Huge difference in broadband speed using ethernet and wifi - why?

usignuolo

We have 60mb cable broadband here, courtesy Virgin Media. I just run a test on line speed (uswitch) on my desktop pc (cabled into router via the ethernet) and got around 60mb. When I ran the same test on my laptop (which is not clogged up with anything much at all) using wifi, I got 10mb.

I repeated it to be sure, after a restart, and still the same thing. To emphasise, I was not actually streaming anything at the time, just testing line speed. Both machines are currently around 2 feet away from the Virgin router. Both run Win 7.

Anyone got any suggestions?

closed

2 different machines for a start, test laptop wired, then wireless.

encryption and channels and software can have an effect, but you should be able to get 50+ on a G connection

daveyjp

Have you also tested the laptop using the cable and not wi-fi, until you do so it is difficult to advise if it is the laptop or wifi issue. We also have Virgin and speeds over cable and wi-fi are similar and close to the 20meg speed.

Lucero_2

Indeed. This thread is meaningless until you plug your laptop cable in via Ethernet directly to the router and run the same test.

kwikbreaks

closed wrote: »

but you should be able to get 50+ on a G connection

You'll rarely if ever see more than 25Mbps actual throughput on a G connection and usually considerably less. The connect speed reported in Windows is NOT the same as throughput and should be 54Mbps when reasonably close to the router.

wongataa

A wireless G connection will max out at around 24-25 Mbps. Wireless speeds quoted are half duplex so the speed quoted has to be divided by 2 to get the speed in each direction. So a 54G link is 54/2=27Mbps each direction and then there are overheads to take into account. You will never reach your max broadband speed over a 54G wireless link.

Wired speeds are quoted full duplex so the quoted speed is valid for each direction.

bertie1989

as others have said its most likely your wireless in your laptop. I can reach close to my 100mb virgin connection on my laptop through wifi on the N connection, depending on distance from the Hub