Internet speed?

Is there inherently a big difference in wireless internet reception speed between laptops that are 7 years apart? Here is the deal.

Doing a speed test on my hardwired 2.4ghz pentium 4 PC, I get 31 mbps download and 4.6 mbps upload. Over the same combination wireless/wired ActionTec modem router, on my friends 2006 Toshiba 1.6 ghz Celeron Laptop I tested at only 9.5 mbps download and 4.5 mbps upload.

I thought the large difference might have been because the PC was wired and the laptop was using wireless. I decided to go test my 2012 Toshiba 1.3 ghz AMD laptop on the same wireless signal and whoa! It recorded the same speeds as my wired PC, 30 down and 4.5/6 up.

Is the performance between the two laptops likely a matter of age/capability difference or some other factor.

Re: Internet speed?

wireless i would expect the old one to be slower not because of the laptop but because the hardware used for wireless communication has changed over the years abit like 3g compaired to 4g on a phone

Re: Internet speed?

How far away were each computer from the wireless router? If you have 802.11n on your newer laptop and g on the older laptop, that could explain the differences. You have an N router? Also, certain receivers on different computers work better on certain channels. For example, Ipods, Ipads and Iphones work best on channels 9 and 11.

Another test that would be interesting is to test them both wired instead of wireless.

Is the same anti-virus being run on each computer? Is the firewall set up the same on each computer? Could also do a test where you turn the firewall and anti-virus off on the slower computer.

Re: Internet speed?

The slug computer was maximum 8 ft away. My cheapy AMD Toshiba was a good double that but thru a tile wall. Both computers are running the Microsoft Security Essentials that I loaded on them. Not sure on the firewall issue. I know how to check it on the slug XP laptop but I am not sure how to check it on my Win 7 laptop. All my pC's are still XP so I am still learning Win 7.

I can hook the slug up to a wired connection. There is no point in doing it on my 2012 Win7 laptop as the wireless speed is already equal to the wireless speed as noted on my wired PC.

I guess you must know that my Centurylink/quest Actiontec 1000 is an N router. I was not aware, one way or another. I also am not sure what the wireless technology is my my 2012 Toshiba.