Last night I had some bad speed on my laptop, just now I'm doing a speed test on my PC and my speeds are fine. But if I turn on my laptop and run a speed test, the speeds aren't anywhere near the speeds on my PC. I've checked my net gear router and seems to be working fine and there is no firmware update, so do I need to get a new router? I say mine is at least 3 years old and does get a lot of use.
I read that other wireless routers from nearby houses could be interfering with your signal.
Wireless internet is usually slower than Wired internet because there is more interference from cordless phones, cell phones, microwaves, Bluetooth, and other wireless signals which can slow down your signal.
A new router like a 802.11N or 802.11AC router would most likely have new firmware, and tech which makes your wireless more reliable than a 3 year old router.
Maybe a power surge or wear and tear from old age is making your router slower. All electronics eventually breaks.
It is possible to hide the wireless username of routers in the settings, so you never know how many router signals are around you because the other users may set their wireless router signal user name to hidden.
A wireless signal and interference from a cordless phone, cell phone, microwaves, and other non-router devices can also slow down wireless signals.
If you upgrade your internet to a faster service like 1 Gbps Fiber, or faster cable and DSL with speeds up to 60-100MBps or more internet, you should upgrade your wireless router to use all the speed provided by your ISP.
A 802.11N router can supports wireless speeds up to 300MBps or faster, and 802.11AC Router maximum speed is 1.3 Gbps for Wireless.
I read that people who stream HD video from their PC to their Xbox, or PS3 would also see less lag when they upgrade to a faster N and AC Router instead of the slower G router which max speed is 54 Mbps.
