need tips on wifi
need tips on wifi
I've been unwell lately and felt really tired, so staying in bed with my laptop. Since I don't use it much, I cleaned up the dust. I checked for updates and saw they were downloading at a slow speed—around 1MB per second, which is typical for a 2.4GHz network. I switched to a faster 5GHz, but downloads still slowed down to about 2MB/s and kept dropping. That was frustrating.
Right now, the connection between my apartment and the router (NetComm NFA8AC) is only 5 to 8 meters. It's not a huge space, but it's been this bad lately. I gave up on Wi-Fi and connected via Ethernet for better speeds. I managed to get up to 6MB/s with that.
I recorded some screen captures using Wi-Fi Analyzer and noticed mostly 2.4GHz and 5GHz networks. The 5GHz signal is decent but unstable, especially with walls (just wood). It seems like interference or distance is the issue.
I'm not sure if my setup is causing problems, but I think it would help to ask the community for advice. Should I consider getting a better router, like the ASUS Headcrab, to improve the signal? Or should I try blocking the interference with more access points from companies like Ubiquiti? Any suggestions would be appreciated.
The signal strength at 2.4 GHz is quite weak. This contributes to the poor experience in apartments. At 5 GHz there’s strong coverage. What’s the distance from you to the router? How many walls are between you and it? I checked your router—it has AC power, so it should work reasonably well. It might not be top-notch, but it’s adequate. I’m leaning toward @beersykins; perhaps the issue is with your computer’s WiFi card.
Donut417 and beersykins share similar laptop specs with Intel 3150 AC adapter, Qualcomm QCA6174A, and Windows 10. I've tested two access points—NetComm NF8AC and TP-Link AP300—covering about 6 meters or 19 feet. The environment has zero to one wall reflections and plasterboard surfaces, making it not very dense. I'm aiming for gigabit speeds.
Previous encounters led to some observations about an Android device obstructing Wi-Fi. Removing it resolved the issue completely. Reconnecting restored connectivity, but once powered off and back on, the network disappeared entirely. The location was the sole active network, with interference affecting both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands. No clear cause identified despite checking channels, AP settings, equipment, and tools to scan for competing networks.
Wireless will never reach gigabit speeds. Still, you should be performing better than your current setup. Consider switching Wi-Fi channels, updating drivers, or checking if your network card is faulty. Just because it's from Intel doesn’t guarantee reliability.