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G73JH WiFi issues with external antenna

Cervani
Level 7
I'm currently running a G73JH at work, using a AWUS036NH Alfa external wifi booster. Everything was fun up until a weak ago, when my internet speed suddenly plummeted to nowhere. Usually I would get around 100kbps on the download using a unsecured network at work, but now it's down to 5 or 6 kbps. My coworkers that are not even 300 feet away are getting the usual 100lbps speed, but not me. It's a continuous four bar signal, so the signal strength is there. I updated all my wifi drivers, including uninstalling and reinstalling the Atheros drivers.

However, since the antenna runs off its own wifi adapter (it's listed as 802.11g USB Adapter 2 under network in device manager) I'm not even sure it's running off the laptops adapter anymore. I've literally tried everything me and another computer savvy friend could think of. I'm beginning to think it's the antenna, but I don't want to risk getting a mobile hotspot and paying $200 odd just to find out it's the laptop in the end and the antenna was fine.

Has anyone else had this issue? Is there anything I can do to make my speed back up to where it was?
G73JH - BST7 BIOS 213
12,873 Views
8 REPLIES 8

fuzon1337
Level 10
The Atheros wifi card is very unstable so perhaps you could buy a Intel centrino advanced 6230 (with blue tooth) or Intel centrino ultimate 6300 (without blue tooth) and change the wifi cards.
Asus G73SW-91058V 3D
- Intel Centrino Ultimate-N 6300
- BIOS 205

I take it the Intel centrino ultimate 6300 is a decent wifi card then? And easy to install? While I would prefer there being a fix without me opening up the laptop, it would still be cheaper than buying a hotspot.

Edit: Can I get a link to the card as well? I usually shop at newegg but when I put the 6300 in it moves me to an intel 633NW.
G73JH - BST7 BIOS 213

dstrakele
Level 14
Since your issue occurred only a week ago, why not just do a Windows System Restore to a date that is just before the issue occurred to see if it will resolve your download speed issue?

If it does work, configure Windows Update to "check for all updates but allow me to choose whether to download and install them". Then review what updates to install and do them one at a time so you can test whether they affect your WiFi internet connection.

If you are still running ASUS Live Update, consider uninstalling it. This updating application just had some new updates to install about a week ago - for the first time in ages!
G74SX-A1 - stock hardware - BIOS 202 - 2nd Monitor VISIO VF551XVT

dstrakele wrote:
Since your issue occurred only a week ago, why not just do a Windows System Restore to a date that is just before the issue occurred to see if it will resolve your download speed issue?

If it does work, configure Windows Update to "check for all updates but allow me to choose whether to download and install them". Then review what updates to install and do them one at a time so you can test whether they affect your WiFi internet connection.

If you are still running ASUS Live Update, consider uninstalling it. This updating application just had some new updates to install about a week ago - for the first time in ages!


I'm not running ASUS Live Update, so that's probably not it. I hadn't updated via Windows Update until after the problem took place, so Restore won't handle the issue I'm thinking. The only way for me to do the system restore/Update thing would be to wipe the laptop clean and just reinstall windows. But if it's the antenna, there's no guarantee that will fix the issue.

What I'll probably end up doing is backing up everything on an external, then wiping the computer and reinstalling windows for a clean slate. After I load all the required drivers, if it's still happening it's pretty much guaranteed to be my antenna that's screwing up.
G73JH - BST7 BIOS 213

C'mon now...Don't give up SO EASY! :reaches out through internet and grabs and shakes @Cervani

Windows System Restore creates System Checkpoints even if nothing is installed. I mean how long will it take you to look, really?

And if one IS there, just give it a try. You can always UNDO it if it doesn't resolve your issue.

Another thing you can try without much heartache is to completely delete and recreate your current WiFi network connection in Windows.

There's also a lesson here. If you had scheduled regular backups, it would be possible to restore the last Windows System Image that was backed up before the download speed issue. That would also save a backup followed by a complete rebuild (which might not even resolve your issue if it turns out to be a hardware problem).
G74SX-A1 - stock hardware - BIOS 202 - 2nd Monitor VISIO VF551XVT

dstrakele wrote:
C'mon now...Don't give up SO EASY! :reaches out through internet and grabs and shakes @Cervani

Windows System Restore creates System Checkpoints even if nothing is installed. I mean how long will it take you to look, really?

And if one IS there, just give it a try. You can always UNDO it if it doesn't resolve your issue.

Another thing you can try without much heartache is to completely delete and recreate your current WiFi network connection in Windows.

There's also a lesson here. If you had scheduled regular backups, it would be possible to restore the last Windows System Image that was backed up before the download speed issue. That would also save a backup followed by a complete rebuild (which might not even resolve your issue if it turns out to be a hardware problem).


Sadly, system restore has failed me! It only has restore points to the 20th, which was yesterday. Even with "Show more restore points" checked, thats all it shows. So sadly that seems to be out. And yes I know I should have set up a backup >.<. Hindsight is 20/20 they say.

How would I go about withe deleting and recreating the wifi network connections? I'll do this before wiping it to see if this solves the issue.
G73JH - BST7 BIOS 213

fuzon1337
Level 10
I use that wifi card and I must say that it's much better then the atheros card, and a little better then the 6230 (I had that before)

I would say it's easy to install, take a look at my thread http://rog.asus.com/forum/showthread.php?6890-Guide-How-to-change-your-WiFi-Card-on-G73sw (this is on a G73sw, but I daubt it's any different then the G73JH)

If you choose to buy a new wifi card, download the drivers for Intel Ultimate-N 6300 before you change it 🙂 and install the driver when you have changed it ^^
Asus G73SW-91058V 3D
- Intel Centrino Ultimate-N 6300
- BIOS 205

dstrakele
Level 14
Go to "Control Panel - Network and Internet - Manage Wireless Networks", right-click on the icon for the WiFi network you previously created for your internet connection and choose "Remove network" from the popup menu. Reboot, go back into "Manage Wireless Connections" and choose "Add" to create the new connection.

I'd probably go further, since you installed the AWUS036NH Alfa external wifi booster. I might even do whatever is necessary to completely uninstall it first (and physically remove it from the laptop), reboot, and then attempt to remove the WiFi network from Windows (if it still exists).

One more thing - just in case the Atheros Wireless Adapter is being used, make sure you are running the Atheros driver version 9.2.1.470 or later. You might even try setting it up without the booster if you've installed that driver and get a good signal. I get 150 mbps from my Atheros card.
G74SX-A1 - stock hardware - BIOS 202 - 2nd Monitor VISIO VF551XVT