Slow network transfer rate between Windows on WiFi

Associate
Joined
10 Mar 2025
Posts
74
Location
UK
I've searched the internet and tried too different things, and I still cannot figure how to fix my slow transfer rate between two PCs. So I thought I will ask here, maybe someone has a fix. I am trying to transfer several gigabytes of large files between two PCs through WiFi network. One has Windows 10 and the other Windows 11. I share a directory on the Workgroup. I get rates of approx 11mb/s. Is there anything I can do to make it go faster. I am willing to use third party software if it will make it go faster.

Any help is appreciated. I am at a dead end at the moment.
 
Quick fix, plug in a cable between the two PCs, or use a USB/Thunderbolt drive as a medium.

"11mb/s" sounds like 11 MB/s, so could could be one of the Wi-Fi APs being 100 Mbps limited, either due to its design, a dodgy cable, or an old router/switch.
 
Quick fix, plug in a cable between the two PCs, or use a USB/Thunderbolt drive as a medium.

"11mb/s" sounds like 11 MB/s, so could could be one of the Wi-Fi APs being 100 Mbps limited, either due to its design, a dodgy cable, or an old router/switch.

I get over 90Mb/s when downloading from the internet. I think the WiFi can handle 300Mb/s or something like that.

> use a USB/Thunderbolt drive as a medium.

That's what I want to avoid. As it is something I do on a regular basis. But it seems it's the only solution.
 
Last edited:
Wi-Fi is not that simple, communication is half duplex, APs can send or receive, but not at the same time. The more you load them up with clients, depending on how they're put together, the more detriment you'll see in terms of perceived speed.

Topology would help, ie, draw a full connectivity diagram including makes/models of switches, NICs, adaptors, APs etc.
 
I get over 90Mb/s when downloading from the internet. I think the WiFi can handle 300Mb/s or something like that.
Do you get 90Mb/s on both machines?

Also are you pushing or pulling the files (as this can make a difference)?

(I.e. pushing is using the source machine to do the copy to the destination, pulling is the destination machine does the copying from the source)
 
Wi-Fi is not that simple, communication is half duplex, APs can send or receive, but not at the same time. The more you load them up with clients, depending on how they're put together, the more detriment you'll see in terms of perceived speed.

Topology would help, ie, draw a full connectivity diagram including makes/models of switches, NICs, adaptors, APs etc.

I am using Virgin Wifi which behave like a router. At least that's what the setting says. Both machines are connected using tp-link powerline to the Virgin hub.


Do you get 90Mb/s on both machines?

Also are you pushing or pulling the files (as this can make a difference)?

(I.e. pushing is using the source machine to do the copy to the destination, pulling is the destination machine does the copying from the source)

I pulling. I tried pushing but for some unknown reason my Windows 10 (Black) cannot connect to Windows 11 (Blue) PC. I can see it but cannot connect to it.
 
Both machines are connected using tp-link powerline to the Virgin hub
Which you failed to mention until now. Powerline adaptors are renowned for being poor and giving unpredictable results. Don't believe anything about their quoted or displayed speeds. Remove them from the equation and test again.
 
Which you failed to mention until now. Powerline adaptors are renowned for being poor and giving unpredictable results. Don't believe anything about their quoted or displayed speeds. Remove them from the equation and test again.

Ah. Then I am unable to at the moment. I do not have Wifi dongle for both PCs.
 
Wired ethernet guarantees maximum speeds available. And wired ethernet meaning from NIC to switch/router, to NIC. Any other form of connectivity just is what it is. There are no optimisations available for power line adapters, WiFi, etc. that can magically increase throughput.

Except for switching to ethernet, of course!
 
Wired ethernet guarantees maximum speeds available. And wired ethernet meaning from NIC to switch/router, to NIC. Any other form of connectivity just is what it is. There are no optimisations available for power line adapters, WiFi, etc. that can magically increase throughput.

Except for switching to ethernet, of course!

I was just thinking of that. I think I will get a wired router. Less hassle. Hopefully it will solve this pain in the butt issue.

Do both machines have SSD drives or is one a spinner?

The receiver has SSD as main drive, but the data is being copied on a spinner storage drive from a spinner.
 
Last edited:
I was just thinking of that. I think I will get a wired router. Less hassle. Hopefully it will solve this pain in the butt issue.



The receiver has SSD as main drive, but the data is being copied on a spinner storage drive from a spinner.
You have a wired router, you have just chosen to cripple it’s performance by using powerline. Run a cable from each PC to the router without powerline or anything else, and you should have gigabit speeds. Alternatively a few GB is such a small amount of data that sneakernet using some sort of flash based USB3 drive would handle it in seconds.
 
Back
Top Bottom