Speed differences between devices

[MoodyBlues]

I'm getting very different Internet speeds on devices literally sitting right next to each other, and don't know why.

My Moto Z² Force Edition phone was sitting inches from my System76 laptop. On the phone, I used the Speedtest app, and on the laptop, I used their website. I ran them one right after the other.

I ran each a few times, and used the same server on both each time. [So disregard the different servers in the screenshots; the results were basically the same per device regardless of server.]

Here's the laptop:

and the phone:

My plan was 50/5, but I vaguely remember a recent notice about an increase to 70/5.

Yes, they're on the same Wi-Fi network.

The laptop runs up-to-date Kubuntu 19.10, and the phone Oreo 8.0.0.

Ideas?

 

[Steven58]

I don't know, but one thing I noticed that the two devices are using two different internet providers and/or testing servers... one is Spectrum and the other is Bel Air.

 

[MoodyBlues]

I don't know, but one thing I noticed that the two devices are using two different internet providers and/or testing servers... one is Spectrum and the other is Bel Air.

Did you see where I said:

"I ran each a few times, and used the same server on both each time. [So disregard the different servers in the screenshots; the results were basically the same per device regardless of server.]"

 

[jhtalisman]

What is the wifi capability of the laptop, as in can it use all the bands (a,b,g,n ac###) that your router delivers? Each progression up the alphabet scale is capable of higher speeds. So if your phone can use ac#### but your laptop is only up to g or n that would explain the difference.

 

[svim]

Are both devices on the same 2.4GHz or same 5GHz band network?
Also, are you sure that there's no other traffic using your broadband connection while you did those tests? If someone else is watching Netflix in another room in your household, that could be screwing up your bandwidth tests.

 

[MoodyBlues]

What is the wifi capability of the laptop, as in can it use all the bands (a,b,g,n ac###) that your router delivers?

That's an excellent question! To which I have no answer.

 

[MoodyBlues]

Are both devices on the same 2.4GHz or same 5GHz band network?

Yes, definitely.

Also, are you sure that there's no other traffic using your broadband connection while you did those tests?

Yes, definitely.

If someone else is watching Netflix in another room in your household, that could be screwing up your bandwidth tests.

No, I was the only human at home, and absolutely nothing was running. Certain devices are always connected, e.g., DirecTV, ADT, Ring, but they were all idle.

Besides...if something was sucking up bandwidth, that would impact both devices, not just one, right?

 

[svim]

...
Besides...if something was sucking up bandwidth, that would impact both devices, not just one, right?

Not all online activity is a going to be constant draw on a lot of bandwidth, most tasks don't. The point being when doing any kind of bandwidth test any other activity on your LAN can skew the results. All kinds of devices and processes running in the background may or may not be polling online sources on a periodic basis.

 

[Steven58]

Did you see where I said:

"I ran each a few times, and used the same server on both each time. [So disregard the different servers in the screenshots; the results were basically the same per device regardless of server.]"

Nope. I was at work and it's harder for me to focus on stuff, so little stuff gets by. I'm sorry. In fact, I started 7:30am this morning. You may ask, "Who takes a voice lesson at 7:30 am?" I know. Really. Who does? Price of success.

 

[MoodyBlues]

Not all online activity is a going to be constant draw on a lot of bandwidth, most tasks don't. The point being when doing any kind of bandwidth test any other activity on your LAN can skew the results. All kinds of devices and processes running in the background may or may not be polling online sources on a periodic basis.

I see what you're saying, but the tests were as alike as possible--outside a laboratory setting.

They were run one device after the other--so within 2 seconds--several times, with nothing streaming or doing anything to speak of in terms of accessing the Internet. Yet the results were consistent, with the phone's speed much faster than the laptop's.

I had nothing running on the laptop; Konsole and Dolphin were open, but I wasn't using them, so they don't count. There were no background processes involving Wi-Fi.

Thanks for the input, and please keep ideas coming!

 

[MoodyBlues]

Nope. I was at work and it's harder for me to focus on stuff, so little stuff gets by. I'm sorry. In fact, I started 7:30am this morning. You may ask, "Who takes a voice lesson at 7:30 am?" I know. Really. Who does? Price of success.

I'm glad you're successful! But...7:30...in the MORNING?

I'm sorry if my comment sounded rude. As sometimes happens, after re-reading it I thought it came out kind of snippy.

 

[dontpanicbobby]

What was the browsing experience like @MoodyBlues? Did either device seem choppy?

 

[MoodyBlues]

Did either device seem choppy?

No, not at all DPB. And, honestly, when web browsing on the laptop, I'm never unhappy with its speed--except when [as discussed in another thread] my helper is streaming. But that's house-wide, not just the laptop.