Forums › Forums › Internet & WiFi Issues › Why is my internet fast on LAN but very slow over WiFi?
Tagged: LAN vs WiFi, slow internet, speed test, WiFi adapter
- This topic has 1 reply, 2 voices, and was last updated 1 month, 2 weeks ago by
Ravi Kumar.
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July 11, 2025 at 5:32 pm #463
My desktop gets full speed over Ethernet, but my laptop on WiFi barely hits 10 Mbps. Both are in the same room. Could the WiFi adapter be bad?
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July 11, 2025 at 5:58 pm #464
Hey! I’ve actually dealt with this exact issue, and yeah — it’s super annoying when your wired connection is blazing fast but WiFi feels like it’s crawling, even in the same room. since your desktop gets full speed on ethernet and your laptop doesn’t over WiFi, here are a few things worth checking:
Weak or outdated WiFi adapter
Honestly, this is one of the most common culprits. if your laptop’s wireless card is old or doesn’t support 5GHz bands (and is stuck on 2.4GHz), you’ll see slower speeds — even with strong signals.
Try this: go to your laptop’s network settings and check if it’s connected to a 5GHz network, not 2.4GHz.
If your router offers dual-band, it should show both options. 5GHz is way faster but has slightly shorter range — still better for same-room use.
Interference from other devices
Even in the same room, things like Bluetooth devices, microwaves, or even thick furniture can interfere with WiFi signals.
try turning off nearby wireless gadgets temporarily and see if speeds improve.Router placement and channel congestion
If your router is on auto-channel and everyone around you is using the same one, you could be facing signal noise.
You can log into your router and try switching to a less crowded channel manually — especially for 2.4GHz.
Driver or firmware issues
Outdated network drivers on your laptop can massively affect WiFi speed.
Go to your laptop manufacturer’s site and grab the latest wireless adapter driver.
Also make sure your router firmware is up to date — some performance fixes come with updates you’d never know about.
Power-saving settings
Some laptops throttle WiFi speed to save battery, especially in “balanced” or “power saver” modes.
Go to power settings and change your plan to “high performance,” then retest the speed.
Try an external USB WiFi adapter
If nothing helps, this might be the quickest fix. i had a similar issue and just bought a USB dual-band WiFi adapter (cost me like ₹800) and instantly got 10x better speed.
I know it’s tempting to blame the router, but in most cases like this — when LAN is fast but WiFi isn’t on the same network and same room — it’s usually the laptop’s adapter or configuration
Try the above in order, and you’ll probably notice an immediate difference. let me know what ends up working!
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