Please help! Why would my macbook WiFi be quicker than everything else, including ethernet port?
cstrasz
Enthusiast - Level 2

I am trying to track down issues with my Fios Speeds. Here is the background information:

Plan:

- I have the FioS 70/35 plan (think it's that, or the 75/35). Either way, it's near 70 Mbps down.

Macbook Pro:

- I have a macbook pro - older aluminum body laptop. Late 2009.

Desktop:

- I just built a new desktop computer. The ethernet that is being used is the built in motherboard port. The motherboard is the Asus Sabertooth z77 (http://www.asus.com/Motherboards/Intel_Socket_1155/SABERTOOTH_Z77/). According to the site the ethernet is listed as Intel® 82579V, 1 x Gigabit LAN Controller(s). Since my router is in my living room, I have the ethernet going to a LINKSYS PLSK400 powerline adapter, that then is hooked up on the side of my router. (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16833124448)

- I have also tried unhooking this setup entirely from the router and using a USB plugged in wirelessadapter (a Netgear a6200).

Mobile Phone:

- I have an iPhone 4s.

Results:

Now, here's where things get weird to me. Pretty much everything with the exception of the macbook pro, are getting half the download speeds.

- Macbook Pro: 63.25 Down/32.63 Up

- Desktop via Ethernet: 35.88 Down/27.84 Up

- Desktop via Wifi: I don't have it plugged in anymore, but it was about the same as the ethernet above

- Iphone 4: 34.06 Down/ 29.28 Up

What can I do to get my desktop running as well as the macbook? Please note, I am testing these all in the same location - my office. The router is in the family room nearby because there are no other cable connections in this rental.

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Re: Please help! Why would my macbook WiFi be quicker than everything else, including ethernet port?
Hubrisnxs
Legend

windows machines frequently have to be optimized for FiOS connections

Did you run the optimizer.

Try the FiOS one.   follow the instructions before running it. 

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Re: Please help! Why would my macbook WiFi be quicker than everything else, including ethernet port?
cstrasz
Enthusiast - Level 2

Sadly, it looks like the Fios optimizer didn't make a difference 😞 I tried both the less than 75 Mbps one as well as the 100 Mbps or higher one. Both didn't change the download speeds. Still getting ~28 Mbps while the macbook pro next to me on wireless gets around 65 Mbps

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Re: Please help! Why would my macbook WiFi be quicker than everything else, including ethernet port?
cstrasz
Enthusiast - Level 2

Spoke with Verizon tech and didn't really get too far. They recommended possibly trying a Cat 6 cable for a slight bump, but I know that's not going to do much or not the root of my problem.

They also gave me some information to check into RWIN settings, but from everything I found, Windows 7 doesn't allow much adjustment with this at all. Looking at the speedguide.net analzer, it's saying my RWIN settings are way too slow. I ran their optimizer and didn't see a chance to the RWIN settings or speeds either. So frustrated :(.

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Re: Please help! Why would my macbook WiFi be quicker than everything else, including ethernet port?
cstrasz
Enthusiast - Level 2

Think I'm going to look into maybe different network cables and possibly a separate NIC card rather than the onboard one. Maybe that's causing issues because it seems like no setting seems to make a difference. 

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Re: Please help! Why would my macbook WiFi be quicker than everything else, including ethernet port?
smith6612
Community Leader
Community Leader

Normally the onboard Intel NICs are rock solid and awesome. They're a lot better than Marvell or Realtek chipsets, for sure, and are also hands down better than the Killer NICs that seem to get tossed around here every now and again (strange to say the least, Intels are used in servers, even the onboards).

When you're running the optimizer, you are making sure that you have Internet Explorer running as Administrator, correct? If the Optimizer doesn't work, try TCPOptimizer from Speedguide. I'm quite sure that program works with Windows 7 and Vista, and if ran as Administrator should also be of some help.

Also keep in mind that your speeds are affected by the weakest link. If your MacBook can get 75Mbps connected directly to the FiOS router, but you're testing your PCs attached to other devices, such as a Wireless <> Wired bridge or a Powerline adapter before hitting the Verizon router, the weakest link will be whichever is the slowest. It sounds like you have ruled out the slowest link in this case however.

I would also check into your NIC's configuration. If it's not set to auto detect it's something you need to watch out for. Also, try updating drivers while you're at it just for the heck of it!

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Re: Please help! Why would my macbook WiFi be quicker than everything else, including ethernet port?
jumpin68ny
Master - Level 2

Do you have parental controls enabled on the router?

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