[Shop-talk] shop internet connection

Thu Jan 2 16:21:35 MST 2025

well that is an unusual development... moved the laptop to sit right next to 
the Orbi modem
five speedtest gave me 25-30 mb download and a little less upload with latency 
around45 ms

took it back to the shop sitting next to the satellite and got 50-60 mb down 
and 40-=50 up with less latency

so I'm assuming it's just my old slow laptop as 
ya'll say...just like me  old and slow

My Orbi is a model RBR10   app version2.42.0.56

firmware version v2.7.3.22

I've 
started looking online for refurbed units... 
I've been using a refurbed DELL Optiflex 990 for several years with no problems
they are getting cheaper every day... and I've 
got room for a small form factor and monitor in the shop... might just go that 
way

if ya'll have any suggestions on the refurbs... I'm all ears

   thanks for all the input
john

----- Original Message -----
From: MIQ MILLMAN <miq at bigllama.com>
To: john niolon <jniolon at att.net>
Cc: shop-talk <shop-talk at autox.team.net>
Sent: 1/2/2025 3:26:21 PM
Subject: Re: [Shop-talk] shop internet connection

As others have said, the old laptop is probably running within specs.  Wifi-BGN 
is going to peak throughput of about 38-40 mbps. 

The latest spec for Wifi (aka Wifi-6) is 802.11ax or just AX as a designation 
to differentiate from the past "livingroom" standard of 802.11ac.

Both of these are overkill for what you want/need, ac peaks at 3.5Gbps, and ax 
peaks at 9.6Gbps.

The Toshiba you have also has a limit of 100 Mbps on the ethernet port built 
in.   So, even if you went with a cheap "hardwire solution" and tried to 
connect a switch to the ethernet port on the Orbi, you would still be limited 
to what the older laptop can manage.

It's also possible that the version Orbi you have is only capable of 802.11ac, you don't 
mention which version you have, but they still sell/support the older versions, 
and the price is rather steep for the latest versions

Even if you were to replace/upgrade to a usb dongle wifi connection, it would 
be limited to the speed of USB 2.0 and the older bus speeds in the Toshiba.  
Also not sure that spending $35 on a wifi adapter is the best use of funds.... 
(e.g.  TP-Link AX1800 can plug into a standard USB a port, but the laptop would 
not be able to support the speeds.)

If you are on a budget, I would look at chromebooks as an option, 

here's a not terrible option from Lenovo for $250 from the 'zon:
https://a.co/d/am8aVRV

All that said, most of the world runs just fine on 20-30 Mbps.

  --Miq

On Thu, Jan 2, 2025 at 10:34 AM john niolon <jniolon at att.net> wrote:

I'm trying to get better internet connectivity in my detached garage/shop.  First tried hardwired cat-5 but it was right at the limit for distance and slow and intermittent.  Next went with power line adapters and while they were consistent in connection...speed was still slower than I wanted...

This Christmas my s-I-l gave me a Orbi mesh system and we installed it with no problem putting one satellite box IN the garage and the master box sitting on top of my fiber modem hard wired to the modem.

I have 300mb fiber from ATT and the speed is great (350-375 MB) to hardwired pc and around 140 mb on ipad in the house or in the garage.  
I have an older laptop I use in the shop (Toshiba Satellite L875D-st210) which is my primary shop machine.  Best speed I can get is 30-40 mb.
while the tablet sitting next to it is 140 mb+.

I'm 
wondering if the old laptop has a wireless card that is old and slower?  
Everything I knew about computers is old and obsolete after 20 years out of the 
business.  Can someone with current knowledge tell me if the problem is with an 
antiquated card in the laptop and is there a way to get better wireless speed 
on the laptop?  or is that just the nature of wireless nowadays? BTW the laptop 
is running windows 7 with no options to run win 10.

thanks
John
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