Windows 10 wifi slows down until reboot

Anonymous
2019-08-16T12:11:47+00:00

Hello

i have noticed a problem with my Lenovo Legion laptop

After a while the internet connection completely slows down to the point it is pretty unusable, however a simple reboot fixes he issue until of course it slows again over time.

i've tried lots of things to rectify that i have seen online, but nothing has resolved the issue. i have all the latest window updates and network driver updates as far as i can tell. i've disable my AV and tested and that makes no difference.

Can someone help please?

Cheers

Windows for home | Windows 10 | Internet and connectivity

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Anonymous
2021-01-29T20:57:32+00:00

I found a very possible solution.

Go to settings - > network -> status -> change adapter options

select your wifi adapter.  right click and select "properties"

select the first "configure" button

go to the "advanced" tab.  select "preferred band" and select "prefer 5GHz band"

This will force your wireless adapter to stay on the 5GHz band of your router.

If all your devices intend to use the 5GHz band, disable the 2.4GHz band on the router (although not recommended as many other devices such as IoT uses the wider, slower band)

The BUG:

I appears that windows will constantly hunt for the stronger signal even if it is the slower signal.   For example, if you were moving around your house with your laptop, you may have started on the 5GHz band, but it picks up the 2.4GHz as stronger, and goes on there.  Your network speed instantly drops.  (this will even happen if you are stationary).  

HOWEVER, even if you go back to an area with strong 5GHz coverage, windows does not return to the 5GHz speeds.  For whatever reason, the speed stays limited to the slower output.  That's why if you reboot or turn off and on the adapter, it resets it and you get max throughput again.

Microsoft should really fix this bug.

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  1. Anonymous
    2020-12-31T00:12:00+00:00

    Don't hold your breath, you will die light years before MS fixes anything. Actually, go ahead and breathe we will all die before they do. They don't care, don't you know they know what we want, so they behave like it. I don't install new feature updates anymore as it takes me days or weeks to fix what they break, but what the neck it's for my own good.

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  2. Anonymous
    2021-01-29T02:35:21+00:00

    Check if you are using a VPN Client as this might be the cause and not the reboot. I had the same symptoms but eventually realised it was not the reboot solving the issue but exiting my VPN Client did solve it (which also happened when I rebooted). Whenever i started up the client my downloads speed would drop to under 2 MBPS.

    See solution link at https://community.spiceworks.com/topic/2096371-global-vpn-client-greatly-slows-internet-when-connected-and-not-connected. I applied the manual steps in the Microsoft community article https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_10-networking/wifi-issues-with-creators-update/4a20ba4f-33dc-4397-9823-e12dcb2607ba?auth=1 which has solved the problem for me.

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  3. Anonymous
    2021-01-29T08:03:08+00:00

    I solved this by getting a new router, a 2.4 and 5Ghz duplex one.  My old router was a very basic 2.4Ghz model supplied by the ISP.  No problems for about 3 months now.

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  4. Anonymous
    2021-01-29T17:44:34+00:00

    Same experience.  Brand new XPS 15 laptop with killer wifi card.

    Download stream slows down after a while (but upload stream strangely unaffected).

    Turning the wifi adapter off and on via the wifi icon, fixes the issue for a while (you don't have to do a full reboot).

    I had this problem on two routers from two different companies.  My phone doesn't require this wifi restart.  It's definitely a windows issue.

    Saw another suggestion it might have to do with windows wifi power management, but I can't find that option on my xps.

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