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Is Nintendo switch slow WiFi common problem?

raygcon

raygcon

Banned
Oct 30, 2017
741
Tried to download Onimusha yesterday only to realize that it download at speed around 20 Mbps. ( I have 100 Mbps at home ). I mean my older smaller phone can just take it full speed just fine. What's happened?

Same for PS4 with very unstable WIFI speed. Even for pro model. Is there any special for WIFI technology that these game company cannot implement?
 
IDontBeatGames

IDontBeatGames

ThreadMarksman
Member
Oct 29, 2017
16,513
New York
WiFi for all the consoles typically suck. You're better off at using a wired connection to have a better online or download experience. The difference in download speeds is absolutely noticeable on the Switch when you compare the wired vs WiFi connections. Along with that, you're also going to have a more stable connection on games such as Fighting Games.
 

Deleted member 2254

user requested account closure
Banned
Oct 25, 2017
21,467
Everything about the Switch wifi is poor. Most notably how I can use my mobile phone, my laptop on my console properly on wifi whereas the Switch, in the same location, barely even reaches my router from there. I move my laptop another 2 metres and I'm still downloading full speed or so, while my Switch loses signal completely. Then of course there's the speed which is always a fraction of what my connection can achieve, even if I place it inches away from the router. Granted, I mainly use the Switch for offline play, but it's one of the reasons I barely ever touch Splatoon 2.
 
EarthPainting

EarthPainting

Member
Oct 26, 2017
3,875
Town adjacent to Silent Hill
I suspect the PS4's problems is their infrastructure, and not the console itself, since it even struggles with an ethernet cable. Some people get decent speeds out of Playstation Network, while I have to do the pause and resume dance to use even a fraction of my connection. I've tried so many "fixes" and tweaks, but none of them made any difference. Steam can pull 50GB in the same time my PS4 does a single gig, and can do it without babysitting.

Switch's issue seems to be in the hardware itself. It's not only slow, but also has trouble getting its initial connection. When I want to play something online in my bedroom, I have to take the system into the livingroom, connect there, and then I can go back up. Once it's connected, it seems about as fine as it would have if I stayed in the livingroom. I don't entirely understand why it's like this. Didn't try a wired connection on this, but I doubt it would improve its speed.
 
qrac

qrac

Member
Nov 13, 2017
752
Never had a problem with stability (hehe), but the download speeds are kind of slow. I'm on a 24Mbit ADSL line.
 
glaurung

glaurung

Member
Oct 26, 2017
1,597
Estonia
The Switch wifi connection is notoriously mediocre.

I have to keep my Switch practically next to the wifi antenna to get acceptable connection, moving it away from the router even a bit will immediately drop bars from the indicator. The device has trouble maintaining a stable connection at a distance where my PS4 and Xbox both have 100% signal strength.
 
sir_crocodile

sir_crocodile

Member
Oct 25, 2017
23,480
I've never had an issue, and there are multiple walls between where I dock my switch and my router.

I wonder why there's such variance?
 
trugs26

trugs26

Member
Jan 6, 2018
2,025
I have a smooth online connection for 1v1 smash matches using WiFi. I'm in the same room as it.
 
Fart Master

Fart Master

Prophet of Truth
The Fallen
Oct 28, 2017
10,323
A dumpster
EarthPainting said:
I suspect the PS4's problems is their infrastructure, and not the console itself, since it even struggles with an ethernet cable. Some people get decent speeds out of Playstation Network, while I have to do the pause and resume dance to use even a fraction of my connection. I've tried so many "fixes" and tweaks, but none of them made any difference. Steam can pull 50GB in the same time my PS4 does a single gig, and can do it without babysitting.

Switch's issue seems to be in the hardware itself. It's not only slow, but also has trouble getting its initial connection. When I want to play something online in my bedroom, I have to take the system into the livingroom, connect there, and then I can go back up. Once it's connected, it seems about as fine as it would have if I stayed in the livingroom. I don't entirely understand why it's like this. Didn't try a wired connection on this, but I doubt it would improve its speed.
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PS4 is a mix of both as the older PS4s have a shitty 2.4 ghz wifi adapter and on top of that PSN is pretty much strung together by duct tape due to what I guess is inexperience and lack of foresight on the engineers end.
 
Dynheart

Dynheart

Self-requested ban
Member
Oct 31, 2017
658
It's not the greatest, but it utilizes approx. 150-180 Mbps of my 500 Mbps connection plan. For comparison, my PS4 uses approx 280 to 320 Mbps. This is obviously wireless. My PS4 generally gets a full 500 90% of the time when I have the Ethernet cable plugged in. I haven't tried feeding my Switch straight from the tap, though, so I cannot compare it to the PS4 when plugged straight into the router.

Honestly, the 150-180 I have been consistently getting has been more than enough for what I need/what the Switch offers.
 
