while it will change the logo to "Connected, with internet access" but will never access any website - only until it will change back the the Globus symbol with connected but no internet connection.
 
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Solution
I would try a linux boot USB image. This should let you test the hardware without damaging your windows install. It supports most wifi drivers especially intel cards. If this works it is just a matter of figuring out what windows managed to mess up on you.

That is one of those strange intel cards that almost no router supports. In theory you can run 160mhz channels in practice it doesn't work so well because of the weather radar avoidance rules. This though should not cause a performance issue it will just drop back to the more normal 80mhz encoding.

I think the wifi is solder in since it does not have a m.2 slot with a E or A connector only M which only supports ssd. A replacement card would have to go into a pcie...

ktriebol

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Feb 22, 2013
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Here are some thoughts:
  1. You can roll back to your last driver if you go into Device Manager.
  2. Disconnect your antennas and reattach them. Look for anything that might be interfering with the antennas. Is there anything new sitting by the antennas?
  3. Reseat your Wifi card (if it's not soldered in). Have a good look at the contacts while you have the card out.
  4. If you think the problem lies with the Wifi card, just buy a new one. They are cheap.
  5. Connect your PC to the router with an ethernet cable until you get it figured out.
 
Mar 14, 2020
4
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Hi ktriebol,

To your suggestions:

1. I tried this by updating to new drivers - and this did not work. I then "removed" the card in Device Manager and reboot, to get it to the original driver.

2. Also tried switching the two antennas with eachothers original socket.

3. I do not know if the WiFi card is actually stuck on the motherboard. Is there a way to find out? I built this PC myself but am not technical enough to know this...

4. Not sure if possible depending on third suggestion.

5. As I've stated, I specifically built this new PC with a WiFi module because cable is simply not possible in my situation.

Thanks for the suggestions - 4th might be a possibility, if it can be "replaced".

Still open for other solutions if anyone have more suggestions.
 

ktriebol

Distinguished
Feb 22, 2013
264
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18,865
Murat, you can tell if your wifi card is removable or permanently fixed just by looking at it. A removable card will be inserted into a socket. It is probably held there by a screw. Remove the screw and pull the card out of the socket. A permanently fixed card will be soldered to the motherboard, so you should be able to see pins from the wireless card (actually an IC chip, not a card) going to the motherboard where they are soldered.

If you have a permanently-fixed IC chip for your wireless, you are hosed. It cannot be replaced.
 
I would try a linux boot USB image. This should let you test the hardware without damaging your windows install. It supports most wifi drivers especially intel cards. If this works it is just a matter of figuring out what windows managed to mess up on you.

That is one of those strange intel cards that almost no router supports. In theory you can run 160mhz channels in practice it doesn't work so well because of the weather radar avoidance rules. This though should not cause a performance issue it will just drop back to the more normal 80mhz encoding.

I think the wifi is solder in since it does not have a m.2 slot with a E or A connector only M which only supports ssd. A replacement card would have to go into a pcie slot. It is still rather rare for a wifi card to go bad.

If you think it is a defective wifi and the machine is really that new you should be able to RMA the motherboard.
 
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Solution