I built my PC a few months ago, and since the beginnning my wireless network was fine, but my PC couldn't connect worth a damn. Sometimes it would be just fine, but most of the time, the download rate is a fraction of what it should be. While that happens, my ping is also terrible. where it would usually be 25-35ish, it would be like 300. I found that the cause of the lag is somewhere between me, and my router. Even though windows shows 5 bars, my connection to my own router is crap.
The router that I was originally using was getting old. So I decided to replace it with a new one, it was about time anyways. So when I got the new one, I put 3 HUGE antennas on it, and that did little to help. So then my next assumption is that my wireless card is bad. So I bought a new one. Some asus card that my friend uses, and there was no effect.
I started using my friend's old laptop as a bridge, and that worked very well, and I've been doing that for the last few months. But I need a permenant solution to this (wired is not a possibility) and I'm out of ideas. A friend of mine suggested that it might be the motherboard, but I'd rather not RMA it, because I kind of need that to run my PC.
Would anybody know what kind of witchcraft might be causing this weird issue?
Is there a specific channel that I should avoid? I have it on Auto right now, because I've never had issues with it before, but I'm willing to change it if it fixes the problem.
you want to use 1, 6 or 11. The channel matters on your location because of the stuff that is local to you. I'd try them all to see which one performs the best at your house.
Do you live around a bunch of people with wifi networks? Do you have anything that isn't a WiFi device that works on 2.4GHz? wireless camera system, wireless speakers, cordless phones, baby montors, etc...??
I see what you are trying to say now. Antennas don't boost power, that would be an amplifier. Antennas focus energy. Think of it like a flashlight with an adjustable lens. If you cover more area it is dimmer, if you focus it at one spot it is a lot brighter. The power coming out of the bulb is the same but the energy is focused differently.
I can't detect any other networks with any of my wireless devices. I read somewhere that USB 3 can cause interference on the 2.4 GHz band, but having the laptop that I use as a bridge right next to my desktop works just fine.
I should also mention that this desktop is the only device that has this problem.
Maybe an inch or two of particle board and some floor trusses, but as far as I know, no steel plates. The laptop I'm using as a reciever is right next to my PC and it works just fine. Even when I connect with the wireless card, it says I have 5 bars, but it takes forever to communitcate with the router.
go into your wifi settings, make sure you have full duplex gigabit or full duplex 100 mbit. if you have half duplex or 10mbps, theres the issue. you can try to force change that, but most likely its a shitty wireless card.