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Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 8260 slow download speeds but others on same network are 6-10x faster

lhm4000
Novice
2,569 Views

I have a Dell Precision 7510 with Windows 10 Pro 64-bit version 21H1 with the Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 8260 running the latest 20.70.26.2 Intel driver.

My download speeds connected to the 5GHz router connection are not up to what they were earlier. I can't say exactly when they first slowed but I have since noticed that I can only download at a max of 2.5MB/s while others on the network can download the same file at least at 13MB/s, sometimes up to 16MB/s.  The others are also Dell laptops all with the same version of Windows 10 Pro.

* Dell Precision 3530 with Intel Wireless-AC 9560 and 22.80.1.1 driver

* Dell Inspiron 1720 with Intel Wireless WiFi Link 4965AGN and 11.5.0.32 driver

And the last laptop is an identical Dell Precision 7510 with same version of Windows 10 Pro and same 8260 with latest driver.  Only difference is it has 16GB RAM and mine has 32GB.

I can have all of these laptops right next to each other and download the exact same file and they are 6 to 10 times faster than my laptop.

 

Since ALL of these can connect and download at the faster speed there apparently is nothing wrong with the TrendNET TEW-828U router.  And I have the same settings in the "Advanced" tab of the driver properties as the other Dell Precision 7510.

So this all points to being some kind of software or driver conflict that is affecting your Intel 8260 driver.

 

Can you PLEASE help me figure out what is wrong so I can get back to having the same fast download that they are getting.

 

Thank you,

 

Lamar

 

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1 Solution
lhm4000
Novice
2,463 Views

I have figured out the problem.


I tried connecting wired ethernet and I was getting a 1.0Gbps connection but was still getting the slower speeds.  So with a little searching and trying a couple of things I found that the Windows "autotuninglevel" had been set to "disabled" somehow -- maybe from some Windows update sometime.

Typing this into a Command Prompt (Admin) showed the current settings:
netsh interface tcp show global

 

And I typed this to set the "autotuninglevel" to "normal":

netsh int tcp set global autotuninglevel=normal

 

And immediately, my speeds were matching the other laptops on the network.  So now I'm getting 12.5MB/s downloads of that Dropbox video file.  And all other downloads are fast as well; both wired and wireless.

 

Lamar

 

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David_G_Intel
Moderator
2,547 Views

Hello lhm4000


Thank you for posting on the Intel️® communities. Please share with us the following information:

  • Do you also get any BT issues?
  • Do you remember if this issue happened after a new OS update or Wireless driver update?
  • Is this a new computer? If so, have check with your system's OEM for validated drivers or support on known issues related to the symptoms experienced?
  • Is this the original adapter that came pre-installed in your system or have you changed/installed a new adapter recently?
  • Have you checked if this issue happens on different networks?
  • How do you measure the speeds?
  • Were you able to have you wireless connection in a normal/expected performance before?
  • Have you installed any recent software or hardware in your system?
  • Have tried a roll back to a previous driver version for testing?
  • Have you rebooted your access-point, router, modem?
  • Intel® System Support Utility (Intel® SSU) results 
    • Download the Intel SSU https://downloadcenter.intel.com/download/25293/Intel-System-Support-Utility-for-Windows
    • Open the application and select "Everything" click on "Scan" to see the system and device information. By default, Intel® SSU will take you to the "Summary View".  
    • Click on the menu where it says "Summary" to change to "Detailed View".  
    • To save your scan, click on "Next", then "Save".  



Regards, 

David G 

Intel Customer Support Technician 


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lhm4000
Novice
2,536 Views

Hi David,

 

1. There are no Bluetooth issues -- on all of the laptops I mention, they use a Bluetooth mouse.

2. No, as I said in the first post, I don't recall when it started being so slow. When I didn't bother to check its speed against anyone else on the network, I just assumed I was getting as fast as I could. But once I compared downloading the exact same file from the same source, it was then I realized my 2.5MB/s was terribly slow compared to their 15.5MB/s.

3. My computer is a Dell Precision 7510 bought in January 2016; the second Precision 7510 (with 16GB) was purchased at the same time. Both have the latest of every driver and firmware both from the OEM Dell and from the individual manufacturer like Intel.

