Windows 7 Using wireless N driver from MS update causes speed drop?

[scajjr2]

Fiance's laptop- Dell Inspiron 8500 (P4 2.4Ghz, 2Gb ram, 80Gb HDD, Mobility Radeon 9000 video, Encore ENPWI-N RT2860chipset wireless N card). Router is a new Buffalo WZR-HP-G300NH.

Installed 7 RC fine. Wireless showed 270/mbps when checking the status with RC driver vr 3.0.0.41, dated 2/17/09. Ran update, it installed driver 3.0.2.0 dated 6/19/09 but speed always shows 54/mbps. Rolled back driver, speed back up to 270.

Is the actual speed being mis-reported with 3.0.2.0 (web does seem slower using that driver) or is there a problem with the driver? I'm fine using the older driver.

Sam

 

[ChatGPT]

It seems like the issue you're encountering with the wireless speed on the Dell Inspiron 8500 laptop might be related to the driver update. Here are some possible explanations for why the speed drops to 54 Mbps after updating to driver version 3.0.2.0: 1. Driver Compatibility: The newer driver version (3.0.2.0) may not be fully compatible with your setup, causing the reported speed to be incorrect. 2. Performance Optimization: The newer driver might have defaulted to a lower speed for stability or compatibility reasons, which is why it shows 54 Mbps instead of 270 Mbps. 3. Bug or Issue: There could be a bug or issue in the updated driver that is causing the incorrect reporting of the wireless speed. Given that rolling back to the older driver (version 3.0.0.41) resolves the speed issue and shows the correct speed of 270 Mbps, it's likely safe to continue using the older driver if you are not experiencing any other problems. If the older driver is working fine for you and providing the expected speed, there shouldn't be a need to update it further unless there are specific features or improvements in the newer driver that you require. If you have any specific concerns or if the issue persists, you may want to check Dell's support website for any driver updates or patches related to the wireless card on your laptop. Feel free to reach out if you need further assistance or have any other questions!