# [SOLVED] GPU temperature might be affecting PCI card



## Sebastian22 (Aug 4, 2010)

Hello everyone,

So here's my scenario:
I have a WLAN PCI card for internet. It is located directly under my graphics card (no other possibilities). Now I'm experiencing quite some lag whenever my GPU gets too hot, and I noticed how the GPU's fan is blowing the air pretty much straight on the PCI card, so I'm guessing that the heat of my GPU is ******* up the PCI card aswell.

My question, is there anything I can do about it? Could I for example put some kind of plastic barrier in between the cards to prevent this heat from reaching the PCI card? 

Kind regards,
Sebastian


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## koala (Mar 27, 2005)

*Re: GPU temperature might be affecting PCI card*

Hi Sebastian,

If the graphics card is getting too hot, that by itself is enough to cause the lag, with or without the WLAN card in the way. Please post the full list of temps/volts under stress.

Try removing the card from the PCI slot (just for testing purposes), then run a fullscreen game. If you're getting the same lag, then the WLAN card is not causing the problem.

Your photo shows the graphics card's fan needs to be cleaned. Also, make sure the case ventilation is setup correctly with front and rear case fans. Check the GPU fan speed and increase if necessary.


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## Sebastian22 (Aug 4, 2010)

*Re: GPU temperature might be affecting PCI card*

Hey Koala,

Just to be clear, I'm talking about connection lag. When my GPU is stressed, the games I'm playing still run as intended without FPS drops or anything, while programs like Teamspeak will show packetloss as soon as it gets stressed. Online gaming while it's stressing also results in connection issues after a little while. 

I cleaned out the fan as much as I could without pressured air, and I put new thermal paste on the GPU. 

I already did some testing. I use speedfan to keep my GPU fan at 100% to improve cooling. While idle it'll be somewhere around 35C and while playing LoL which isn't too heavy for my card, my GPU will reach around 70C. This goes perfectly and doesn't produce lag of any kind. Now I tried playing Anno 2070 with some friends aswell (which requires quite some GPU stressing) and it reached little over 100C at a certain point. The connection started getting laggy after 80C. 

I hope this is helpful, and thanks for your time!


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## Sebastian22 (Aug 4, 2010)

*Re: GPU temperature might be affecting PCI card*

Another thing which might be interesting to know is that Teamspeak shows that apparently only the download is getting package loss. The upload appears to be at 0% loss at almost all times.


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## koala (Mar 27, 2005)

*Re: GPU temperature might be affecting PCI card*

If excessive heat from the GPU is causing problems with the WLAN, and you only have one PCI slot, you could add a case fan and direct it towards the card. Or you could replace the PCI card with a USB WLAN which would improve the ventilation around the graphics card and help keep the temps closer to 70C, as 100C is dangerously high.

Example: Amazon.com : AirLink101 AWLL5088 Wireless N 150 Ultra Mini USB Adapter - $10


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## Sebastian22 (Aug 4, 2010)

*Re: GPU temperature might be affecting PCI card*

I think I'll try the USB one, but do you think it'll be stable / reliable enough for online gaming? I have no experience with them.


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## koala (Mar 27, 2005)

*Re: GPU temperature might be affecting PCI card*

Have a look at some of the 5 star customer reviews on Amazon. Once the correct drivers are installed, it should be at least as good as your PCI card for gaming. I've used a similar one on a laptop and had no problems with it.


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## Sebastian22 (Aug 4, 2010)

*Re: GPU temperature might be affecting PCI card*

Will do. Think I can get one in a week or so.
Thanks a lot for your time man! That'll be all for now.


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## steve32mids (Jun 27, 2012)

*Re: GPU temperature might be affecting PCI card*

when did you buy the card? they came out in 2010 so they are 4 years old now so not sure how long you had the card in your system as for it overheating could be a sign that the card is on the way out. so I would get a new graphics card.

XFX 1Gb AMD R7 260X Core Edition PCI-e 3.0 VGA Card 

or XFX 2Gb AMD R9 270X Black Edition PCI-e 3.0 VGA Card if you have a bit more money to spend.


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## Tyree (May 10, 2009)

*Re: GPU temperature might be affecting PCI card*

My first suggestion would be to try using the PC wired to the router. Wi-Fi and gaming can be an issue. The Wi-Fi card could also be failing under the heat.
I would recommend trying a USB Wi-Fi device before condemning/replacing the GPU.
If you're not too far away and there aren't to many obstructions between the PC and the router, it should be OK.
Brand/Model/age of the PSU?
Remove the case side and direct a small house fan into the case, play the GPU demanding game and see if it helps.


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## Sebastian22 (Aug 4, 2010)

*Re: GPU temperature might be affecting PCI card*

@steve
I think it's about 2 - 3 years old. Unfortunately I don't have the money to buy a new card at the moment so that's not gonna work.

@Tyree
I'm strongly considering going wired. It'll be a pain and I'll need to drill a few holes and need about 30m UTP, but it's the most stable solution. 
The PSU is a 420watt and I guess about 5 years old (might be older though). Not sure about the brand, will check later.


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## Tyree (May 10, 2009)

*Re: GPU temperature might be affecting PCI card*

Replacing 5 yr. old 420W PSU would be nothing but a win/win deal and a prerequisite before considering a GPU upgrade.
Going to a wired connection would also be nothing but beneficial for gaming.
Not sure about pricing where you're at but you can get pre-made Ethernet cable very reasonable in the US.


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## Sebastian22 (Aug 4, 2010)

*Re: GPU temperature might be affecting PCI card*

Yeah it's more about the effort than the cable really. Also, I'm probably buying a new PC within a few months anyways so I'm not really gonna upgrade much since it's kind of a waste.


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## Tyree (May 10, 2009)

*Re: GPU temperature might be affecting PCI card*

When you're ready for a new PC, building your own is the better option and we have a list of suggested builds that all use top quality components: http://www.techsupportforum.com/forums/f255/tsf-hardware-teams-recommended-builds-2014-a-668661.html


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## Sebastian22 (Aug 4, 2010)

*Re: GPU temperature might be affecting PCI card*



Tyree said:


> When you're ready for a new PC, building your own is the better option and we have a list of suggested builds that all use top quality components: http://www.techsupportforum.com/forums/f255/tsf-hardware-teams-recommended-builds-2014-a-668661.html


Yeah I'm definitely building myself. Will take the link into consideration while building, thanks


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