My Acer Nitro 5 AN515-57 has extremely slow Wi‑Fi downloads, even though uploads are relatively normal. On the same 5 GHz network, my phone reaches roughly 280–380 Mbps, while the laptop gets only about 4–5 Mbps download and 60 Mbps upload.
The laptop uses a Killer/Intel AX1650i adapter and shows a strong connection: 90% signal strength with an RSSI of -46 dBm. However, `netsh wlan show interfaces` reports a receive rate of only 6.5 Mbps and a transmit rate of 156 Mbps. It is connected on 5 GHz, channel 149, using 802.11ac.
I have already tried updating the Wi‑Fi driver, including the Acer-provided Intel driver, and checked settings such as preferred band, channel width, transmit power, MIMO power saving, and wireless mode. The receive rate remains fixed at 6.5 Mbps.
What could cause such an extreme difference between receive and transmit rates despite the strong signal? Could this be a Windows or Killer driver problem, an access-point compatibility issue, or a loose antenna or failing Wi‑Fi card? What should I test next?
2 Answers
Try installing the newest Intel/Killer driver rather than relying only on the older Acer package. If the problem continues, boot the laptop from a temporary Linux USB and test Wi‑Fi there. If downloads work normally in Linux, the hardware is probably fine and the issue is likely Windows, its driver, or related software.
If the same behavior occurs in Linux, power the laptop off and reseat the Wi‑Fi card. Also check that both tiny antenna connectors are firmly attached. A loose connector, damaged antenna lead, or failing adapter could cause one-way performance problems, although that is less common.
Use the latest Intel driver package for the AX1650i and retest after restarting. If updating does not change anything, compare the result with a Linux live USB; that is a good way to separate a Windows driver problem from an antenna or hardware fault.
I installed the newer driver, but the receive rate and download speed did not change.
A loose antenna connector is worth checking too—the small internal connector can come loose even when the card itself is seated properly.