Can someone explain this to me because I’m genuinely confused. I’m downloading the same game update on my phone and desktop PC, connected to the same WiFi.
Phone gets around 5–6 MB/s.
PC barely reaches 1.4 MB/s.
I even tried downloading the exact same file from the same website, just to make sure it wasn’t the game launcher. Same result. The PC uses a little TP-Link USB WiFi adapter I bought probably six or seven years ago. It’s one of those tiny ones that barely sticks out of the USB port.
Could that actually be limiting my download speed that much? Or is there some Windows setting I’m missing?
First, thank you for using MB/s instead of Mbps. You have no idea how many threads turn into arguments about that lol. And yes, the adapter could absolutely be the bottleneck. What’s the exact model?
@NoSignal_NoLife Had to unplug it to read the label. It’s an old 150 Mbps 2.4 GHz adapter. I assumed 150 Mbps meant it should easily handle my internet connection.
That’s the advertised WiFi link rate under ideal conditions, not your actual download throughput. And that’s before accounting for interference, protocol overhead, signal quality, etc. Doesn’t mean you’re capped at 1.4 MB/s, though. Something else could be making it worse.
Run NetSpot on the PC. Check which band and channel your network is using, plus the signal level in dBm. Your phone might be using 5 GHz while that USB adapter is stuck on 2.4 GHz. Same network name doesn’t necessarily mean they’re using the same radio.
If you do replace it, don’t just buy another tiny USB dongle because the box says AX1800 or some other huge number. Check the actual supported bands, WiFi standard, antenna design, and your USB connection. For a desktop, a decent PCIe WiFi card with external antennas can be a better long-term option if you have a free slot.
@XN_doctorX_11 I was literally about to order another tiny TP-Link one because it said 600 Mbps. Glad I asked first.
Also check what your phone is actually connected to. If the phone is on 5 GHz and the PC can only use 2.4 GHz, you’re not really comparing two devices under the same wireless conditions. You’re comparing two different radios, different client hardware, and possibly different channel conditions.