WiFi keeps dropping connection, is it my WiFi adapter or my WiFi?

apav

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May 20, 2010
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Hi guys,

I moved and now unfortunately my desktop is a little too out of the way for ethernet, so I've been using this 7 year old (but barely used) TP-Link TL-WN722N USB WiFi adapter for about a month now. It's been working fine until yesterday, when it suddenly dropped connection (still connected to WiFi, just no internet access). It usually regains internet after a disconnect/reconnect, unplug/replug, or simply by waiting, but that lasts for usually less than a minute until it slows down and drops again.

Here's the strange part though. I can connect it to my phone's mobile hotspot and it works fine, even when it drops from my house WiFi. But the house WiFi also works fine on all my other devices in the same location as my desktop, at the same time it's dropping from my desktop. So I can't figure out if it's the adapter or if it's my WiFi. I haven't had any issues with it up until yesterday, so it can't be due to interference. I've also had no problems with my house WiFi on any of my other devices since yesterday so I don't think it's that either. Do you think this adapter is on its way out?

Thanks!
 


Thanks, I've tried that a few times and it doesn't seem to work. I think that's the most likely answer, it's just strange. If my adapter is defective, why can it connect to my mobile hotspot's WiFi and work without issue?
 
If my adapter is defective, why can it connect to my mobile hotspot's WiFi and work without issue?

what bandwidth and how far is the Wi-Fi router, how many walls does it go through, any flooring ?
it works well with your hotspot because it inches from your laptop. you router is Feet and likely through walls in a direct line.
if your connecting to 5Ghz to your router try to connect to the 2.4 ghz band instead ()stronger over longer distance)
 
I'm in the room across the hall from the room with the router, the distance is about 15-20ft. Not sure what band I'm on. Like I mentioned earlier, I've was using this adapter for nearly a month in the same location without any issues, 3 MB/s download speeds on average (about as good as I'm going to get from my ISP and this adapter) and no connection drops. Unless I am starting to receive interference from somewhere, but nothing has changed in my house since.
 
use you phone, goto app store and get an app called " Wi-Fi analyzer" and look at the channels the area is covered by your router, it is possible another router in the area is creating interference (very possible in apartment situations but still with households areas), you will see is someone else is overlapping and the channels that may be clearer, and move your router channel (likely set by isp to 6) to a less busy channel, would clear up the signal for you.
here is a like to the android store https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.farproc.wifi.analyzer
if you use an IPhone just look it in the apple store its there as well

and this is the screen I am talking about
Dlh2nmA.png


 


I'm CenturyLink4756, so I guess this looks good?

4OPrcGLK6weDEv5M1cJ5jksnf-8XySU3q8PD90C-RNwl8R8EpvM6_2OYn63R6CDqPWzonpO5coNArIE=w2560-h1247-rw
 
Strange. It's not dropping anymore, but it's definitely not as fast or responsive as it has been for the past month I've been using it before I ran into issues. I'm still getting hiccups in games and download speeds are noticeably slower. What could this mean?