I recently switched from Windows to Linux Mint on a Galaxy Book 2 using Wi‑Fi, and downloads have become much slower. Firefox and torrent downloads fluctuate between about 100 KB/s and 3 MB/s, while Ookla previously reported around 272 Mbps. Downloads from the official software store and .deb packages are noticeably faster, but other files remain slow. A speed test on Mint later showed only about 38 Mbps, compared with roughly 90 Mbps on another test. What could be causing the inconsistent speeds?
3 Answers
The lower speed-test result on Mint suggests the issue may be with the wireless connection or its driver rather than individual download sources. Compare Mint and Windows from the same location, check the negotiated Wi‑Fi speed, and test whether the connection improves near the router or over Ethernet.
Download performance depends on your Wi‑Fi link, the distance to the server, and the server’s own capacity. Try changing the software mirror to one closer to Brazil, but remember that this mainly affects package downloads and won’t improve every website or torrent.
For Firefox, the limitation may be the server hosting the file rather than your connection. Torrents can also be restricted by the client’s settings, so check whether a download limit or bandwidth schedule is enabled.
I changed the package mirror, but the problem continued. Mint’s speed test showed about 38 Mbps, while I previously got around 90 Mbps under similar conditions, so Wi‑Fi or the wireless driver may be the main issue.