How to find out the maximum Wi-Fi speed on a laptop: step-by-step instructions

You connected your laptop to Wi-Fi, but the pages are loading slowly and the video is 4K Is your internet constantly freezing? The first thing that comes to mind is to check your internet speed. But how do you know if your laptop is up to the task? the maximum possible speed for the current network, or is the problem in the router settings, adapter, or provider tariff?

In this article we will figure out how to measure real Wi-Fi speed on a laptop running Windows 10/11, macOS or Linux, and we'll also find out what factors limit productivity. You'll learn how to distinguish the theoretical maximum of the Wi-Fi standard (e.g. 866 Mbps for 802.11ac) from the actual data transfer rate that your adapter is capable of providing under specific conditions.

Spoiler: even if your router supports Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) at the stated speed of up to 2.4 Gbps, in practice, a laptop can only produce 300–500 Mbps — and that's normal. Read on to find out why this happens and how to approach the limits.

1. What is the difference between Wi-Fi speed and internet speed?

Before checking speed, it is important to distinguish between two concepts:

• 🌐 Internet speed — this is the channel bandwidth that your provider provides (for example, 100 Mbps or 1 Gbps). It depends on the tariff and the operator's network load.
• 📶 Wi-Fi speed — This is the data transfer speed between the router and your laptop. It's limited by the Wi-Fi standard, adapter specifications, distance to the router, and interference.

Example: if your tariff is - 300 Mbps, and the laptop is connected to the router via Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac) at speed 866 Mbps, then the actual file download speed will not exceed 300 Mbps (provider limitation). But if the tariff 1 Gbps, and Wi-Fi only gives out 400 Mbps, the problem lies in the wireless network.

To find out maximum Wi-Fi speed, which your laptop supports, you need to:

1. Check specifications Wi-Fi adapter (standard, number of antennas, supported frequencies).
2. Measure the current connection speed to the router.
3. Compare with the theoretical maximum for your adapter and Wi-Fi standard.

2. How to find out the specifications of a Wi-Fi adapter on a laptop

Maximum Wi-Fi speed depends on hardware capabilities of the adapter and the supported standard. For example:

• 📡 Wi-Fi 4 (802.11n): to 150–600 Mbps (depending on the number of antennas).
• 🚀 Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac): to 866–1733 Mbps (with support MU-MIMO).
• ⚡ Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax): to 2.4–9.6 Gbps (under ideal conditions).

To find out which adapter is installed in your laptop, follow these steps:

For Windows 10/11:

1. Click Win + X and select device Manager.
2. Expand the section Network adapters.
3. Look for devices with names like Intel Wi-Fi 6, Qualcomm Atheros, Broadcom or Realtek.
4. Right click → Properties → tab Additionally.

In the adapter properties, pay attention to the fields:

• Transfer speed (shows the current connection speed).
• 802.11 standard (For example, 802.11ac).
• Frequency (2.4 GHz or 5 GHz).

For macOS:

1. Open About this Mac (click on the logo Apple in the top menu).
2. Go to System Report → Net → Wi-Fi.
3. Find the line Interface map (For example, AirPort Extreme or Broadcom BCM43xx).

For Linux:

Enter the command in the terminal:

lspci | grep -i network

Or for more detailed information:

iwconfig

If you don't know the name of the adapter, copy its model and look for the specifications on the manufacturer's website (for example, Intel or Qualcomm). Usually the maximum speed is indicated in the description (for example, 1.73 Gbps for Wi-Fi 5).

3. How to measure the current Wi-Fi speed on a laptop

Your current router connection speed may differ from the maximum due to interference, distance, or network settings. To measure it, use built-in tools or third-party utilities.

Method 1: Via the Network and Sharing Center (Windows)

1. Right-click the Wi-Fi icon in the tray → Open network settings.
2. Select Wi-Fi → Managing known networks → click on your network.
3. Scroll down to the section PropertiesThere will be a line there. Connection speed (For example, 722 Mbps).

Method 2: Via Resource Monitoring

1. Click Win + R, enter resmon and press Enter.
2. Go to the tab Net → Wi-Fi.
3. In the column Max. speed (bytes/s) The current limit will be displayed.

Method 3: Via Terminal (macOS/Linux)

IN macOS execute:

networksetup -getinfo Wi-Fi

IN Linux:

iw dev wlan0 link

(replace wlan0 to the name of your interface).

Method 4: Third-party utilities

For detailed diagnostics, use the following programs:

• 📊 NetSpot (Wi-Fi coverage analysis).
• 🔍 WiFi Analyzer (checking channels and interference).
• 📈 Speedtest by Ookla (measuring internet speed, but not Wi-Fi!).

Important: Speedtest shows internet speed, not Wi-Fi! To measure the speed of your wireless connection, use iPerf3 (test between laptop and router via local network).

Make sure your laptop is connected to a 5GHz network (if your router supports it)

Disable VPN and background downloads

Place your laptop close to the router (at a distance of 1-2 m)

Check if the channel is overloaded with other devices-->

4. Why is the actual Wi-Fi speed lower than the maximum?

Even if your adapter supports Wi-Fi 6 at theoretical speed 2.4 Gbps, in practice you will get no more 50–70% from this value. Here are the main reasons:

Another key factor is channel width. For example:

• Channel 20 MHz: maximum 150–200 Mbps.
• Channel 40 MHz: to 400–600 Mbps.
• Channel 80 MHz: to 866–1733 Mbps (only for Wi-Fi 5/6).

To check the channel width:

1. Go to your router settings (usually at 192.168.0.1 or 192.168.1.1).
2. Find the section Wi-Fi → Additional settings.
3. View the parameter Channel width (Channel Width).

How to enable 80 MHz channel width?

