Expert: Karl Zick - 7/20/2009

Question
Just purchased a toshiba satelite L305-S5955 laptop today and its internet speeds are slower than our desktops.  our desktops only have 2.0 Ghz processors and they both use the wireless usb adapters from linksys with speed boost because neither computer has wireless cards.  We pay for 1.5Mb internet and both desktops will get about 1.6Mb when i do bandwidth tests.  our new laptop which has 2.2Ghz will only get 1Mb at best.  Are laptops just slower?

Answer
Hi James,

The speed of your processor has very little to do with your download speed on a bandwidth test.  The difference comes in the time it takes to open web pages and navigate from site to site.

I'm guessing it is the built-in wireless connector itself or the physical location of the laptop.  You might try installing one of your USB internet connectors on the laptop and then checking the speed with it.