Terrible DL Speed Fluctuations

ThatSlyB

Solid State Member
Messages
8
Location
SI, NY
I am new here, stumbled upon this place trying to find an answer to my current issue.
I'm hoping someone here has better knowledge of this than I and Google does =]

I use a Netgear WNA3100 wireless receiver on my computer. It used to be just fine, reaching speeds close to the computer wired into the router.
I used to watch youtube in 1080 without any load time.

Recently, however, things changed. Watching a youtube video is an impossible task even in the lowest quality. Websites freeze occasionally. However eventually, everything loads. I began running speed tests. I tested the wired computer, it is still running great at I believe around 30Mbs a second.
I ran multiple tests on this computer. First test came up as 1.5 Mbs. Next 4. Next 2. Next, after a freeze up, 16. Next right after down to 4.

This makes sense, since watching a youtube video for me now = 30 seconds of waiting for it to play for a second, then itll play 30 seconds out of nowhere, then freeze, no buffer, play for a second or two, then run great.

I believe I updated the driver for the wireless receiver, but it's a bit hard to figure out their website.
I scanned my computer with AVG and MalewareBytes, no issues found.

The only thing that occured recently, I believe after this already started, was one of my solid states that I have set up in raid0, shows as "an error occurred" when I start the computer, but otherwise runs as normal. Would that be my issue? Could this have something to do with an error on my hard drive?

Does anyone have any clue?
 
firstly, welcome to tech-forums ! :)

and what's your ISP?? not sure i can help but i can try looking up information for you, since I don't live in the UK
 
I have Fios, not sure what speed. I can look it up, but this is a new issue. Everything was fine until recently and the other computer is still fine.
 
I have Fios, not sure what speed. I can look it up, but this is a new issue. Everything was fine until recently and the other computer is still fine.

if you wish to know what bb speed you're receiving, just simply google 'broadband speed checker' :)
 
if you wish to know what bb speed you're receiving, just simply google 'broadband speed checker' :)

He's already done that multiple times as he said in his original post:

I began running speed tests. I tested the wired computer, it is still running great at I believe around 30Mbs a second.
I ran multiple tests on this computer. First test came up as 1.5 Mbs. Next 4. Next 2. Next, after a freeze up, 16. Next right after down to 4.
 
Have you called your ISP??
Do you particularly notice this during certain times during the day??
 
It definitely sounds like a problem with the wifi. If the wired machine is having no problems then it's not an issue with the ISP or the router's switchports. I recommend running Xirrus Wifi Inspector and posting a screenshot of the results. This will show if you are suffering from low signal strength, a crowded channel, or interference.

The first few possibilities that come to my mind:

Wireless interference
Failing wireless adapter
Failing wireless radio in router

Also, what antivirus are you using? If it's Mcafee or Norton then I would actually look at those first. AVG and Avast have also been known to cause issues.
 
It's important to know the speed you are paying for because you have nothing to complain about if you are only paying for 1.5mb. If however, you are paying for 3 or 5mb download speed then there is something wrong and we should investigate.

But until you KNOW what you are paying for, all of the searching in the world probably won't help because we don't know what you SHOULD be getting.
 
yeah exactly. ^
you can call your ISP to find that out and you can compare it with the speed from your braoadband speed checker

in fact you should have checked before 'buying' the service

good luck!
 
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