Chimpzy

Chimpzy

Member
Dec 5, 2018
1,752
I won't speak for others, but yeh, it's pretty damn bad for me. Out of all wifi capable devices I have, my Switch performs the worst by a wide margin. Speeds are slow and that's assuming it will connect to the router at all. I regularly have to bring it within a few meters of the router to be able to connect and the connection strenght drops like a brick when I move outside that distance.
 

Deleted member 23475

User-requested account closure
Banned
Oct 28, 2017
662
IDontBeatGames said:
WiFi for all the consoles typically suck. You're better off at using a wired connection to have a better online or download experience. The difference in download speeds is absolutely noticeable on the Switch when you compare the wired vs WiFi connections. Along with that, you're also going to have a more stable connection on games such as Fighting Games.
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Actually X1 Wifi is pretty good since day one.
 
Elven_Star

Elven_Star

Member
Oct 27, 2017
3,956
Consoles and internet connections don't play nice together. It's not just Switch. PS4 download speeds are still atrocious for example, not to mention its myriad of online play problems (the whole NAT2 thing and whatnot).
 
Pargon

Pargon

Member
Oct 27, 2017
11,994
Bowser said:
Switch's Wi-Fi sucks with 2.4 GHz bands
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It's not limited to 2.4GHz.
Dynheart said:
It's not the greatest, but it utilizes approx. 150-180 Mbps of my 500 Mbps connection plan. For comparison, my PS4 uses approx 280 to 320 Mbps. This is obviously wireless. My PS4 generally gets a full 500 90% of the time when I have the Ethernet cable plugged in. I haven't tried feeding my Switch straight from the tap, though, so I cannot compare it to the PS4 when plugged straight into the router.

Honestly, the 150-180 I have been consistently getting has been more than enough for what I need/what the Switch offers.
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Can you post a connection test showing that you're getting 150-180mbps?
The best I ever saw on WiFi was ~50Mbps and it was more typically around 40Mbps down/8Mbps up - this is with it being right next to high-end Ubiquiti WiFi gear, and my phone would get 400/20 in the same location.
If I recall correctly, people have also said that LAN adapters are providing <100Mbps.
 
Alvis

Alvis

Saw the truth behind the copied door
Member
Oct 25, 2017
11,226
Spain
The Switch has the worst wifi range I have ever experienced in my life. My freaking DSi had better wifi range. My Galaxy S (the first one!) had better wifi range. It's trash tier, absolute garbage, use ethernet when docked if it's an option.

The only way I got the wifi performance to not be absolutely disgusting is to have a 5 GHz ac router IN THE SAME ROOM.

Hell, I have experienced lag when playing local wireless multiplayer with two switches, next to each other, IN A BOAT (ship? whatever) IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE, BETWEEN TWO ISLANDS, WITH NO OTHER WIFI NETWORKS NEARBY

like how do you fuck up wifi this hard

how
 
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one of us

one of us

Member
Oct 28, 2017
140
Please please don't use 2.4GHz for the Switch, and a friendly reminder to check your email for a $5 ebay coupon that you could use for this. (Same AX88179 chipset as the official)
 
Alvis

Alvis

Saw the truth behind the copied door
Member
Oct 25, 2017
11,226
Spain
one of us said:
Please please don't use 2.4GHz for the Switch, and a friendly reminder to check your email for a $5 ebay coupon that you could use for this. (Same AX88179 chipset as the official)
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Even 5 GHz connectivity is bad, just not as bad.

I wonder if local wireless multiplayer uses 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz. Logic says 5 GHz, my lack of faith in Nintendo to do the logical thing says 2.4 GHz
 
Galava

Galava

▲ Legend ▲
Member
Oct 27, 2017
5,080
I haven't had any problems with the 5GHz connection since the console's launch, seems to be working pretty well, downlaod speeds and latency are good.
Router is 5m away from my room, with 2 walls between the router and the console.

2.4 sucks on the Switch though.
 
New Fang

New Fang

Banned
Oct 27, 2017
5,542
Pargon said:
It's not limited to 2.4GHz.

Can you post a connection test showing that you're getting 150-180mbps?
The best I ever saw on WiFi was ~50Mbps and it was more typically around 40Mbps down/8Mbps up - this is with it being right next to high-end Ubiquiti WiFi gear, and my phone would get 400/20 in the same room.
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Exact same situation for me. Switch pulls about 60% of the available bandwidth from my 5ghz router a few feet away. My iPhone pulls 100% every time.
 
Dphex

Dphex

Member
Oct 27, 2017
12,811
Cologne, Germany
Switch´s Wifi is abysmal, never had such a bad Wifi on any console or smartphone before. It says alot when people are connecting the Switch via a USB LAN adapter...

btw that is the reason any online multiplayer game runs bad on the Switch, even if you are connected with a cable it doesn´t mean other people are playing with a cable.

