USB WiFi dongle required

[Christopher Low]

My internet connection has been upgraded from 65Mbps to 500Mbps. However, my internet connection is currently ethernet, and this seems to be limited to 100Mbps. When I test my new connection, it is stating 95Mbps, which is obviously well below where it needs to be. The upload speed has jumped from 15 to 75Mbps (which is the stated upload speed of the new connection), so it is working. In addition, when my dad tested his laptop using the Wifi connection from the router, it recorded 540Mbps.

That being the case, I need a WiFi dongle of some kind to boost me up to the 500Mbps that I should be getting. Can anyone recommend a suitable solution? I was thinking about a USB wifi dongle, but I want to be sure that these are consistent and reliable.

[Dave_YVR]

Ethernet is the better way to go if able, have you tried a faster/better cable? Checked your ethernet capability to see what it should be capable of?

[Christopher Low]

The ethernet connection states 100/100 Mbps, which is what makes me believe it is unable to go any faster.

EDIT: Is the Asus Maximus IX Hero motherboard capable of 1Gbps connections? I have downloaded what is claimed to be an Intel Gigabit driver, but the details are still showing as 100/100 Mbps.

Edited March 8 by Christopher Low

[Christopher Low]

The problem I have is that I do not have a wired ethernet connection. The ethernet cable is running from the motherboard to a WiFi Extender plugged into an electrical socket. I am thinking that a good quality Wifi dongle may be the only way to utilise the full speed of my new internet connection.

Edited March 8 by Christopher Low

[Dave_YVR]

You might be right, lots of posts about speed issues with that built in nic on your motherboard as well.

[lownslo]

First easiest thing to do is make sure the ethernet cable running from the WIFI Extender to your motherboard is Gigabit capable.  And then, of course, is the Extender also Gigabit capable as well?  Is there a switch somewhere between your computer and the router that could be only 100/100 capable?

My last choice for solving a connection issue is turning to a USB WIFI dongle.  Good ones are not inexpensive, and it may not solve the problem anyway.

Your network will only be as fast as the slowest component.  Find that slowest component and you'll then know what to buy (or not buy).

[Christopher Low]

Would a WiFi card be a lot better than a USB dongle?

The WiFi extender is rated up to 750Mbps.

How do I check if the ethernet cable itself is Gigabit capable?

Would it be worth getting a Gigabit capable ethernet card? My Asus Maximus IX Hero motherboard is supposed to be rated up to 1Gbps, but I have seen reports on the internet of other users who seem to have had similar problems with limited 100Mbps connections.

Edited March 9 by Christopher Low

[lownslo]

I would choose the WIFI card long before a USB Dongle.  My experience with USB WIFI dongles has never been good.  Should you choose a WIFI card, try to get one that has separate antennas (the antennas are a separate component that are connected to the card with a dedicated short cable).  The separate antennas will allow you to place them near/around/on top of your computer case.  Makes it easier to secure the strongest handshake with your router given the unique layout of your home.  Before settling on a WIFI card you should familiarize yourself with the limitations of your motherboard... see the "NOTE" section at the bottom of ASUS's page for your board: https://rog.asus.com/motherboards/rog-maximus/rog-maximus-ix-hero-model/spec/

As I recall WIFI Extenders lose half the speed of your connection (as a means of securing a complete handshake of the WIFI connection).  Newer extenders may be different?😕

Checking ethernet cables is a sport in/of itself!😁 See this link: https://superuser.com/questions/337132/how-do-i-find-out-the-speed-of-an-ethernet-cable  There's also some good info at the Wikipedia pages included in that link.

A new Ethernet card might help.  But it too would have to deal with the limitations of your motherboard as I noted above.

Yet another option that has worked great for me in the past is Ethernet Over Power (EOP).  Info at this page: https://www.techreviewer.com/learn-about-tech/powerline-adapters/  We're on opposite sides of the Atlantic, and I don't know how EOP works on your side but it could be a simple, clean solution for you.  And no loss of your data stream (your computer would receive the full 500Mbps you're paying for).

But start your troubleshooting at the cheapest possible item(s): Your cable(s).  You now have a nice data stream coming into your home... make sure you have all the appropriate hardware to take advantage of your new connection!

[Christopher Low]

Could you clarify what you mean when you state "limitations of your motherboard"?

[Christopher Low]

I suspected that my existing ethernet cable was only rated at 100Mbps. That being the case, I remembered that I had a spare ethernet cable in storage, and a quick check revealed that this was Cat5E (with visibly more wires than the old one). I was hoping that using this cable would solve my problem, but unfortunately it made no difference It seems that something else is limiting my connection speed to 100Mbps. I tried forcing "1Gbps Full Duplex" in the ethernet settings, but that just disabled the ethernet connection altogether.

The puzzling aspect is that my Asus Maximus IX Hero motherboard is supposed to be capable of 1Gbps connection speeds

I think that purchasing a standalone 1Gbps ethernet card would probably be the best option.