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I live in a pretty crowded building, so the "airspace" is pretty crowded as well.

I get internet from FTTP through a 1Gbps link, which can be considered as stable and reliable for my question. Please consider only the WiFi aspect.

I currently have a higher bandwidth when uploading than when downloading (according to various speedtest services, and it's pretty consistant, about 2x more).

Here's various results from speedtest.net:

Speed test results

The last row is a wired result, just for reference.

Are my upload rate higher because my laptop antenna is just more powerful? Or is there other possible reasons?

My Intel 7265 chipset is supposed to have symmetric bitrate: https://wikidevi.com/wiki/Intel_Dual_Band_Wireless-AC_7265_(7265NGW) (2x2:2)

The router seems to have symmetric bitrate as well: https://wikidevi.com/files/Marvell/88W8366.pdf (3x3) (but only two antennas anyway)

EDIT: upgraded my AP with an Unifi AC Lite:

new AP

In conclusion, I guess the original router just shipped with the crappiest WiFi card/antennas/config and did not emit a strong enough signal.

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  • Try a speed test from your phone and maybe a couple more laptops. Let's see if multiple devices get the same results.
    – Mr Ethernet
    Aug 20, 2019 at 19:55
  • Do you have your own internet connection and what is it's bandwidth? If you are sharing a connection, try your test again when traffic is at it's lowest, such as 4am or something like that (it would depend on your neighbors, honestly). But honestly, without snooping the airwaves or seeing your S/N ratio and signal strength and knowing your router better, I can't say a real answer.
    – acejavelin
    Aug 20, 2019 at 21:11
  • @saveman72 your Ethernet speed test was performed nearly seven weeks before the WiFi tests, judging by that screenshot. There are too many variables. Try to take all your speed tests within a small time frame, like 10-20 minutes, one immediately after the other. Try also testing with 2-3 different devices as your sample size of one wireless device is rather small right now.
    – Mr Ethernet
    Aug 20, 2019 at 21:30

1 Answer 1

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Considering the way things are worded and your results, you are probably running a 100/100Mbps shared connection. Since you had a decent large download rate on test 2 and you are drastically reduced on your other results, other people are downloading through out those times. I would rule out "Throttle downloads" considering you have a +60Mbps connection on test 2. Most likely someone or multiple people are constantly downloading.

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  • His wired connection (noted in the last test) is better than 600/600... this seems to be WiFi or related to it specifically.
    – acejavelin
    Aug 20, 2019 at 21:12
  • @Chris R your answer doesn't address the discrepancy between Ethernet and WiFi.
    – Mr Ethernet
    Aug 20, 2019 at 21:26
  • 2
    He's not asking for the discrepancy's from Ethernet and WiFi. He's asking why the Upload is higher than download on WiFi which is all the tests, except for the last which is the ethernet. Considering his ethernet which I missed is over 600, disregard the speeds i said, but the conclusion is still the same. Those WiFi tests were more accurate to what I said. You can't compared his last test on his ethernet "test" because it was a month prior. His WiFi tests were done within a couple day so each other (Roughly) and his ethernet test was done a month prior. Look at the date stamp.
    – Chris R
    Aug 20, 2019 at 21:33
  • Hi @ChrisR, everyone. Thanks for the answers/comments, and sorry for the delay. To clarify, this is a personal FTTH connection, which is 1Gbps symmetric (however it's closer to 600/600 as seen on the ethernet screenshot). I have consistently those speeds in ethernet and I'm the "only" local user, so the date stamp is irrelevant.
    – Antoine
    Aug 27, 2019 at 9:48
  • I put only in quotes, because there are indeed many wifi devices also in the home, such as phones, google home minis, chromecasts, laptops, etc. It's true that I could test again with only one device in the house, different devices, etc. (I'll try to do that tonight). My question, nevertheless, was more about the technicalities of wifi, and what reason it could be that the upload rate is higher.
    – Antoine
    Aug 27, 2019 at 9:50

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