Slow internet speed during downloads, yet quick uploads on the Samsung TV.
Slow internet speed during downloads, yet quick uploads on the Samsung TV.
I was counting on help. Essentially, my Samsung TV is experiencing slower downloads and noticeably quicker uploads compared to my WiFi connection in the bedroom. A year ago, I relocated into a compact apartment with my partner. We upgraded to new TVs, including a Samsung UA49RU7100 in the downstairs bedroom, which connects to our router via WiFi. The router is located upstairs in the loft area. We opted for the higher floor because it houses my PC via Ethernet. Our internet is a high-speed fibre connection. For many months, the TV performed flawlessly—streaming Netflix in 4K from my Plex server worked without trouble. However, recently it has become unreliable. Netflix would occasionally freeze to a very old version and my Plex streams would buffer excessively, making viewing impossible. A speed test revealed the TV downloads around 3mb while uploads exceed 40mb. Occasionally, the connection drops to just 0.2mb download and 50mb upload. Ping times stay under 7ms to local servers. It’s puzzling that speeds fluctuate so much; sometimes they’re normal, other times dangerously slow. Despite this, the upload remains strong. I suspect the issue lies in WiFi interference between the router on the first floor and the TV downstairs. Both devices are running updated firmware. I attempted to disable QoS, firewall settings, and power-saving features, but nothing helped. I even wrapped aluminum foil around the router to reflect more signal downstairs—no improvement. Opening windows slightly boosts speeds by about 1mbps. Other devices in the house connect fully, while the LG TV upstairs works perfectly. I even tested with my phone placed against the TV in the same spot, achieving full 100/100 speeds. The LG only uses 2.4GHz, as the 5GHz signal doesn’t reach it. My phone also struggles with 5GHz in that area. I found a similar issue online, but I’m hesitant to disable WMM, as it affects other devices. The floor is concrete, but the distance is roughly 2 meters between the router and TV. Given the strong upload speeds, something else must be limiting my download. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. I’ve shared a basic floor plan to clarify the setup. If this doesn’t resolve, I’m considering a powerline adapter or a commercial WiFi AP from Ubiquiti—preferably without spending money.
The upload speed is probably going to improve since the router uses larger or better antennas for receiving compared to your TV. Though it might seem strange, have you considered moving the router to a different spot on the left or right? You might be avoiding interference from obstacles like walls or ceilings by changing its position. Ceiling-mounted could also be a better option for the same reason. When I received a nanoHD, it significantly boosted my 5GHz signal, even though it wasn’t expected to have a long range.