Arch Linux

MagnaPossum

Member

Registered: 2025-10-25

Posts: 4

WiFi Speeds Very Inconsistent

Greetings,

I've switched to Arch about 3 weeks ago now and I've noticed a fairly annoying issue, my WiFi speeds are super inconsistent.
Let's say I'm downloading a game or a song, the speeds are fast and there's no issue.
But loading websites, Discord messages, etc.? SLOW, HORRENDOUSLY SLOW, AS IN IT CAN TAKE A MINUTE TO LOAD A SIMPLE WEBPAGE. This issue seems to exist when trying to use pacman too.

I've already followed the Power Management wiki and disabled the ability for the adapter to sleep through IWD and NetworkManager's config (more on the combo later), since my network adapter uses an intel chipset, and so it may not be waking and sleeping properly.
I also followed someone else's advice and set NetworkManager to use IWD as the backend.
Both of these did not fix the issue.

At this point I'm lost, because IWD isn't enabled so it shouldn't be creating a conflict.

I've also put the output of

 find /etc/systemd -type l -exec test -f {} \; -print | awk -F'/' '{ printf ("%-40s | %s\n", $(NF-0), $(NF-1)) }' | sort -f 

below:

bluetooth.service                        | bluetooth.target.wants
containerd.service                       | multi-user.target.wants
dbus-org.bluez.service                   | system
dbus-org.freedesktop.nm-dispatcher.service | system
display-manager.service                  | system
docker.service                           | multi-user.target.wants
getty@tty1.service                       | getty.target.wants
NetworkManager-wait-online.service       | network-online.target.wants
NetworkManager.service                   | multi-user.target.wants
nvidia-hibernate.service                 | systemd-hibernate.service.wants
nvidia-resume.service                    | systemd-hibernate.service.wants
nvidia-resume.service                    | systemd-suspend-then-hibernate.service.wants
nvidia-resume.service                    | systemd-suspend.service.wants
nvidia-suspend.service                   | systemd-suspend.service.wants
p11-kit-server.socket                    | sockets.target.wants
pipewire-pulse.socket                    | sockets.target.wants
pipewire-session-manager.service         | user
pipewire.socket                          | sockets.target.wants
remote-fs.target                         | multi-user.target.wants
systemd-userdbd.socket                   | sockets.target.wants
wireplumber.service                      | pipewire.service.wants
xdg-user-dirs.service                    | graphical-session-pre.target.wants

ewaller

Administrator

From: Pasadena, CA

Registered: 2009-07-13

Posts: 20,619

Re: WiFi Speeds Very Inconsistent

Is this wired or wireless?

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seth

Member

From: Won't reply 2 private help req

Registered: 2012-09-03

Posts: 75,086

Re: WiFi Speeds Very Inconsistent

Let's say I'm downloading a game or a song, the speeds are fast and there's no issue.
But loading websites, Discord messages, etc.? SLOW, HORRENDOUSLY SLOW, AS IN IT CAN TAKE A MINUTE TO LOAD A SIMPLE WEBPAGE. This issue seems to exist when trying to use pacman too.

Slow DNS? Have you tried to switch it to cloudflare (1.1.1.1) or google (8.8.8.8)?
Might also be an IPv4 vs IPv6 issue - where are you downloading "a game or a song"?

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MagnaPossum

Member

Registered: 2025-10-25

Posts: 4

Re: WiFi Speeds Very Inconsistent

Let's say I'm downloading a game or a song, the speeds are fast and there's no issue.
But loading websites, Discord messages, etc.? SLOW, HORRENDOUSLY SLOW, AS IN IT CAN TAKE A MINUTE TO LOAD A SIMPLE WEBPAGE. This issue seems to exist when trying to use pacman too.

Slow DNS? Have you tried to switch it to cloudflare (1.1.1.1) or google (8.8.8.8)?
Might also be an IPv4 vs IPv6 issue - where are you downloading "a game or a song"?

Sorry to be late to the responses, but setting my DNS to 1.1.1.1 fixed it. Just the default DNS being garbage I suppose.

seth

Member

From: Won't reply 2 private help req

Registered: 2012-09-03

Posts: 75,086

Re: WiFi Speeds Very Inconsistent

\o/
Please always remember to mark resolved threads by editing your initial posts subject - so others will know that there's no task left, but maybe a solution to find.
Thanks.

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How to upload text · How to boot w/o GUI · Disable Windows Fast-Start! · Fix your xinitrc