Wireless is slow and intermittent

  • Thread starter Thread starter Drakkith
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Wireless
Join the discussion
Ask a follow-up here, or get your own question answered by working scientists, mathematicians and engineers — people, not an autocomplete.
Real named experts · corrections over time · the nuance an AI answer skips
13 replies · 5K views
Messages
23,209
Reaction score
7,696
I've noticed that lately my wireless internet on my laptop is slow and goes out intermittently. Everything else using my wireless network seems to work just fine though. (Phone and tablet) When I plug a network cable in and use a wired connection I don't seem to have any problems. Signal strength and quality are max as far as I can tell.

Just wondering what may be causing this. Hardware fault? Interference?

Does anyone have any recommendations to narrow this problem down?

Thanks.
 
Physics news on Phys.org
It's the spy software we had to add when we considered you for mentor, sorry.

You'll get used to it.
 
check for an update to your laptops wireless network adapters driver. Mine was doing same thing, once updated the problem was fixed.
 
Evo said:
It's the spy software we had to add when we considered you for mentor, sorry.

You'll get used to it.

hahaha !


skills4u said:
check for an update to your laptops wireless network adapters driver. Mine was doing same thing, once updated the problem was fixed.

definitely worth a look

Dave
 
skills4u said:
check for an update to your laptops wireless network adapters driver. Mine was doing same thing, once updated the problem was fixed.

Just updated. Hopefully that works. Thanks!
 
If your neighbour is broadcasting on the same frequency it can interrupt your WiFi.
You can change the WiFi channel your router is using , even select "automatic" so it will use the quietest WiFi channel.


BTW a kitchen-foil reflector , (or half a Pringles-can bent into a parabolic-reflector), placed behind the router's antenna, can boost your wifi signal and block the interference from neighbours.
 
Last edited:
So hows the wireless going ?
 
skills4u said:
So hows the wireless going ?

I think it's fixed, but only time will tell. Thanks all!
 
I updated my wireless card drivers and that seems to have stopped the issue. I feel stupid for not thinking of it sooner. It's usually the first thing I recommend any time someone is having problems with their computer.
 
Drakkith said:
I updated my wireless card drivers and that seems to have stopped the issue. I feel stupid for not thinking of it sooner. It's usually the first thing I recommend any time someone is having problems with their computer.

Don't feel stupid. I do quite a bit of automotive diagnostics and it happens to me on a daily basis! :redface: