Slow wi-fi download speed (upload is good)

gopog · 12 November 2024 21:34

Hello

I did a fresh install of ZorinOS to revive an aging desktop. It runs well except that wi-fi download speed is around 180kb/s.

I've gone through another thread with similar issues but the fixes did not work.

Since the wi-fi dongle is USB, I already installed libusb-dev.

$ sudo lshw -C network
  *-network                
       description: Ethernet interface
       product: RTL8111/8168/8411 PCI Express Gigabit Ethernet Controller
       vendor: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd.
       physical id: 0
       bus info: pci@0000:03:00.0
       logical name: enp3s0
       version: 0c
       serial: ac:22:0b:4d:7a:de
       capacity: 1Gbit/s
       width: 64 bits
       clock: 33MHz
       capabilities: pm msi pciexpress msix vpd bus_master cap_list ethernet physical tp mii 10bt 10bt-fd 100bt 100bt-fd 1000bt-fd autonegotiation
       configuration: autonegotiation=on broadcast=yes driver=r8169 driverversion=6.8.0-48-generic firmware=rtl8168g-2_0.0.1 02/06/13 latency=0 link=no multicast=yes port=twisted pair
       resources: irq:18 ioport:e000(size=256) memory:f7c00000-f7c00fff memory:f0000000-f0003fff
  *-network
       description: Wireless interface
       physical id: 6
       bus info: usb@3:2
       logical name: wlxbcee7bea3651
       serial: bc:ee:7b:ea:36:51
       capabilities: ethernet physical wireless
       configuration: broadcast=yes driver=rtl8192cu driverversion=6.8.0-48-generic firmware=N/A ip=192.168.2.187 link=yes multicast=yes wireless=IEEE 802.11

$ speedtest-cli
Retrieving [speedtest.net](http://speedtest.net/) configuration...
Testing from TELUS (*<ip address>*)...
Retrieving [speedtest.net](http://speedtest.net/) server list...
Selecting best server based on ping...
Hosted by Bell Mobility (xxxxx, xx) [11.83 km]: 102.598 ms
Testing download speed................................................................................
Download: 0.47 Mbit/s
Testing upload speed......................................................................................................
Upload: 5.50 Mbit/s

Storm · 13 November 2024 06:31

Hello,

Try with:

sudo systemctl restart NetworkManager

If that doesn't work try with;

sudo nano /etc/modprobe.d/iwlwifi.conf

Find 11n_disable=1 and change it to 11n_disable=8

Save = ctrl+o
Exit = ctrl+x

Reboot and test.

gopog · 14 November 2024 23:10

Thank you.

Restarted NetworkManager and restarting has helped. speedtest-cli now shows a download speed of 1.18 Mbps (it was 0.47 before). However, speedtest on my phone on this wi-fi reports 186 Mbps. I know this computer is slow so that might be a factor but it shouldn't be THIS slow.
Edit: Ran speedtest-cli again and got 0.81 Mbps

$ nmcli dev wifi list shows a Rate of 195 MBit/s

My iwlwifi.conf file does not have those entries.

$ cat /etc/modprobe.d/iwlwifi.conf 
# /etc/modprobe.d/iwlwifi.conf
# iwlwifi will dyamically load either iwldvm or iwlmvm depending on the
# microcode file installed on the system.  When removing iwlwifi, first
# remove the iwl?vm module and then iwlwifi.
remove iwlwifi \
(/sbin/lsmod | grep -o -e ^iwlmvm -e ^iwldvm -e ^iwlwifi | xargs /sbin/rmmod) \
&& /sbin/modprobe -r mac80211

So I added these to the bottom and rebooted. No change.

options iwlwifi bt_coex_active=0 swcrypto=1 11n_disable=8
options iwlmvm power_scheme=1

$ lsusb 
Bus 001 Device 002: ID 8087:8000 Intel Corp. Integrated Rate Matching Hub
Bus 001 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
Bus 002 Device 002: ID 8087:8008 Intel Corp. Integrated Rate Matching Hub
Bus 002 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
Bus 004 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0003 Linux Foundation 3.0 root hub
Bus 003 Device 004: ID 046d:c077 Logitech, Inc. M105 Optical Mouse
Bus 003 Device 003: ID 0b05:17ab ASUSTek Computer, Inc. USB-N13 802.11n Network Adapter (rev. B1) [Realtek RTL8192CU]
Bus 003 Device 002: ID 046d:c31c Logitech, Inc. Keyboard K120
Bus 003 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub

$ iwconfig 
lo        no wireless extensions.

enp3s0    no wireless extensions.

wlxbcee7bea3651  IEEE 802.11  ESSID:"<network ssid>"  
          Mode:Managed  Frequency:2.432 GHz  Access Point: 08:62:66:90:9D:08   
          Bit Rate=72.2 Mb/s   Tx-Power=20 dBm   
          Retry short limit:7   RTS thr=2347 B   Fragment thr:off
          **Power Management:off**
          Link Quality=70/70  Signal level=-38 dBm  
          Rx invalid nwid:0  Rx invalid crypt:0  Rx invalid frag:0
          Tx excessive retries:0  Invalid misc:54   Missed beacon:0

This is my dad's computer and I only visit him a couple of times a week. So wanted to provide as much info as I could today.

swarfendor437 · 15 November 2024 08:10

Hi follow this tutorial on turning powersave off:

I would also get these two apps for your phone (Android):

Wifi Analyzer from F-Droid:

This will enable you to see if neighbours are using the same Channel as your Dad.

Who's on my wifi (PlayStore):

This will check and report back what devices are connected. Make sure your Dad's router password is secure and not the one on the bottom of the modem/router.

gopog · 17 November 2024 19:35

iwconfig says powe management is already off

I setup the router for him. I dont have any reason to believe the network is hacked. I will double check things to ensure the only devices connected are the ones which should be.