7265ac Windows 10 Degrading Performance

[GAmin]

Currently running Windows 10 with the latest Intel 18.11.0 drivers. I'm seeing some horrible performance as I push the 7265AC card with lots of data, and the performance doesn't revert until I restart the machine. This problem did not exist on Windows 8.1 with 17.13.11.5 drivers, but downgrading to those drivers on Windows 10 does not fix the issue.

It seems like there is something faulty in the driver, since restarts make the problem go away. Anyone else seeing the following issue?

I'm testing with the machine next to the router, and the 192.168.1.3 machine is connected with gigabit ethernet. Windows shows the wifi connection is 800mbps with full signal. I'm sending basic pings, and using iperf to measure transfer speeds, so this eliminates all noise and outside bottlenecks. Once the issue occurs, these are the transfer rates I see:

Ping statistics for 192.168.1.1:

Packets: Sent = 97, Received = 97, Lost = 0 (0% loss),

Approximate round trip times in milli-seconds:

Minimum = 2ms, Maximum = 558ms, Average = 70ms

[ 4] 0.00-1.00 sec 34.1 MBytes 286 Mbits/sec

[ 4] 1.00-2.00 sec 34.9 MBytes 293 Mbits/sec

[ 4] 2.00-3.00 sec 36.1 MBytes 303 Mbits/sec

[ 4] 3.00-4.00 sec 7.88 MBytes 66.0 Mbits/sec

[ 4] 4.00-5.00 sec 7.88 MBytes 66.1 Mbits/sec

[ 4] 5.00-6.00 sec 7.75 MBytes 64.9 Mbits/sec

[ 4] 6.00-7.01 sec 13.5 MBytes 113 Mbits/sec

[ 4] 7.01-8.00 sec 35.4 MBytes 298 Mbits/sec

[ 4] 8.00-9.00 sec 35.8 MBytes 299 Mbits/sec

[ 4] 9.00-10.01 sec 30.1 MBytes 252 Mbits/sec

[ 4] 0.00-1.01 sec 7.00 MBytes 57.9 Mbits/sec

[ 4] 1.01-2.01 sec 6.25 MBytes 52.4 Mbits/sec

[ 4] 2.01-3.00 sec 32.4 MBytes 275 Mbits/sec

[ 4] 3.00-4.01 sec 35.5 MBytes 297 Mbits/sec

[ 4] 4.01-5.00 sec 35.0 MBytes 294 Mbits/sec

[ 4] 5.00-6.01 sec 9.62 MBytes 80.4 Mbits/sec

[ 4] 6.01-7.01 sec 8.50 MBytes 71.1 Mbits/sec

[ 4] 7.01-8.01 sec 9.75 MBytes 82.0 Mbits/sec

[ 4] 8.01-9.01 sec 5.25 MBytes 44.0 Mbits/sec

[ 4] 9.01-10.01 sec 7.00 MBytes 58.8 Mbits/sec

Before the issue crops up, all of these transfers easily sustain 300MBits/sec. After a reboot great speeds, and then quickly degrades into barely usable.

I'm pinging my router which is in the same room with the laptop, it has both 5ghz and 2.4ghz ssids, and both exhibit the same problem. I have other routers that also are displaying the same issue, so it's solely the network card / driver.

I've tried multiple versions of the Intel drivers, and tweaking various advanced options, but nothing seems to help.

I have checked for all the obvious things like interference, etc, the problem is strictly this machine and this wireless card.

Anyone else seeing this issue?

[jbenavides]

Hello gootdude,

The recommended driver version for https://downloadcenter.intel.com/download/25170/Intel-PROSet-Wireless-Software-for-Windows-10 Intel® PROSet/Wireless Software for Windows® 10 is 18.12.0. The release 18.11.0 shouldn't be used with Windows* 10, so we strongly advise you to uninstall the previous version, then update to 18.12.0.

- Go to your System Settings, Installed apps and features, then Uninstall "Intel® PROSet/Wireless Software", if it is installed. When prompted, choose the option to "Discard settings".

- In Device Manager - Network Adapters, right click on the Intel® Dual Band Wireless-AC 7265 and Uninstall it. Make sure you mark the option to "Delete the driver software for this device".

- Reboot the PC or scan for hardware changes, check device manager again and if an older driver is detected and installed, repeat the actions to uninstall and delete it as well. Repeat this process until the OS does not allow deleting the driver, or until the controller shows as Unknown Device.

- Install the driver 18.12.0 you downloaded before.

Also, apply the configuration from the advisory:

http://www.intel.com/support/wireless/sb/CS-030709.htm?wapkw=wifi+recommended+settings Wireless Networking — What are the Recommended Settings for 802.11n Connectivity?

[GAmin]

Same issue with the 18.12.0 drivers.

I've already got the optimal settings for connectivity, windows shows full strength and 866.7mbps link speed.

I'm seeing massive ping spikes every 3-5 seconds to the router:

Ping statistics for 192.168.1.1:

Packets: Sent = 315, Received = 315, Lost = 0 (0% loss),

Approximate round trip times in milli-seconds:

Minimum = 2ms, Maximum = 554ms, Average = 74ms

The throughput also dips with the ping spikes, making the network connection very poor. This seems simple to reproduce, is there anyone out there with this issue or a working 7265ac ?

[PLee24]

I'm having the same issues - it's very frustrating. I'm on 18.12.0.3 and had the same issues with the older driver as well.

[GAmin]

I have disabled location services in Windows 10 and am no longer seeing the ping spikes. That seemed to fix the issue for folks on 7260 as well, so hopefully works for you too.

[PLee24]

I disabled Wifi Sense and that resolved the issue for me - thanks!

[DYerr]

I registered an account (which was totally an unfriendly experience) to say a huge thank you for reporting this fix! I was going crazy since the 1st about this. Just out of curiosity, how did you deduce this fix? Did you do sniff the traffic?