Internet speed issues

[dizmo]

When I start to download a larger file, my speeds tank to about 1 mb/s. If I disconnect from the router, and reconnect, it'll go back up to 25 mb/s for a short time, and then drop back down.

This only really happens when I'm downloading larger files. Or, when the TV is on.

Any ideas what might cause this? Would using a better router help? Currently I believe it's an older Telus modem/router combo.

[Flapjack30]

4 minutes ago, dizmo said:

When I start to download a larger file, my speeds tank to about 1 mb/s. If I disconnect from the router, and reconnect, it'll go back up to 25 mb/s for a short time, and then drop back down.

This only really happens when I'm downloading larger files. Or, when the TV is on.

Any ideas what might cause this? Would using a better router help? Currently I believe it's an older Telus modem/router combo.

Is this for all files or only files from a specific source?

[Moonzy]

connected to your AP using cable or wifi?

[dizmo]

7 minutes ago, Flapjack30 said:

Is this for all files or only files from a specific source?

All files, and sometimes huge slowdowns on YT.

Just now, Moonzy said:

connected to your AP using cable or wifi?

Right, guess that would have helped. Wifi AC. Cable isn't happening.

[Haraikomono]

9 minutes ago, dizmo said:

This only really happens when I'm downloading larger files

Could be that the error appears all the time, but only shows itself to you in form of spikes when downloading "larger files"

but most common issue in download spikes are: router problem, connection problem, adapter problem, or a shitty isp

 

 

[Flapjack30]

Just now, dizmo said:

All files, and sometimes huge slowdowns on YT.

Right, guess that would have helped. Wifi AC. Cable isn't happening.

Probably the AP.

[Moonzy]

Just now, dizmo said:

Right, guess that would have helped. Wifi AC. Cable isn't happening.

i've had wifi dongles overheat and just drops out before when sustaining 20mbps for longer than a few minutes

perhaps that's the case

[Haraikomono]

1 minute ago, dizmo said:

Right, guess that would have helped. Wifi AC. Cable isn't happening.

How about power-lan ?

 

Its not perfect, but many magnitudes better than wifi

 

And they are pretty cheap

[trag1c]

16 minutes ago, Haraikomono said:

How about power-lan ?

 

Its not perfect, but many magnitudes better than wifi

 

And they are pretty cheap

Have these improved at all? I used them probably like 7 years ago and they were awful. 

[BondiBlue]

30 minutes ago, Haraikomono said:

How about power-lan ?

 

 

Its not perfect, but many magnitudes better than wifi

 

And they are pretty cheap

Maybe they work in some homes, but whenever I've used them they've been pretty terrible, even under ideal situations. The last time I used mine I was lucky to get 5 Mb/s through them. 

[dizmo]

3 hours ago, Haraikomono said:

Could be that the error appears all the time, but only shows itself to you in form of spikes when downloading "larger files"

but most common issue in download spikes are: router problem, connection problem, adapter problem, or a shitty isp

I mean, that's kind of like saying "the problem could be the car, the driver, or the road" if you have a problem with your car

But thanks.

3 hours ago, Flapjack30 said:

Probably the AP.

That was kind of the thought I had too. Perhaps it's time to upgrade to WiFi 6.

3 hours ago, Moonzy said:

i've had wifi dongles overheat and just drops out before when sustaining 20mbps for longer than a few minutes

perhaps that's the case

I'd considered that too, but it does it when trying to stream at times as well. I would ideally like to get a better internal card, instead of the USB one I have now, but that's on teh list much further down the line of purchases.

2 hours ago, Haraikomono said:

How about power-lan ?

 

Its not perfect, but many magnitudes better than wifi

 

And they are pretty cheap

That'd mean sacrificing the plug on the wall I need to plug in the computer, since they generally take up the entire outlet.

[Moonzy]

2 minutes ago, dizmo said:

I'd considered that too, but it does it when trying to stream at times as well.

Yea, so, sustained load

 

2 minutes ago, dizmo said:

That'd mean sacrificing the plug on the wall I need to plug in the computer, since they generally take up the entire outlet.

Mine gives me back the outlet so...

Albeit power line is not a cure-all medicine, I've had issues with mine too

[dizmo]

8 minutes ago, Moonzy said:

Yea, so, sustained load

 

Mine gives me back the outlet so...

Albeit power line is not a cure-all medicine, I've had issues with mine too

Not quite. It plays videos perfectly fine most of the time, which is the same load.

[Moonzy]

3 minutes ago, dizmo said:

Not quite. It plays videos perfectly fine most of the time, which is the same load

Videos are bursts of data, no?

 

I never had issue with mine until

1) I transfer large files to and from

2) I play Minecraft which can go up to 20mbps upload, which overheats it real quick

 

It's easy to check, just disconnect it and connect it back before it cools, it should throttle real quick

Then disconnect and let it cool longer, then try again, it should take longer to throttle

 

Not to be pessimistic but I owned 3 wifi dongles, all three of them overheats near the same condition on different PC, one of them even died

[Haraikomono]

8 hours ago, trag1c said:

Have these improved at all? I used them probably like 7 years ago and they were awful. 

yes, even I had issues with them many years back. But couple years ago, I installed them at my friends house, because his house layout is not so good.

And, I have to say, that I am positively surprised by the performance.

Of course, you will need to have a good pair. And the main brand, helps in this case alot

[Falcon1986]

@dizmo

 

Are you at least able to test performance over ethernet? That would help to eliminate the problem to WiFi or the router.

 

What make/model of router and WiFi card?

 

How far is the computer from the wireless router? Any walls or floors in between?

 

Perform a wireless survey

Download. Install. Run. Go to ‘Analyze’ tab. Switch between 2.4GHz and 5GHz to see the analyses. Take screenshot. Post here.

[dizmo]

On 6/1/2021 at 8:32 PM, Moonzy said:

Videos are bursts of data, no?

 

I never had issue with mine until

1) I transfer large files to and from

2) I play Minecraft which can go up to 20mbps upload, which overheats it real quick

 

It's easy to check, just disconnect it and connect it back before it cools, it should throttle real quick

Then disconnect and let it cool longer, then try again, it should take longer to throttle

 

Not to be pessimistic but I owned 3 wifi dongles, all three of them overheats near the same condition on different PC, one of them even died

But they're always playing, if that was the issue it'd be a lot more prevalent.

I thought about it some, and I think it's probably Steam updating things in the background.

On 6/2/2021 at 3:43 AM, Falcon1986 said:

@dizmo

 

Are you at least able to test performance over ethernet? That would help to eliminate the problem to WiFi or the router.

 

What make/model of router and WiFi card?

 

How far is the computer from the wireless router? Any walls or floors in between?

 

Perform a wireless survey

Download. Install. Run. Go to ‘Analyze’ tab. Switch between 2.4GHz and 5GHz to see the analyses. Take screenshot. Post here.

The router is just whatever Telus provided, and the WiFi is a Netgear A6210.

It's not too far, maybe 25 feet, and a few walls. The adapter has performed fine with a Shaw modem through the same number of walls and twice the distance.

 

I ended up buying an Asus AC68 router and WiFi card, so we'll see if those change anything.