IDontBeatGames said:
WiFi for all the consoles typically suck. You're better off at using a wired connection to have a better online or download experience. The difference in download speeds is absolutely noticeable on the Switch when you compare the wired vs WiFi connections. Along with that, you're also going to have a more stable connection on games such as Fighting Games.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

never had a problem with any console but the Switch tbh....
 
mindatlarge

mindatlarge

Member
Oct 27, 2017
2,926
PA, USA
The WiFi was so bad for me, I went with a wired connection. Now it's like 40 Mbps. Though I have like a 350 Mbps connection. Not sure if that's decent for a wired Nintendo Switch connection or just a limitation of my Ethernet adapter. It is much better than the WiFi though.
 
New Donker

New Donker

One Winged Slayer
Member
Oct 26, 2017
5,355
It was like night and day when I upgraded my router and stopped using 2.4GHz. 5GHz will help a lot.
 
neon_dream

neon_dream

Member
Dec 18, 2017
3,644
I've never had a problem on 2.4 or 5, although 5 is faster.

There may be problems with the wifi chip, but I think a lot of it is the router.
 
neon_dream

neon_dream

Member
Dec 18, 2017
3,644
Dphex said:
there is nothing with the router at all, Switch´s Wifi is just bad as it is
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If I have no problems with wifi and others have no problems with the wifi, what could be the reason?

The wifi chips are all the same.

The only other factor is the router. Hence, a better router compensates for some of the issues with the chip.
 
Broken Hope

Broken Hope

Banned
Oct 27, 2017
1,316
EarthPainting said:
I suspect the PS4's problems is their infrastructure, and not the console itself, since it even struggles with an ethernet cable. Some people get decent speeds out of Playstation Network, while I have to do the pause and resume dance to use even a fraction of my connection. I've tried so many "fixes" and tweaks, but none of them made any difference. Steam can pull 50GB in the same time my PS4 does a single gig, and can do it without babysitting.

Switch's issue seems to be in the hardware itself. It's not only slow, but also has trouble getting its initial connection. When I want to play something online in my bedroom, I have to take the system into the livingroom, connect there, and then I can go back up. Once it's connected, it seems about as fine as it would have if I stayed in the livingroom. I don't entirely understand why it's like this. Didn't try a wired connection on this, but I doubt it would improve its speed.
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Click to shrink...
I have no issues maxing my 380Mb connection over Ethernet on my PS4.
 
Pargon

Pargon

Member
Oct 27, 2017
11,994
neon_dream said:
If I have no problems with wifi and others have no problems with the wifi, what could be the reason?
The wifi chips are all the same.
The only other factor is the router. Hence, a better router compensates for some of the issues with the chip.
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Post stats if you "have no problem" with the WiFi.
Just saying "it's fine for me" is a meaningless statement. If you're on a 20mb DSL connection you probably wouldn't notice any difference, for example.
 

RedDevil

Member
Dec 25, 2017
4,121
Never had any problem with it, note my dual band router is like 4-5 metres away from the Switch, for which I use the 5GHz one.
 
garion333

garion333

Member
Oct 27, 2017
2,722
EarthPainting said:
I suspect the PS4's problems is their infrastructure, and not the console itself, since it even struggles with an ethernet cable. Some people get decent speeds out of Playstation Network, while I have to do the pause and resume dance to use even a fraction of my connection. I've tried so many "fixes" and tweaks, but none of them made any difference. Steam can pull 50GB in the same time my PS4 does a single gig, and can do it without babysitting.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

Depends on the PS4 model you have. The wifi on the non-Pro units is slow and terrible. I get vastly better speeds with a wired connection.

The issue people have with Sony's servers is separate. That seems to vary based on geography.
 
banter

banter

Member
Jan 12, 2018
4,127
It's not fast by any means but I don't think that it is problematically slow either.
Xharos said:
Hell, I have experienced lag when playing local wireless multiplayer with two switches, next to each other, IN A BOAT (ship? whatever) IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE, BETWEEN TWO ISLANDS, WITH NO OTHER WIFI NETWORKS NEARBY
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Considering the amount of radio signals that most ships constantly have going it's easy for me to tell you that the "lag" you experienced is from signal interruption from all of the other signals the ship is putting out. When I was in the Navy on deployment we had little switch gatherings on the ship and people would randomly get dropped from the local wireless group all the time because of this. How do I know it was this? Because when we did it off ship we never had an issue.

The only issue I have with the PS4 is when it "copies" the files after downloading. Fallout 76 patch yesterday was 3gb, took like a minute or two to download, then 40 minutes to copy.
 

Deleted member 197

Banned
Oct 25, 2017
2,263
Even on 5ghz, the speed i get on my laptop is 4 or 5 times faster than on Switch from the same location, and i don't mean downloading but just comparing a speedtest vs the speed the console gives you.
 
Instro

Instro

Member
Oct 25, 2017
15,002
It's a known poor wifi chip being used in the Switch. It's been a complaint/concern ever since teardowns figured out what wifi chip was being used. Sure enough, the wifi performance on the device is not good.
 
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