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Slow connection with Wi-Fi 6 AX200 Version 1a

moro
Beginner
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I have some issues with my wlan connection speed on Win10 as well as on Ubuntu 20.04 (Dual-Boot).

The speed of the wlan connection is very inconsistent and changes from total failure (no internet connection at all) to really slow (< 1Mbps) and normal ( ~ 30 Mbps).
All my other devices (Handy, 2x Laptops) run constant with ~30 Mbps.

The changes in speed occoure randomly, while <1 Mbps is the most common situation (~80%). Regular speed and no connection at all ocure each ~10% of the time.

On windwos i also tried to update the driver to the current one with no effect.

 

 

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Khun_Doug
Valued Contributor I
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There is a lot of information needed to try and resolve the throughput problems. On the Windows system, what version of Windows is being used? What hardware do you have for the PC? What type of Wi-Fi 6 adapter do you have? And what is the Wi-Fi router you are connecting to? Also, not as critical but what speed is your Internet service? What type of Wi-Fi link are your devices negotiating (A, AC, AX, N)?

 

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moro
Beginner
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Sorry for the late reply, was not at home the last days.

The requested informations:


Operating system:
Windows 10 Pro
     Version: 20H2
     Systembuild: 19042.685
Ubuntu 20.04.1 LTS

Hardware:
     Mainboard: MSI MPG Z490 GAMING PLUS, i.e. Intel Z490 Chipset
     CPU: intel i7 10700KF
     GPU: AMD Radeon RX 5600XT (if that is any relevant)

Wi-Fi adapter: Ubit-AX200
     product: Wi-Fi 6 AX200
     vendor: Intel Corporation
     physical id: 0
     bus info: pci@0000:06:00.0
     logical name: wlp6s0
     version: 1a
     serial: 14:f6:d8:b7:3c:5c
     width: 64 bits
     clock: 33MHz
     capabilities: pm msi pciexpress msix bus_master cap_list ethernet physical wireless
     configuration: broadcast=yes driver=iwlwifi driverversion=5.4.0-58-generic firmware=48.4fa0041f.0
                                ip=192.168.0.194 latency=0 link=yes multicast=yes wireless=IEEE 802.11
     resources: irq:19 memory:b0500000-b0503fff
I bougt it on Amazon: https://www.amazon.de/dp/B07Y2MYK4N/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_dlT1_ib18FbAJPPW28
(I noticed, the product description on amazon indicates it should run with 160Mhz, here it tells that it runs only with 33Mhz)

Wi-fi router: D-Link
     Model: DIR-635
     Hardware Version: B3
     Firmware Version: 2.34EU, 2010/07/08
     802.11 Mode: Mixed 802.11n, 802.11g and 802.11b
     Channel Width: 20MHz
     Channel: 7

Speed of internet service:
     not quite sure, but other devices can reach 30-40 Mbps

 

Thank you, for your help

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Khun_Doug
Valued Contributor I
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I took a look at the support for the DIR-635 router. There is no firmware update and the firmware is dated 2010. That means trying updates on the router is not an option.

I would change the AX200 to use only 2.4 GHz band, but would not limit the router or the AX200 adapter to 20 MHz bandwidth. The adapter and router should be able to negotiate a bandwidth that is stable, and that means perhaps 40 MHz wide. And the clock on the adapter is not the same as the signal width. The signal width is a function of the radio and the channels it uses.

I know this is not what you want to read, but there are wireless clients that simply will not work with some wireless routers. I had a Linksys router that could not be detected by a wireless smart thermostat, but worked well with laptops and a mobile phone. A coworker had a wireless router but his wife's MacBook couldn't connect. It may be worthwhile to upgrade the router to something newer. Since your bandwidth is 30-40 Mbps you wouldn't need anything on the higher end. If you do decide to look for a replacement router, I would recommend a different brand. And it needn't be new. You can find used working devices on eBay for very reasonable prices. I don't work for or own Asus, but I can speak highly about their routers and never had anything that couldn't connect.

