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Wifi problems

KungFuWizardofJesus
By KungFuWizardofJesus
in Networking
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Go to solution Solved by Falcon1986,

@KungFuWizardofJesus

 

The wireless adapters on Apple devices tend to perform better than those on Windows computers.

 

As to your channel analyses...

 

It's good to see that you're connected to a 5GHz broadcast and the signal is actually pretty good. However, being in an apartment complex with many other WiFi broadcasts is going to cause congestion and reduced performance, more so on 2.4GHz networks (see how much overlap there is), but it can also happen on 5GHz despite the spectrum being wider. From your screenshot, it looks like your network might be co-existing with another on channel 40 and the signal quality is almost as good as yours. When this happens, traffic on both networks have to "take turns" so there's no data corruption. Unfortunately, this has the effect of variable performance for both networks involved. The only solution to this is to move your 5GHz antenna broadcast to another unoccupied channel, and since it's 5GHz, you can increase the channel width to 40-80MHz provided no channel overlap occurs.

 

Your situation is unfortunate in that you can't access the router to make the necessary changes, but you can probably speak to the landlady and inform her of your suggestion. On many wireless routers in default setup, channel selection is automatic to avoid overlap, but they don't tend to work very well in my experience. Rebooting the router might trigger a new channel selection; if it doesn't, then manually changing the channel to another (preferably non-DFS) is the only other option.

 

While your wireless adapter might have some defects, I don't think it's the cause of your current performance issue. You could spend money now on another adapter, but still get the same experience as before. Talking to your landlady is free; if doing the above recommendation doesn't work, then you can try buying a new adapter or at least a new antenna mount/cable.

Posted

I recently moved in a shared flat, so connecting via Lan is sadly not an option. When I moved in, I did a Ookla speed test and got around 40 Mbps down and 10 up. I just thought the Internet was not that good and moved on. But since a couple of days, I saw extremely low download. Dropping to around 1-2 Mbps at times. It got really annoying, I could not do anything online. So I did a speedtest on my Ipad and on my phone, where i had stable 150 Mbps down for multiple tests over the last 2 days. I have a Asus ROG STRIX Z370-I GAMING wich has a external antenna i have placed on my desk. The speedtest where all made from the same place, so no difference in obstruction etc. 

I have also noticed that the sleeving for one of the cables is a little damaged and the wire inside is slightly visible. I also dont have the router menu password, because the landlady changed it.

 

My Questions is if someone has any Idea where the problem is. 

I could also buy a Wifi dongle but only with USB 3.0, because I have no second PCIe slot (mini-ITX)

I was thinking maybe this one: https://www.netgear.com/home/wifi/adapters/a7000/

The price is ok, but I am not sure about reliability and speed. Does anyone have experience with this one or simular adapters? Maybe even a different recommendation.

 

Or should I try to replace the existing Wifi module?

 

Thank you all in advance.

Sorry for gramar. (not first language)

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39 minutes ago, KungFuWizardofJesus said:

My Questions is if someone has any Idea where the problem is. 

 

Start simple. Reposition the antennae so it's not obstructed by any objects or backed up against the wall. If you can, run the speed tests in the same location as the iPad/iPhone.

 

Next, run a wireless survey using WiFiman (phone app) or WiFi Analyzer (from the computer with the WiFi issue), and post screenshots of the 2.4GHz and 5GHz channel analyses. With this, we'll be able to see if there are any other sources of wireless interference (mainly from other WiFi broadcasts). Unfortunately, because you can't change any of the router settings to optimize the WiFi, this information won't be useful beyond this point.

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  • Author

Thanks for the reply. 

Moving the antenna around, I noticed, that I sometimes even had 70 Mbps down, then i moved it 10 cm and again 2 Mbps. Moving it back in the exact same spot, it still stays low. 

My Ipad and Phone both still have se same 150 Mbps down in the smae spots.

 

I attached the two analyses, but I dont know what they mean. I think ist pretty bad, but I am living in a big Building with multiple peaple per apartment.

 

Maybe the Wifi Module has a loose connection somewhere?

2.4GHz.JPG

5GHz.JPG

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  • Solution

@KungFuWizardofJesus

 

The wireless adapters on Apple devices tend to perform better than those on Windows computers.

 

As to your channel analyses...

 

It's good to see that you're connected to a 5GHz broadcast and the signal is actually pretty good. However, being in an apartment complex with many other WiFi broadcasts is going to cause congestion and reduced performance, more so on 2.4GHz networks (see how much overlap there is), but it can also happen on 5GHz despite the spectrum being wider. From your screenshot, it looks like your network might be co-existing with another on channel 40 and the signal quality is almost as good as yours. When this happens, traffic on both networks have to "take turns" so there's no data corruption. Unfortunately, this has the effect of variable performance for both networks involved. The only solution to this is to move your 5GHz antenna broadcast to another unoccupied channel, and since it's 5GHz, you can increase the channel width to 40-80MHz provided no channel overlap occurs.

 

Your situation is unfortunate in that you can't access the router to make the necessary changes, but you can probably speak to the landlady and inform her of your suggestion. On many wireless routers in default setup, channel selection is automatic to avoid overlap, but they don't tend to work very well in my experience. Rebooting the router might trigger a new channel selection; if it doesn't, then manually changing the channel to another (preferably non-DFS) is the only other option.

 

While your wireless adapter might have some defects, I don't think it's the cause of your current performance issue. You could spend money now on another adapter, but still get the same experience as before. Talking to your landlady is free; if doing the above recommendation doesn't work, then you can try buying a new adapter or at least a new antenna mount/cable.

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