I'm having a frustrating issue with my Wi-Fi speeds on Virgin Media. I've got a Netgear Nighthawk router and an Intel AX210 Wi-Fi 6 card installed in my PC, but the speeds aren't making sense. While my phone is hitting between 800 and 1100 Mbps and my MacBook around 500 Mbps, my PC is stuck at only 120 to 150 Mbps, even though Windows shows it's connected at gigabit speeds. I've tested everything in the same spot and tried all sorts of troubleshooting steps, including resetting network settings, updating drivers, and using a new router, but nothing seems to work. I'm not sure if it's a Windows issue, a problem with the AX210 card, a motherboard conflict, or some sort of interference. If anyone has faced similar issues with Virgin Media, Netgear, and Wi-Fi 6, your advice would be much appreciated!
5 Answers
If your PC keeps insisting on slow speeds, it might be a fault with the computer itself. Check to see if there are any driver updates for your Wi-Fi card that could fix the issue. Connecting directly to the router with Ethernet is a good troubleshooting step, too; it often helps identify whether the problem is with the Wi-Fi or the device.
Sounds like a classic case of troubleshooting. Plug your PC directly into the router using an ethernet cable to see if speeds are better that way. Make sure you're connected to the fastest Wi-Fi band too—turn off QoS and try disabling the 2.4GHz band temporarily while you test. Updating your router's firmware can also help, and using different speed test sites like fast.com can give you a better picture of your speeds.
One thing you might want to try is disabling QoS settings on your Nighthawk router. Sometimes they can mess with speeds. Also, if you can, boot your PC using a live Linux OS. If the speeds improve there, it's likely a Windows or driver issue and not with your hardware. And definitely try connecting your PC directly to the router with an ethernet cable if that's possible—should give you a clearer idea of where the problem lies.
Just a quick note: make sure that when you're checking your speeds, you're looking at them in Mbps and not MBps, since 1000 Mbps is actually closer to 120 MBps. Sometimes these numbers can get confused, and it's good to double-check!
Wired connections are usually the way to go! They usually win in terms of speed and reliability. If you can wire your PC, do it, and see how that changes the game for you.
That's a great point! Using an ethernet cable can really help pinpoint where the slowdown is happening. Good luck!