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I like to connect my laptop to an external monitor and close my laptop's lid. However, I noticed something. According to internet speedtests (and my personal knowledge from downloading large files), my wireless networking speed is nearly 10X faster when my lid is open than when my lid is closed (or more!). How do I make it so my speed is just as fast when the lid is closed?

NOTE: In an internet speed test with the lid open I got about 20 Mbps down. In an internet speed test with the lid closed I got about 2 Mbps down.

NOTE: I am using a Gateway NE56R41u if that helps. The Gateway NE56R41u is not Ubuntu certified. It has a Broadcom BCM4313.

Alaa Ali
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John Scott
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4 Answers4

4

The antenna for the wireless in your laptop is probably in the screen. I have noticed that the connection on my laptop is slightly slower with the lid shut but by nowhere near the amount you describe.

Session
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1

You can disable power saving for you wifi adapter with:

sudo iwconfig wlan0 power off

To make the change persistent after reboots:

cd /etc/pm/power.d then sudo nano wifi_pwr_off this will create a new file, paste: 

#!/bin/sh 
/sbin/iwconfig wlan0 power off

Save the file and run sudo chmod +x wifi_pwr_off to make it executable.

Pabi
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0

I have the same issue, moving from 3~5Mb to ~150Mb(!!!) by opening the lid. I simply solved it by keeping the lid open and displaying to second monitor only, which keeps the laptop display off.

Luca T
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0

As has been mentioned, your antenna is probably around the screen, so when you close the lid, you have rotated it 90 degrees, and may have degraded the signal. With the screen open, find the signal strength with:

sudo iwconfig wlan0

Do this with the laptop turned in several directions and see if the quality/strength of the signal varies. (Probably highest with the screen perpendicular to the router). Now, close the lid, and put the laptop in a plastic rack or plate holder (or someplace stable so it doesn't fall) with the same orientation as the screen when the signal was maximum. Does this help? If not, turn the laptop completely around, the bottom may block the signal. Any luck?
Now, if you find some improvement, think about changing the router's antenna (if you are not concerned with any other devices on your network which you might degrade). Most antennas may be tilted and turned, so maybe laying it flat instead of upright may improve the closed laptop signal (when sitting normally, not on edge). Since the bottom of the laptop may interfer, nothing may help much unless you are willing to modify the laptop for an external antenna.

ubfan1
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