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moro
Beginner
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So i understood you correct, you would assume that the problem ist on the routers side, since it is with 10 years of age outdated. I am in a few days on a different place. I will check the the Wi-Fi connection there. If its runnig there just fine i will most likley look for a newer router.

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Khun_Doug
Valued Contributor I
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It occurs to me that you can test this if you have a mobile phone that can act as a mobile hotspot. If your mobile phone supports a hotspot feature, I would temporarily activate it, and then try to connect from the AX200 unit to the hotspot. You can verify hotspot availability from your laptop. If this works then you have some proof of the router being at fault.

I remember clearly one stay at a hotel on Puerto Galera in the Philippines. The hotel only had WIFi at the bar and restaurant, not in the rooms. At the time I had a Windows phone, of all things, but it was dual SIM and the 2nd SIM was on the Filipino cellular network, and it supported the hotspot feature. That mobile phone was the only WiFi we had in the hotel room for a week.

Please  write back with your results.

 

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moro
Beginner
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I changed location, therefor i am connection to a different router for 2 days now. So far with no issues. Seems that the old router is causing the problems.

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moro
Beginner
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Update: i now have the same problem again with a different router. The last day i got 80Mbps download and 30Mbps upload. But today i got the same problem as with the other router.
The speed drobs randomly down to 1-3Mbps download, but stays relativly high on 15Mbps upload.

So i am not that sure any more, that the router is causing the problems.

The router i am using now:

Brand: Telekom
Model: Speedport Smart
Hardware Version: VER.B(C0-01)
Firmware Version: 050129.3.5.006.0 (04/2020)
2,4 GHz:
    Mode:
802.11b + 802.11g + 802.11n
    Channel: auto
5 GHz:
    Mode: 802.11ac
    Channel: auto

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Khun_Doug
Valued Contributor I
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This problem would seem to be an intermittent, and those are absolutely the hardest to resolve. It's like taking to the car to the mechanic and then the car works great, until you get it back, and then it malfunctions.

The first step to follow to try and isolate what could be causing this is to get down to the least number of components. That means any laptop or desktop not involved should be turned off or put into airplane mode. The same applies to any mobile phones, game stations, and anything else in your house that uses the wireless. The thing is that you want only the router the PC with the AX200 adapter to be communicating. Then try and get settings that are stable. Usually problematic connections can at least negotiate something stable on the 2.4 GHz band.

If all this works well, then try bringing the devices back online, one at a time. You might find that a laptop or a mobile phone being active is the culprit. I had a situation where my boyfriend's laptop being on and not in airplane mode prevented another laptop from connecting to the router. Turn off that laptop or put it into airplane mode, and the problems stopped.

One other thing I recommend is installing NetSpot on your mobile phone and the PC that is having the trouble. NetSpot will listen for any neighboring networks that could be causing interference. It shows the device, bands and channels involved. If you have a neighbor with something that is strong enough to get picked up at your house, you might want to consider changing control channels.

 

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moro
Beginner
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Okey, i will tackel that in the next days. But as you sad, its quite difficult, if the problem is that intermittent. You sad "Then try and get settings that are stable."
What are settings i should and should not play with (i have no clue)?

Other question: I bought the adapter on amazon, and i could refund it until the end of the month. Would you recomend it, just getting a different adapter? I would assume, thats maybe the easiest way to solve the issue.

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Khun_Doug
Valued Contributor I
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The default settings for the adapter have worked well for me. You can try setting 802.11 a/b/g Wireless Mode to Dual Band 802.111 a/b/g, and Preferred Band to Prefer 2.4 GHz. Those are the first two things I would look at when trying to resolve connectivity issues and limiting to just the 2.4 GHz band.

As for returning the adapter, there are multiple things to consider. Your Internet speed is below 100 Mbps, so you don't need an adapter that pushes to the edge of WiFi speeds. If you have an open USB 3 port I can speak very highly of the Asus USB-AC68. No fussing with opening the case, insert into the USB, let Windows install the driver, and shazam. I have one of these on an older system that is currently dedicated to Folding@Home. I never have any issue with it connecting to the router. I don't work for Asus, I just think highly of some of their network gear.

