I'm really frustrated with my home network speeds and could use some help. I'm on Virgin Media and testing speeds on all my devices in the same spot using their official speed test page for consistency. My devices are giving me wildly different results: my PC with an Intel AX210 Wi-Fi 6 card is stuck at around 120-150 Mbps, while my iPhone is getting 800-1100 Mbps and my MacBook is hitting 500 Mbps. Interestingly, the router shows speeds over 900 Mbps, and Windows indicates my Wi-Fi link speed ranges from 500 Mbps to 1 Gbps. Despite this, any real speed tests max out at about 140 Mbps on the PC, and I can't make sense of it. I've tried a lot already: I've installed a new AX210 card, updated and rolled back drivers, reset network settings in Windows, rebooted everything, switched channels, disabled 2.4GHz, and tested the same network on multiple devices. I'm wondering if it's a Windows issue, a problem with the AX210 card, something with my motherboard, or misconfigurations with my router. If anyone has tips for troubleshooting this mix with Virgin Media and Netgear, I would appreciate any insights. I've been at it for hours!
5 Answers
One thing to check: are you sure the speed test is showing Mbps and not MBps for your PC? Since 1 Byte is 8 bits, your numbers align a bit too well to ignore. That could be a part of the confusion.
Have you disabled power saving features on your Wi-Fi card? Sometimes, those adjustments can help improve speed. Also, playing around with settings like roaming aggressiveness, using older drivers, and selecting the preferred 5GHz band can make a difference too.
Have you tried disabling QoS in your router settings? It could be limiting your speeds. Also, booting a live Linux OS on your PC could help determine if the issue is Windows-related or something with the hardware. Using an ethernet cable to connect directly to the router would also help rule out any Wi-Fi issues.
Connecting your computer via ethernet is the best way to isolate the issue. If the speeds are still slow, there's likely a fault with the PC itself. Updating drivers could change the game, so it's worth a shot!
It sounds like you need to troubleshoot further. Try plugging your PC directly into the router with a network cable and check the speeds. Make sure you’re connected to the best Wi-Fi band too. Disabling 2.4GHz during testing might help, and don’t forget to check for any firmware updates for your router. Also, testing on different speed sites could provide more insights.
Good call! Ethernet will definitely give you a clearer picture of what's going on.