I'm having a frustrating problem with my desktop's internet speed. One day, out of nowhere, my connection dropped to around 20 Mbps, even though my network card shows speeds between 585 Mbps to 650 Mbps. I use an external Wi-Fi adapter rather than the built-in one. For comparison, my wife's computer had a speed of about 550 Mbps. I've tried everything I could find online, including checking drivers, scans, resetting adapters, and even doing a full system reset, but nothing seems to work. I also used GlassWire to monitor any unusual activity, but didn't find anything. I'm starting to wonder if the network card is faulty even though it's displaying good speeds. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!
2 Answers
To get a clearer picture, try running a speed test on a phone or another device that's in the same spot as your desktop. Does your Wi-Fi adapter have an antenna? And make sure nothing’s hogging your bandwidth—check your Task Manager for any background apps that might be using the connection.
Since you're solely relying on Wi-Fi, consider any recent changes to the room that could be obstructing your signal. Even small things like furniture can interfere with reception. If other devices are pulling around 500 Mbps, it seems like the issue may lie with your desktop. You might also want to reboot your router—sometimes, that can help as well. Resetting it via the tiny button is worth a try if unplugging hasn’t worked.
I’ve checked, and nothing new has been added in the room. I’ve done the unplugging reset, but maybe I should try the button reset instead.
I checked Task Manager; the network usage is only at 1%. The antenna is on a desk, but I didn’t think to test on my phone. I got around 12 Mbps on one phone and 20 on my wife's, plus her laptop was also slow. This seems like a problem affecting all devices. Could the router just be wearing out after five years?