 

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moro
Beginner
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I kinda got a step forward with targeting the issue. I seperated the 5GHZ and 2,4GHz connection on my PC settings, so i cloud manualy switch. I think i now know where the changes in speed come from:

1. The 5GHz is much faster, reaching always at least 50Mbps, but mostly ~75Mbps over multiple tests during the last hour
2. The 2,4GHz reaches at most 30Mbps, but mostly ~22Mbps
3. The 5GHz connection seems to be really instable, and disconnects at least after 2min. Most of the time, connecting to the 2,4GHz and directly back to 5GHz solves the problem, but in 10% of the time the 5GHz is down for a minute.

This could explain the strainge behavior: Fast internet with the 5GHz, which then fails, resulting in a period of no internet at all, then automatically reconnecting to the 2,4GHz resulting in a solw connection.
(But i still dont know, where the realy solw connection with 1-3Mbps comes from).

Interestingly, i checked with NetSpot that my phone was connected all the time to the 5GHz. Reaching a constant speed of 83-90 Mbps (faster than the PC) and experienced in the whole hour only on connection loss to the 5GHz.

I also checked the cannel interfering with NetSpot. On 2,4Ghz it was kinda crowded, i had some small interferings, which i elimnated. My router is running now lonly at channel 6, while the neighbours Wi-Fi runs on 1 and 11.
On the 5GHz its realy empty. There is one other on 36(42), while mine is using channel 100(106).
(i would assume in that case 100 is the official channel, while 106 marks the middle, sinc on NetSpot it reaches up to 112)

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moro
Beginner
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Edit: now the 5GHz is compleatly down for 5min straight, not only on the PC, also on the phone. There seems to be a bigger problem. Nevertheless this problem seems to affect my PC way more than my phone.

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moro
Beginner
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Edit2: for the last 30min i was using the 5GHz on my phone with no issues, while i was the whole time not able to connect to the 5GHz with the PC, only the 2,4GHz worked there.

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Khun_Doug
Valued Contributor I
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So a few things to be cognizant of. The D-Link DIR-635 only has 2.4 GHz B/G/N according to the specifications in the D-Link manual. If you were getting any 5 GHz links while the DIR-635 was connected, then there is something else that is issuing the same SSID as your D-Link. One thing to be sure of is you are only using one wireless router for each band, OR one wireless router that supports both bands. In the latter scenario there should be no other wireless router. The routers will clobber each other, and you will indeed have link issues.

 

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moro
Beginner
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I am using a diferent router now https://community.intel.com/t5/Wireless/Slow-connection-with-Wi-Fi-6-AX200-Version-1a/m-p/1245613/highlight/true#M33191

But your wright, the DIR-635 had only 2,4GHz.  So my observations
https://community.intel.com/t5/Wireless/Slow-connection-with-Wi-Fi-6-AX200-Version-1a/m-p/1245897/highlight/true#M33208
might be correct for my current router. But are actually not that usfull i suppose, sind i had the same problems with the DIR-635 (which had no 5GHz).

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Khun_Doug
Valued Contributor I
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Since the problem is not limited to just the PC (you had the same issue on your mobile phone but with less frequency), there are other factors involved. Is your Internet connection separate from the Telekom router? For example, do you have a cable modem and then cable the Telekom to it via Ethernet cable?  If so, I have a few more things to try:

1-Try changing the Ethernet cable between the cable modem and the Telekom

2-Turn off the Telekom, and then use NetSpot to see if something else is broadcasting your SSID

 

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moro
Beginner
2,763 Views

I think i most likely got the problem: The antennas were mounted on the back of my tower, while the tower it self was pushed quite close to the wall. Therefor the metal case of the PC and the wall were blocking the antennas from the signal resulting in a very unstabel connection.

I got some extension cabels from a friend of mine to try it. I have the antennas now on my tabel. At a first impression the connection seems to be stabel and faster. but i will have an eye on it.

Hopefully the next message will be in a few days, noting that it solved the problem

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