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Intel Wireless-AC 7260 Slow Throughput and 2.4GHz problems - Faulty?

CEvan2
Beginner
1,275 Views

Hi guys,

Yesterday I installed a Wireless-AC 7260 into my laptop replacing an older wireless card which I considered inferior. Unfortunately this hasn't gone as well as I'd hoped.

The first problem is the slow throughput.

A quick few details - The internet connection we have here is 1Gbps; the WAPs are connected to the 1Gbps at 1Gbps (They are Alcatel Omniaccess 105's), The LAN is 100Mbps (The laptop is connected to a 1Gbps switch which I use for a small personal network, which is connected to the organisations LAN (And therefore its internet connection at 100Mbps).

Just to prove the connection is up to the job (This is with the Laptop hardwired into the 1Gbps switch I have):

http://imageshack.us/a/img836/2893/a8sy.png http://imageshack.us/a/img836/2893/a8sy.png

For some reason, no matter what Access point I connect to, I cannot seem to get a decent throughput with this card.

Here is an example:

http://imageshack.us/a/img5/4361/4t0j.png http://imageshack.us/a/img5/4361/4t0j.png

What I did there was connect the Laptops' WiFi to a spare WAP (BT HomeHub V2) I have sitting next to it. As you can see, the laptop connects at 130Mbps (Where it stays) but it only gets 34Mbps downstream - could this be a sign of a faulty card?

Before any of you suggest it's the internet connection; it's not because I connected the WAP here to the same cable I used in the first test (To prove the connection is up to the job).

What's even more strange is that if I connect to the expensive WAP (Alcatel) which I know is capable of 180Mbps throughput at least due to my friend being able to achieve that speed (In throughput!) I get this:

http://imageshack.us/a/img841/3250/stxs.png http://imageshack.us/a/img841/3250/stxs.png

Is this another sign that the card could be faulty? Surely I should be getting more than 26Mbps when being connected to the Wireless Access Point at 180Mbps?

The throughput is completely stable when transferring and hardly moves; there's hardly any fluctuation. I might add I've tried a speedtest also on a Dedicated Server I have which is on a 1Gbps interface - Same problem.

Edit: Here's a test I did while standing underneath the Alcatel WAP with the card connected at 300Mbps:

http://img13.imageshack.us/img13/3776/tjz7.png http://img13.imageshack.us/img13/3776/tjz7.png

Surely there's something wrong there!?

The second problem I have is that the Card is very stubborn (or broken) at connecting to the Alcatel WAP with 2.4GHz - It simply sits there saying "Attempting to Authenticate" until I force the adapter's band preference to go to 5GHz. The old card I had was only a 2.4GHz card to my knowledge and my iPhone 4s which is only 2.4GHz connects perfectly to the Alcatel WAP. The card connects at 2.4GHz to my personal WAP which is only compatible with 2.4GHz.

Here's what I mean: http://imageshack.us/a/img844/9323/k2pq.png http://imageshack.us/a/img844/9323/k2pq.png

I've also attempted a reinstall of Windows 8.1 - No luck and I've ensured I'm using the latest drivers, located from the community page. It has happened with both the stock windows drivers and the latest intel drivers.

Does anyone know what's going on with this adapter? Are these known problems? (I don't get drop outs). Is it faulty? Any ideas how to get it fixed?

Thanks for your answers,

Chris

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tvete
Valued Contributor II
423 Views

You won't get any support from Intel here since replacing the WiFi card that is not in the OEM list of approved WiFi cards. Also, you must show proof of OEM approval to be able to replace the card yourself. Read more here: http://www.intel.com/support/wireless/wlan/sb/CS-011644.htm Intel� Wi-Fi Products — Regulatory information regarding hardware installation or upgrade

The behavior that you're experiencing is not normal or maybe due to your laptop hardware incapable of handling the 7260AC properly. I have an Intel Dual Band Wireless-N 7260 OEM on my laptop and I do get that 180 Mbps throughput on a 300 Mbit connection.

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