Wifi 6 performance

cereberus · Aug 20, 2024

So I bought a new laptop which is roughly twice as fast compared to my previous one.

I have full fibre 900 mb/s and when connected via ethernet, I get that. However, on wifi of course, I do not get that - on my older laptop roughly 650 mb/s (using ax) near router but in a room further away performance drops to around 450 mb/s - still pretty repectable.

My newer laptop gets 650+ close to router but performance drops more sharply at a distance to around 300 mb/s.

What is pertinent is new laptop only shows 2-3 bars on wifi symbol whereas older laptop shows 4-5 bars.

I have checked drivers/settings and in the end I have concluded wifi adapter in new laptop is simply less powerful which is a shame really.

Its not a big deal - if I need high speed downloading, I take laptop into room with router.

snerd · Aug 20, 2024

I have the WiFi 6 in my desktop, and only ran on Ethernet since I got it. I’ve since moved and have to use WiFi, it’s a 1gb tp link, best I get is average 650 or so. I’m also a little disappointed.

neemobeer · Aug 20, 2024

Yeah wired connections will always simply be less of a hassle and more reliable just by their physical properties. In a switched wired network you only have broadcast domains to contend with. In wireless you have signal strength, antenna power outputs (these are typically very low by design and legal regulations) then you different 802.11 standards have different signal frequencies which change how they behave in different environments. Wireless is also CSMA/CA (collision avoidance) since the RF signals are shared by all connected devices. To top it all off energy (RF signals) can suffer from reflection, diffraction, absorption, scattering and interference by just about any physical mass. Yay wifi!

antspants · Aug 20, 2024

I used the older ASUS router I upgraded from as a mesh node, it’s brilliant and easy. I have a large house, I am currently looking for 2 more second hand AUS routers. But I only use wireless for devices. I have a min of two Ethernet wall inputs in each room.
Wireless is handy though. The devices auto switch to the strongest signal. I only use 4 & 5G.

cereberus · Aug 21, 2024

neemobeer said:
Yeah wired connections will always simply be less of a hassle and more reliable just by their physical properties. In a switched wired network you only have broadcast domains to contend with. In wireless you have signal strength, antenna power outputs (these are typically very low by design and legal regulations) then you different 802.11 standards have different signal frequencies which change how they behave in different environments. Wireless is also CSMA/CA (collision avoidance) since the RF signals are shared by all connected devices. To top it all off energy (RF signals) can suffer from reflection, diffraction, absorption, scattering and interference by just about any physical mass. Yay wifi!

Yeah - in my case I just am disappointed my new laptop is slower than my older one at the same distance from router. Old laptop (both ASUS) picks up wifi router signal more strongly than new laptop.

It probably comes down to quality of the antennae and the wifi card :-(.

kelper · Aug 21, 2024

I use a Powerline sender connected via Ethernet to the router. A Powerline receiver can be plugged in anywhere and transmits WiFi in distant rooms. The signal is carried by the house wiring.

Winuser · Aug 21, 2024

The higher frequency of Wi-Fi 6 will give you faster speeds but at the same time also gives you shorter distances. When I'm in my shed I have to use the slower 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi to get the strongest signal.

andrew129260 · Aug 21, 2024

cereberus said:
Yeah - in my case I just am disappointed my new laptop is slower than my older one at the same distance from router. Old laptop (both ASUS) picks up wifi router signal more strongly than new laptop.

It probably comes down to quality of the antennae and the wifi card :-(.

Do you have a mediatek chip or intel for wireless?

On some laptops you can swap the wifi card. If its media tek showing in device manager, get an intel card and install it if your laptop allows.

Wifi will probably be much better. Mediatek is fine, but they are kinda spotty when it comes to good signal strength and speed.

If its the laptop in your my computer list, looks like it is indeed mediatek wifi and its soldered on the board, so no upgrade for you

cereberus · Aug 21, 2024

Winuser said:
The higher frequency of Wi-Fi 6 will give you faster speeds but at the same time also gives you shorter distances. When I'm in my shed I have to use the slower 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi to get the strongest signal.

Sure but my issue is not so much about distance per se - it is that AT THE SAME DISTANCE, my newer laptop is rather slower than the older laptop.
If the issue was attenuation of the signal both laptops should be at similar speed.

Actually, when I am only a few feet from the router I get 800+ mbs with new laptop which is good and only marginally slower than ethernet which gives 900 mb/s as per ISP plan.

cereberus · Aug 21, 2024

andrew129260 said:
Do you have a mediatek chip or intel for wireless?

On some laptops you can swap the wifi card. If its media tek showing in device manager, get an intel card and install it if your laptop allows.

Wifi will probably be much better. Mediatek is fine, but they are kinda spotty when it comes to good signal strength and speed.

If its the laptop in your my computer list, looks like it is indeed mediatek wifi and its soldered on the board, so no upgrade for you

Both intel wifi. TBH the lower speed of new laptop is still quite fast, and ok for 99% of the time.

Winuser · Aug 21, 2024

cereberus said:
What is pertinent is new laptop only shows 2-3 bars on wifi symbol whereas older laptop shows 4-5 bars.

cereberus said:
Sure but my issue is not so much about distance per se - it is that AT THE SAME DISTANCE, my newer laptop is rather slower than the older laptop.
If the issue was attenuation of the signal both laptops should be at similar speed.

Actually, when I am only a few feet from the router I get 800+ mbs with new laptop which is good and only marginally slower than ethernet which gives 900 mb/s as per ISP plan.

If your new laptop is getting a weaker Wi-Fi signal than I think that would explain the slower speed. I wonder if the OEM used a cheap Wi-Fi card to increase their profit.

cereberus · Aug 21, 2024

Winuser said:
If your new laptop is getting a weaker Wi-Fi signal than I think that would explain the slower speed. I wonder if the OEM used a cheap Wi-Fi card to increase their profit.

That is my guess but everything else is pretty good In the spec which makes it all the more disappointing.