Hi all. I have a very weird problem that I cannot find the answer to.
So one day I opened my laptop and noticed that the internet connection wasnt very good. I use a WiFi adapter to boost my connection. So I was wondering why my connection was poor. The download speed was only at 1.5mbps and it is usually around 12-15 mbps. So I went to my desktop, which was connected to the modem via ethernet cable. I ran a speedtest and the download speed was the normal 12-15 mpbs. So I tried to connect my laptop to the ethernet cable and ran a speedtest. The results did not change, my download speeds on the laptop were still <2 mbps. My laptop is a bit old, around 2.5-3 years. I always had a anti-virus protection from Norton since the beginning. What do you think I should do? Maybe buy a new WiFi adapter?
Well since you say that the speed is also slow wired, then that's not necessarily the root cause. Just curious - do you know what wlan chipset is in your laptop? Also, knowing the make and model of the laptop and any access point (router) or modem involved might help.
Indeed the NICs cannot be singled out as the issue just yet.
Can the results be reproduced on a fresh installation or live CD (/USB)?
So you say you connect your desktop directly to your MODEM. Right?! If so, whatever "WiFi" you think you're using is probably NOT yours and probably not even true WiFi. My bet is you're using Comcast's WiFi "service" and haven't been watching "The Tek" where it has been said many times to avoid Comcast's modem/router equipment for a myriad of reasons, not the least of which would be speed and security.
FYI, true WiFi (802.11 a/b/g/n/ac) should come from your own equipment like your own access point (AP) which is very often embedded to your own router. Though Comcast will often provide WiFi as a public hot spot of sorts on your dime too. But then you said you don't even use a router. Instead you connect directly to your modem (and should probably be slapped in the head for that since you obviously could care less about security). So whatever speed issues you seem to be having are most likely with your ISP (Comcast) and have little or nothing to do with your equipment. Though I am curious if you might not be trying to share an internet connection between your modem-connected desktop and your laptop via different WiFi adapters (which is another tangled topic to get past).
OH! But then you said you use Norton. Where do I even start? (Since that junk will clog up even the most hearty of toilets!) About all I can say is that you probably have a lot of other junk clogging up your machine too and probably should nuke it and start over. (Then again, have you watched the latest "TEK" episode to know what the event viewer is?)
Dude! If I'm sounding a little sarcastic it's because I am. Any time I hear someone plugging directly into his/her modem I just want to strangle that person (not really) since even the most inexperienced of users almost always knows better. Then again, maybe you like playing with paper clips and electrical outlets...
Unfortunately I do not know the chipset. My laptop is a HP Pavillion and I have a Motorolla SurfBoard modem
Well apparently I need to pray for forgiveness to the tek gods. Few things:
Im not with Comcast, I live in Canada. Im with Shaw lol.
I have my own WPA service at home with two bands (2.4 and 5G)
Can you suggest a better software besides Norton that wont clog up my stuff?
1: Which modem do you have
2: how is your network wired? i.e. Modem <--> {(router) <---> switch <--> AP} <---> computers
3: What device(s) are your router, switch, Access point?
Gee Anon thanks for welcoming new forum members with such warm fuzziness! It must have been rant:30.
iambadatnames, could you please let us know the following:
- exact model of laptop (look for the model id on the display's bezel or bottom of the laptop or you can try following the instructions from this link)
- Do you only use a modem or do you have another access point in your network chain? What brand/model?
- Are you running the speed test when connected to 2.4GHz or 5GHz?
- Are you able to access your modem/router's browser-based configuration GUI? If so, what are the broadcast channels (frequencies) for your 2.4GHz and 5GHz radios?
Have you made any changes to your network recently?
We basically need to try to determine if the speed issue is being caused by something with your laptop (either hardware or software), something with your network setup, or something with your ISP.
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Laptop: HP Pavillion g6 Notebook PC
Product #: C5U62UA#ABL
Serial #: 5CD24748XP
I only use a modem: Motorola SurfBoard SBG6782
I also use a USB WiFi Adapter: Linksys N600 Dual Band Wireless USB Adapter
I ran the speedtest on both 2.4 and 5 GHz with the same result
I am able access my modem's browser-based config however I do not know what broadcast channels are/how to find them.
*In the past, the speeds were normal (around 12-15 mbps), however for some reason they wont return to normal no matter what I do. I tried power-cycling, resetting, pretty much everything I can think of.
I figured out how to change the channel, and it seems to have fixed my problem!
Interesting. That usually shouldn't really help unless the channel was getting slammed with congestion for surrounding wireless devices.
Just curious - what channel was set on 2.4GHz and 5GHz or was it on auto?
You can also use a program like inSSIDer to quickly get a snapshot of your local wifi spectrum. It will show you nearby wireless networks, along with their security type, the channel (frequency) they are boradcasting on, and their signal strength. You can use this information to pick the "cleanest" channel to set you AP/modem on. Look for an older version of inSSIDer (such as versions in the 2.x line like 2.1.4, etc). They made changes to the UI in newer versions and I believe the newest versions are now paid applications rather than freely available.