WiFi Connection for Aspire A515-52 (Windows 10 - 64 bit)

aung35

Hi

My broadband speed (fibre to premises) is 200 mbps.  However, the wi fi speed is much slower in certain areas.  It is a long story but in the last few weeks my wi fi speed in the study could be as slow as 8 mbps (and sometimes cut off completely).  Recently it seems better.  The latest test in the last few minutes showed a result of 110 mbps, then 70 mbps then 64 mbps.  Someone said I could download the wi fi driver from Acer to hopefully improve it.  Is this right?

On Acer website, I found a download link for Wireless LAN Driver (vendor Intel) - year 2019 and Wireless LAN Driver (NFA435 Liteon) - vendor Atheros - year 2018.  What are they?  If the opinion in the paragraph above is correct, should I download one of these?

Any advice will be appreciated.

JackE

Press WIN+R. Enter 'msinfo32'. Click on the components folder on the left. Click network subfolder. Click adapter subfolder. The wifi adapter model should be listed in the right pane. Download and try installing the Intel, Liteon or Atheros whichever one is listed under msinfo32 Jack E/NJ

aung35

Thanks... I saw these: Name [00000005] Microsoft Wi-Fi Direct Virtual Adapter ... Adapter Type Ethernet 802.3

... Driver C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\DRIVERS\VWIFIMP.SYS (10.0.18362.1, 49.00 KB (50,176 bytes), 19/03/2019 04:43). 

But I also saw:  Name [00000002] Intel(R) Wireless-AC 9560 160MHz... Last Reset 23/11/2020 21:33... Driver C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\DRIVERS\NETWTW08.SYS (21.70.0.6, 8.61 MB (9,031,448 bytes), 12/01/2020 23:33)

Does it mean "Wireless LAN Driver (vendor Intel) - year 2019" will be suitable?  However, on my laptop it shows "last reset 23/11/2020".  Would it actually help if I download the one saying 2019 ?

JackE

Your wifi hardware is Intel. Doesn't hurt to try Feb 19 2020 version to see if will improve the connection speed. You may have to uninstall the newer version since it probably was just installed by a Win10 update. But you should first check if the connection speed has been resolved. Jack E/NJ

aung35

... so, how does it work.  If I install the older verson, will it co-exist with newer one?  ... how do I choose which one I want to try (for the speed)?

aung35

For information, just did another test right in front of the router.  Ethernet speed 210 mbps; wifi speed of laptop 56.61 mbps; wifi speed on iphone 181 mbps - when both tests performed at exactly the same time and same position.

JackE

Does it mean "Wireless LAN Driver (vendor Intel) - year 2019" will be suitable?  However, on my laptop it shows "last reset 23/11/2020".

Like I said, you may have to uninstall the newer driver version (Nov 23 2020) if the older driver version (Feb 19 2020) won't overwrite it. But before you try anything, make sure the problem still exists. The reason I say this is because the newer version has a date stamp of only 7 days ago. Have you checked it since last Monday? Jack E/NJ

aung35

Just checked again, still showing 23/11... then find an update called Feature update to Windows 10, version 20H2.  Thought try to get it first to see what happened.  HOWEVER, it takes ages to install... taking about 30 minutes for 20 % only... then saw error? ... try again, extremely slow... Then time to sleep, so leave it... when tried again, it starts from 0% and is very slow again?  At the moment, it is showing - installing 24%.  Totally confused     I probably cannot finish it even wait until bedtime....

JackE

>>>Just checked again, still showing 23/11>>>

Aye, no, that's not what I meant!!! What I meant was with the new 11/23/2020 driver that appeared last week, is the wifi still slow. Have you checked the speed with this new driver?? Jack E/NJ

aung35

JackE said:

>>>Just checked again, still showing 23/11>>>

Aye, no, that's not what I meant!!! What I meant was with the new 11/23/2020 driver that appeared last week, is the wifi still slow. Have you checked the speed with this new driver?? Jack E/NJ

The 11/23/2020 ... was shown on my laptop ... although I am not sure what it is exactly.  Then tried 'Device Manager' and saw these:   Intel(R) Wireless-AC 9560 160MHZ.  Then, I tried to double click.  It says "This device is working properly."  Under 'Driver' tab, it says - driver date 07/01/2020.  Version 21.70.0.6.  Not sure why two different dates....

Just tested: 122 mbps    then test again:  143.56.  Happy with that.  However, it is early morning.  Sometimes it was as slow as 30 mbps or so.... but hopefully it will not come back down to 8mbps as it happened before...

JackE

Which speedtest are you using? The ISPs or some other site? These tests can yield wildly different results. Jack E/NJ

aung35

I use speedtest.net, as recommended by Vodafone, my ISP. 

I just ran two tests - and I CANNOT believe what I saw: laptop 117.85  iphone 3.93.  Second test: laptop 150.2, iphone 1.77  ?????  This has never happened before.  In the past, the speed on iphone was always faster than on laptop (but I tested them in front of the router). 

Therefore, I walked to the router and test iphone - wow 213 mbps.  OK, took both laptop and iphone to the front of the router.  Laptop 67.3  iphone 158 : this is as usual - iphone faster....

Totally confused !

JackE

Not unusual. If you move the laptop & phone even only a few feet from and in different antenna orientations toward the router, you can see wildly different results. This is the nature of radio frequencies. Seems like you have a router signal strength issue. How old is the router? What router brand and model number? Perhaps it's time for you to consider another router. Jack E/NJ

aung35

It is a router provided by Vodafone since about March, quite new, since I joint them.  I will not even be able to change it without the help/instruction of Vodafone, and it is part of the fibre to premises package... perhaps I will try to see what Vodafone will say...

Many thanks for your time and advice.

JackE

>>>I will try to see what Vodafone will say>>>

You need to do this and make sure you tell them about the signal strength issues with respect to distance from and orientation toward the router. This can be critical. For example, does the router have antennas that can be adjusted for horizontal & vertical polarization. This will critically affect signal strength at the phone or laptop if their own antennas are oriented at different angles relative to the router antennas. Antennas in most laptops are embedded in the screen lid so lid orientation and position can have an affect on signal strength. Jack E/NJ