In most routers, this option is hidden in the advanced settings. If it's not there, update your firmware. 2.4 GHz the channel width is higher 40 MHz not supported due to standard limitations.

⚠️ Attention: On frequency 2.4 GHz channel width 40 MHz may interfere with neighboring networks. If the speed is unstable, try turning it back on. 20 MHz.

5. How to get closer to maximum Wi-Fi speed

If tests show that the speed is far from the limit, try the following steps:

1. Switch to 5 GHz

Net 5 GHz less congested and supports higher speeds (up to 1.7 Gbps For Wi-Fi 5). To connect:

• 🔄 Reboot your router.
• 📡 Enable it in your router settings 5 GHz (sometimes it is disabled by default).
• 💻 On your laptop, select the network with the suffix _5G or 5GHz.

2. Update your Wi-Fi adapter drivers

Outdated drivers can limit speed. To update them:

1. Open device Manager → Network adapters.
2. Right-click on the adapter → Update driver → Automatic search.
3. If Windows does not find any updates, download the driver from the manufacturer's website (for example, Intel Driver & Support Assistant).

3. Configure your router for maximum performance

Optimal parameters for the router:

• 📶 Standard: 802.11ac (or 802.11ax, if supported).
• 🎚️ Channel width: 80 MHz (For 5 GHz).
• 🔢 Channel: automatic or manual (eg 36, 40, 44, 48 For 5 GHz).
• 🔒 Security mode: WPA2-AES or WPA3 (Not TKIP!).

⚠️ Attention: If the mode is enabled in the router settings 11b/g/n mixed, the maximum speed will be limited 150 Mbps. Select 11n/ac/ax only (if all devices support modern standards).

4. Use a USB adapter with Wi-Fi 6 support

If your laptop's built-in adapter is outdated (for example, Wi-Fi 4), buy an external USB adapter with support Wi-Fi 6 (For example, TP-Link Archer TX3000E or ASUS USB-AX56). Such adapters provide speeds up to 2.4 Gbps and support 160 MHz channels.

6. Speed ​​test between laptop and router (without internet)

To check real Wi-Fi speed Without the influence of the provider, conduct a test on the local network using iPerf3:

Step 1: Install iPerf3

• 🪟 For Windows: Download from official website.
• 🍎 For macOS: brew install iperf3.
• 🐧 For Linux: sudo apt install iperf3.

Step 2: Run the server on your router or another PC

If the router supports OpenWRT or DD-WRT, install iPerf3 through opkgOr connect a second computer via cable and run:

iperf3 -s

Step 3: Launch the client on your laptop

In the laptop terminal, enter (replace 192.168.1.1 to the IP of the router or second PC):

iperf3 -c 192.168.1.1 -P 10 -t 20

Parameters:

• -P 10: 10 parallel threads (for load).
• -t 20: the test lasts 20 seconds.

Test results

You will get an output like:

[SUM]   0.00-20.00  sec  1.20 GBytes  512 Mbits/sec

That's it real Wi-Fi speed between the laptop and the router. Compare it with the maximum for your adapter (see Section 2).

Example of interpretation:

• 🟢 500–800 Mbps: good result for Wi-Fi 5.
• 🟡 200–400 Mbps: There may be interference or non-optimal settings.
• 🔴 Less than 100 Mbps: problem with adapter, drivers or router.

7. Common Mistakes When Testing Wi-Fi Speed

Many users make errors that distort test results. Here are the most common ones:

1. They test internet speed instead of Wi-Fi.

   Speedtest Shows the connection speed to internet servers, not to the router. To check Wi-Fi, use iPerf3 or see the connection speed in Network and Control Center.

2. Ignore the network frequency.

   Net 2.4 GHz always slower 5 GHzIf the laptop is connected to 2.4 GHz, the maximum speed will not exceed 150–300 Mbps.

3. Channel load is not taken into account.

   If 10 devices are connected to the router, the speed is divided among them. Disconnect unnecessary devices before testing.

4. Conduct the test away from the router.

   Walls and distance reduce speed. For objective results, place your laptop in 1–2 meters from the router.

⚠️ Attention: If it is enabled in the router settings QoS (Quality of Service) may artificially limit speed for some devices. Disable this feature before testing.

FAQ: Answers to Frequently Asked Questions

My laptop shows a connection speed of 866 Mbps, but Speedtest only shows 200 Mbps. Why?

Connection speed (866 Mbps) is the speed between the laptop and the router. Speedtest shows the internet speed that is limited by the provider. If your plan 200 Mbps, then this is normal. To check the actual Wi-Fi speed, use iPerf3 (see section 6).

How do I know if my laptop supports Wi-Fi 6?

Check the adapter model in Device Manager (Windows) or in System Report (macOS) If the name contains AX (For example, Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX200), then yes. Also, check the laptop's specifications on the manufacturer's website.

Is it possible to increase Wi-Fi speed from 150 to 300 Mbps on an old laptop?

If the adapter only supports Wi-Fi 4 (802.11n) with one antenna, its maximum is 150 MbpsTo get 300 Mbps, need support MIMO 2x2 (two antennas). Solution: buy an external USB adapter with Wi-Fi 5 (For example, TP-Link Archer T4U).

Why does Wi-Fi speed drop in the evening?

In the evening, the network 2.4 GHz overloaded due to a large number of connected devices at neighboring locations. Solution: switch to 5 GHz or change the channel in the router settings (select the least loaded one using WiFi Analyzer).

How can I check which devices are slowing down my Wi-Fi?

Go to your router settings (usually 192.168.0.1) → section Connected devices or DHCPThere will be a list of gadgets and their data consumption. Disable unnecessary ones or limit their speed via QoS.