Wi-Fi 6 AX201 160MHz Adapter Slow Speed

Miká · ‎01-25-2025

Hi,

my Dell Laptop (device 1) uses the AX201 160MHz Adapter. My issues is that i get really slow network speeds in comparison to my other device (also a Dell Laptop, device 2).

The download speed on device 1 is around 10-20mbit/s, on device 2 its around 200mbit/s.

Both these devices use the same network adapter, the AX201 160MHz.

Device 1 has the driver version 23.100.0.4 installed, device 2 has version 22.200.2.1.

When i look at the driver information in cmd using "netsh wlan show Drivers", i see that for device 1 the supported types are 802.11a and 802.11ac.

For device 2 it's 802.11b, 802.11g, 802.11n, 802.11a, 802.11ac and 802.11ax.

When i look at "netsh wlan show interfaces" i also see that device 2 uses type 802.11ax. Device 1 uses 802.11a.

I tried changing the properties of the adapter on device 1 in the device manager. I set the 802.11n/ac/ax Wireless Mode to 802.11ax, but no change in speed.

Both devices run on the 5ghz band, as i split up the SSID on my router.

Thanks in advance for your help!

RandyT_Intel · ‎01-26-2025

Hello Miká,

Thank you for reaching out to us regarding the issue you’re experiencing with your system to better assist you, I need to gather some additional information. Could you please answer the following questions?

Can you please run the System Support Utility (SSU) and share the logs with me?
Any error message you encounter?
Any software or hardware changes made on the system?
Is this the original adapter that came pre-installed in your system, or have you changed/installed a new adapter recently?
Have you documented the settings or properties you changed?
Have you tried to contact Dell technical support about this?

Please note that this is an OEM device, so we will try to assist you with general troubleshooting steps. However, if the issue persists, you will have to contact the Original Equipment Manufacturer of your device. Your device manufacturer may have altered features, incorporated customizations, or made other changes to some components for better compatibility with your system.

Providing this information will help me diagnose the system more accurately and check for available solutions. Thank you for your cooperation, and I look forward to your response.

Best regards,

Randy T.

Intel Customer Support Technician

Miká · ‎01-27-2025

Hi Randy.

some further information:

1. You can find the SSU log file attached

2. I haven't encountered any error messages.

3. I upgraded my RAM from 8gb to 16gb, the other components are unchanged. The Software was only updated by the official Dell updates.

4. The Adapter is the original, which was pre-installed.

5.

- Changed the Preferred Band to "3. Prefer 5GHZ band"

- Changed 802.11a/b/g Wireless Mode to "1. 5GHZ 802.11a"

- Changed 802.11n/ac/ax Wireless Mode to "4. 802.11ax"

6. I haven't contacted Dell About this so far.

RandyT_Intel · ‎01-27-2025

Hello Miká,

The maximum speed of Intel® Wi-Fi 6 AX201 is 2.4 Gbps. May I ask what type of router you have? I need to know the make and model of the router so I can determine if there are no issues with compatibilities. Wi-Fi 6 (AX) devices are designed to be backward compatible with Wi-Fi 5 (AC) routers. This means your AX card will still work with an AC router, but it will operate under the limitations of Wi-Fi 5 (AC-Router)- Wi-Fi standards.

The choice between 2.4GHz and 5GHz depends on your specific needs and environment. Here are some key differences to help you decide:

2.4GHz

Range: Better range and penetration through walls and obstacles.
Interference: More prone to interference from other devices (e.g., microwaves, cordless phones) and networks, as many devices use this frequency.
Speed: Generally slower speeds compared to 5GHz.

5GHz

Speed: Higher speeds, making it ideal for activities like streaming HD videos, online gaming, and large file transfers.
Interference: Less interference from other devices, leading to a more stable connection.
Range: Shorter range and less effective at penetrating walls and obstacles.

Initial Recommendations:

For Better Range and Stability: Use 2.4GHz if you need a more extensive coverage area or have many walls and obstacles.
For Higher Speeds: Use 5GHz if you need faster speeds and are in a relatively open area or close to the router.

Depending on your bandwidth, or the capacity of your wireless access point, adding more clients (connected devices) to your network may decrease the throughput, resulting in lower download speeds while maintaining the same connection rate.

There are also other factors that may affect your throughput, such as network overhead, user congestion, obstacles (such as walls), interference (Bluetooth®, other sources of 2.4GHz radio waves, neighboring networks using the same channels) and environmental factors. For more information on this subject your may find the "Think Throughput" section of the "Next-Gen 802.11ac Wi-Fi for Dummies" book to be very informative.

When using the wireless in the computer, the internet speed is too slow. The network functioning will depend on your overall network configuration, you can follow these recommendations to improve the performance:

Confirm you are using the latest wireless drivers for your specific system. You can visit your system manufacturer website (recommended) or use the Intel generic drivers available in our download center.
Use the recommended settings for your wireless adapter. You can also visit Recommended Settings for 802.11ac Connectivity and Recommended Settings for 802.11ax Connectivity.
Test the different bands available (2.GHz, 5GHz)
Verify that your whole system configuration is compatible and supported (If you are using an AC router with an AX card you may not be able to achieve all the features available for AX connectivity).
Check with your router/modem manufacturer for firmware updates.
Contact the service provider for more recommendations to improve the internet speed.

If these steps don't resolve the issue, you might want to consider contacting Dell support for further assistance. They can provide more specific troubleshooting steps or identify if there might be a hardware issue with Device.

Check this Source: How To Optimize the Wireless Network Performance When Using...

Best regards,

Randy T.

Intel Customer Support Technician

RandyT_Intel · ‎01-28-2025

Hello Miká,

I wanted to follow up regarding the questions and information we shared with you recently. Have you had a chance to review them? Your feedback is invaluable in helping us determine the next best course of action.

Please let me know if you have any thoughts or if there's anything else you need from us.

Looking forward to your response!

Best regards,

Randy T.

Intel Customer Support Technician

RandyT_Intel · ‎01-29-2025

Hello Miká,

Since I have not received any response from you, I will proceed with closing this ticket. Please note that this case will no longer be monitored.

If you have any new questions or inquiries, kindly submit another ticket, and we will be happy to assist you.

Best regards,

Randy T.

Intel Customer Support Technician