4. Yes, these are the original 8260 adapters in both laptops. I have even tried switching the cards into the other laptops -- same results.  Meaning, my 8260 works fine in the other Precision 7510.  And the other 8260 gives the same slow speed in my Precision 7510.  So the problem stays with my laptop -- that's why I am pointing to a software conflict or problem.

5. I do not have any other network to try this on. But since three other laptops with different Intel wireless cards (i.e. 4965AGN, 9560, and another 8260) ALL can download at the faster speed, the problem appears to be with my particular laptop and how it works with the 8260 driver.

6. I measure the speed from various ways but the telltale way is downloading a video file from Dropbox. Go to this link and then select "Direct Download".

https://www.dropbox.com/s/ddoms5qdwmncp6e/SkyShedPODAssemblyVideo.mp4?dl=0

On my Precision 7510 with the 8260 (with same driver version as the other Precision 7510), I get a max of 2.5MB/s download. But the other Precision 7510 and the laptops with the 4965AGN and 9560 Intel wireless cards will download at a minimum of 12MB/s and can go up to 15.5MB/s.

7. This is the same answer as #2 above. I am quite sure that at some point I was downloading faster than this (i.e. normal.)  But something is preventing it now -- some Windows update or some other software update. As I've said before, the other Precision 7510 also has the latest Windows updates and driver updates but I'm sure has some other programs installed that what I have; and his downloads at that much faster speed.

8. No new hardware and it has actually been quite awhile since I installed any new software.

9. I have uninstalled the 8260 in Device Manager and when it re-installed it, it used a Microsoft driver that was an older version number to the latest Intel one. Other than that, I have no earlier version to roll-back to.

10. Yes, I have rebooted the router, cable MODEM, laptop, etc.  And still, the other three laptops are fine, mine is not.

11. I have attached the results of the SSU run.

 

Thanks,

 

Lamar

 

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David_G_Intel
Moderator
2,515 Views

Thank you for the update. Just for testing and to confirm if the drivers are the issue, please try the latest Intel driver 20.70.27.1:

Please also try Dell's drivers and older versions:


Regards, 

David G 

Intel Customer Support Technician 


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lhm4000
Novice
2,506 Views

I first tried the 20.70.27.1 version and no change -- same slow speed download max of about 2.3MB/s.

I then tried the latest Dell driver for the 8260 WiFi (20.70.12.5).  It took awhile to get it to actually install it -- had to do it manually.  Once I was able to get 20.70.12.5 installed unfortunately, same slow speed downloading.

I then went even further back in the Dell older versions and installed 20.10.1.3 from 10/23/2017.  Same slow speed, maxing out about 2.5MB/s.

 

As I said before, it seems VERY unlikely that it could be only the wireless driver since the other Precision 7510 has the latest 20.70.27.1 driver and their speed is very fast at 15MB/s.

I'm back to the latest Intel driver 20.70.27.1 driver date 9/12/2021, still slow.

 

Is there other related drivers that need to be updated or changed so as to make your 8260 wireless card reach full speed?

 

Lamar

 

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David_G_Intel
Moderator
2,475 Views

Thank you for the information. We are investigating this, I will get back to you.


Regards, 

David G 

Intel Customer Support Technician 


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lhm4000
Novice
2,464 Views

I have figured out the problem.


I tried connecting wired ethernet and I was getting a 1.0Gbps connection but was still getting the slower speeds.  So with a little searching and trying a couple of things I found that the Windows "autotuninglevel" had been set to "disabled" somehow -- maybe from some Windows update sometime.

Typing this into a Command Prompt (Admin) showed the current settings:
netsh interface tcp show global

 

And I typed this to set the "autotuninglevel" to "normal":

netsh int tcp set global autotuninglevel=normal

 

And immediately, my speeds were matching the other laptops on the network.  So now I'm getting 12.5MB/s downloads of that Dropbox video file.  And all other downloads are fast as well; both wired and wireless.

 

Lamar

 

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David_G_Intel
Moderator
2,404 Views

We are glad to know you found a solution, we highly recommend verifying with Microsoft why the settings were automatically changed to avoid this in the future, since the thread is solved we will close it now.  

Please keep in mind that this thread will no longer be monitored by Intel. Thank you for your understanding.  


Best regards,  

David G  

Intel Customer Support Technician  


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