# [SOLVED] very slow wireless internet



## computersrkool (Jun 20, 2008)

Hi, someone I know is using a USB stick for wireless internet on an older computer, and he says that the internet is very slow especially when trying to watch youtube videos. I was wondering if, because the computer is older, that maybe it's USB is too slow and that it may make more sense to buy a PCI wireless network card instead. What do you think? There are other people living in the same place as him using laptops and getting wireless internet fine, but his usb internet is really slow, is that because laptops were designed for wirelss internet and desktops were not?

Thanks in advance
computersrkool


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## etaf (Dec 28, 2008)

*Re: very slow wireless internet*

whats the internet download speed you have subscribed to 
If this is a desktop - then the aerial maynot be in a good position and that will affect the speed 

post an xirrus screen shot 


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* Run Xirrus Wi-Fi Inspector  Download and install*
If you cannot access the internet with this PC, then you will need to copy the program across to the faulty PC

Xirrus: The Leader in High Performance Wi-Fi - Advanced IT Wi-Fi Networking Tools
Direct link to the program is here Xirrus: The Leader in High Performance Wi-Fi - Advanced IT Wi-Fi Networking Tools
Then run and install the program 
if you get an error - You need NET Framework installed for the WiFi Inspector to function.

Run the program 

post a screen shot of the program running - if there are a lot of networks showing can you click on "networks" top lefthand area - so we can see all the network information, and also post which network "Adapter Name" (1st column) is yours on the list 

To post a screen shot of the active window, hold the Alt key and press the PrtScn key. Open the Windows PAINT application and Paste the screen shot. You can then use PAINT to trim to suit, and save it as a JPG format file. 
To upload it to the forum, open the full reply window and use the Manage Attachments button to upload it here.
Full details are here TSG Posting a Screenshot - TSG Library of Knowledge

Note:
For a reliable (or robust as the Xirrus user guide says) wireless connection you need a signal of about -70 dBm or better.
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> *Universal Serial Bus - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia* The original USB 1.0 specification, which was introduced in January 1996, had a data transfer rate of 1.5 Mbit/s.[5] The first widely used version of USB was 1.1, which was released in September 1998. It allowed for a *12 Mbit/s data rate* for higher-speed devices such as disk drives, and a lower 1.5 Mbit/s rate for low bandwidth devices such as joysticks.[6]
> The USB 2.0 specification was released in April 2000 and was standardized by the USB-IF at the end of 2001. Hewlett-Packard, Intel, Lucent Technologies (now Alcatel-Lucent), NEC and Philips jointly led the initiative to develop a higher data transfer rate, with the resulting specification achieving 480 Mbit/s, a fortyfold increase over the original USB 1.1 specification


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## computersrkool (Jun 20, 2008)

*Re: very slow wireless internet*

Thanks so much for all your help and advice and info, I will send all of this on to my friend and then will get back to you with the results, thanks again.

computersrkool


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## computersrkool (Jun 20, 2008)

*Re: very slow wireless internet*

Hi, I've attached the xirrus screen shot from my friends computer, and if his speed is too slow via USB, would a wireless PCI card work better or will that not make a difference.


Thanks in advance
computersrkool


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## computersrkool (Jun 20, 2008)

*Re: very slow wireless internet*

Hi here is another attachment that my friend sent me of a different test result of his wireless internet speed.

computersrkool


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## etaf (Dec 28, 2008)

*Re: very slow wireless internet*

you could change the wireless channel used in the router to channel 1 or 11 

The speedtest is useful - BUT we need to know what speed is subscribed to - if 8mbps - then thats typical - if 20mbps then you have a problem there

pingtest.net - is another useful test 



> and if his speed is too slow via USB, would a wireless PCI card work better


It may do , but what you have a reasonable signal strength 

try repositioning the aerial and the router - sometimes just changing the aerial orientation can help - or moving the router a few feet 

do you have any other devices connected wirelessly ?


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## computersrkool (Jun 20, 2008)

*Re: very slow wireless internet*

His two housemates are using wireless internet with their laptops and apparently their internet is fine. I'm not sure how many other wireless devises are being used upstairs where the router is.
I'll send my friend a message to ask him and also to relay this info from you on to him.

Thanks again
computersrkool


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## etaf (Dec 28, 2008)

*Re: very slow wireless internet*



> His two housemates are using wireless internet with their laptops and apparently their internet is fine.


 if they are downloading a lot of files, then he will have problems - with NO ONE else connected - what the connection like ?


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## modem (Apr 1, 2011)

*Re: very slow wireless internet*

Speeds will depend on how good the signal is. Make sure you clear your cache and cookies, (optimize the browser).


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## computersrkool (Jun 20, 2008)

*Re: very slow wireless internet*

I'm afraid the problem may be his computer, because he used to have a laptop and got fine wireless internet, and I assume that his house mates were there then too, although I'm not sure. He said that his computer he has now didn't even have a 2.0 USB on it when he first tried the USB wirelsee stick, so he had to go out and buy a $40 adapter to try and make a 2.0 USB port. In this case wouldn't it have been better to go with Wireless PCI network card or an access point. If I understand right an (Access Point) connects to your PCI network card and extends your wireless range making a better signal. 

PS. The reason I haven't gotten back to you on what speed of internet is comingin to his router and other questions you guys have asked me is that he hasn't responded back to me yet about those things. But if I remember correctly in one of his first emails to me he mentioned that they had cogeco high speed internet. 

Thanks computersrkool


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## computersrkool (Jun 20, 2008)

*Re: very slow wireless internet*

Hi, I'm going to mark this as solved because my friend hasn't responded to any of my questions lately so I assume he's found a solution or he's just tired of me trying to give him advice, but thanks so much for all your advice and suggestions. 

Thanks again
computersrkool


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## etaf (Dec 28, 2008)

*Re: very slow wireless internet*

thanks for letting us know
You can mark the thread solved - from the dropdown " thread tools" at the top of the page - choose "Mark Solved"


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## computersrkool (Jun 20, 2008)

*Re: very slow wireless internet*

Thanks, I looked all over to try and find out how to mark as solved but couldn't figure it out, I've done it before but it's been awhile and I had forgotten.
computersrkool


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