PC Wi-Fi Slower than Phone: How to Fix It

Step 1: Check which Wi-Fi band the PC is connected to

Open Wi-Fi settings and check whether the PC is connected to the 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz band. If the PC is on 2.4 GHz and the phone is on 5 GHz, that difference alone explains the speed gap — 5 GHz delivers significantly more throughput at close range. Force the PC to connect to the 5 GHz band by selecting your router's 5 GHz network (usually labeled with a 5G suffix).

Step 2: Update the Wi-Fi driver

Outdated Intel, Realtek, or Qualcomm Wi-Fi drivers frequently limit throughput and cause inconsistent speeds. Visit the laptop or motherboard manufacturer's support page and download the latest Wi-Fi driver directly — do not rely on Windows Update alone, as it often lags behind manufacturer releases by months. Install, restart, and run a speed test.

Step 3: Disable power management on the Wi-Fi adapter

Windows applies power-saving settings to Wi-Fi adapters that throttle throughput to save battery. Disable this: open Device Manager > Network Adapters > right-click your Wi-Fi adapter > Properties > Power Management tab > uncheck 'Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power'. On laptops, also set the power plan to High Performance while testing.

Step 4: Set Roaming Aggressiveness to Lowest

In Device Manager, right-click your Wi-Fi adapter > Properties > Advanced tab > find Roaming Aggressiveness > set to Lowest. A high roaming aggressiveness setting causes the adapter to continuously scan for better access points, which consumes radio time and reduces throughput. Setting it to Lowest keeps the adapter focused on the current connection.

Step 5: Set channel width to Auto or 80 MHz

In Device Manager > Wi-Fi adapter > Properties > Advanced tab, look for 802.11n Channel Width or VHT Channel Width. Set it to Auto or 80 MHz. Some drivers default to a narrower channel width that limits maximum speed. Wider channels (80 MHz for Wi-Fi 5, 160 MHz for Wi-Fi 6) allow significantly higher throughput.

Step 6: Replace the Wi-Fi adapter

Budget OEM laptop Wi-Fi cards are frequently 1x1 single-antenna designs with a maximum link rate of 150–433 Mbps. Modern smartphones use 2x2 or 4x4 MIMO antenna arrays and Wi-Fi 6 chipsets. If your laptop has an older 1x1 Wi-Fi 5 card, replacing it with a 2x2 Wi-Fi 6 adapter (such as the Intel AX210) will close the speed gap with your phone.

Step 7: Use wired Ethernet

A wired Ethernet connection eliminates the Wi-Fi adapter entirely. A Gigabit Ethernet cable from the router to the PC delivers consistent 900+ Mbps with low latency and no signal variability. If your desktop doesn't have an Ethernet port, a USB 3.0 to Ethernet adapter provides Gigabit speeds for under $20 and outperforms every Wi-Fi adapter at any price when running on the same desk as the router.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is my PC Wi-Fi slower than my phone?

Modern smartphones use premium Wi-Fi chipsets with 2x2 or 4x4 MIMO antenna arrays and Wi-Fi 6 support as standard. Budget and mid-range laptops often ship with 1x1 single-antenna Wi-Fi 5 adapters that have a fraction of the theoretical throughput. Additionally, Windows power management throttles PC Wi-Fi adapters in ways that phone operating systems do not. The fix is a driver update, disabling power management, or replacing the adapter.

Does Wi-Fi adapter quality matter a lot?

Yes, significantly. A 1x1 Wi-Fi 5 adapter (common in budget laptops) has a maximum link rate of 433 Mbps under ideal conditions. A 2x2 Wi-Fi 6 adapter like the Intel AX210 reaches 2,400 Mbps. In real-world use with typical router distances, the gap is still 2–4x in favor of the better adapter. Adapter quality matters most when your internet plan exceeds 200 Mbps.

How do I check my PC's Wi-Fi speed rating?

On Windows, hold the Alt key and click your Wi-Fi network in the system tray. A detailed connection info panel appears showing Link speed in Mbps — this is the negotiated Wi-Fi link rate, not your internet speed. A 1x1 Wi-Fi 5 adapter will show 433 Mbps maximum. A 2x2 Wi-Fi 6 adapter will show up to 1,200 Mbps. You can also check Device Manager > Network Adapters to see the adapter model name and look up its spec sheet.