[Troubleshooting] Why Is the Wireless Network Speed on My MSI Notebook Abnormally Slow or Unstable?
Answer
If you notice any of the following observable symptoms while using Wi-Fi on your MSI notebook, this guide will help you troubleshoot the issue step by step: web pages load noticeably slower or fail to open, games disconnect or show high latency, network utilization in Task Manager appears abnormally low, the router signal light appears normal but network speed remains poor, or the issue only occurs at certain distances or times of day. The root cause may be related to your router, system settings, or wireless network adapter driver. This guide covers a complete troubleshooting process from basic checks through to a full driver reinstall.
Applicable to all MSI notebooks equipped with a wireless network adapter
Before You Begin: How Do I Identify What Type of Wireless Network Issue I Am Experiencing?
Complete the following two steps first to narrow down the problem before proceeding:
Use another device (a smartphone or another computer) to connect to the same router, then visit a speed test website (e.g., speedtest.net) to test the network speed:
Other devices also show abnormal speed: the issue may be with the router or your internet service provider. Try restarting the router first, or contact your internet service provider to check the line status
Only the notebook is showing abnormal speed: continue with the steps below
Determine whether the issue affects all network usage, or only specific websites or applications:
Only specific websites or applications are affected: the issue may be with that service itself, or caused by a third-party VPN or proxy software. Refer to the Layer 3 steps below
All network usage is affected: continue with the steps below
Layer 1: Basic Checks
Confirm that Airplane Mode is turned off
Settings → Network & Internet → confirm Airplane Mode is off
Forget and reconnect to Wi-Fi
Settings → Network & Internet → Wi-Fi → Manage known networks → locate the current network → select Forget → search for and reconnect to the network
Restart the router
Unplug the router's power cable, wait 30 seconds, then plug it back in. Once the router has fully restarted, test the network speed again
Confirm you are connected to the 5GHz or 6GHz band rather than 2.4GHz
If your router supports dual-band or tri-band, prioritize connecting to networks with 5G or 6G in the name for better speed and stability. The 2.4GHz band has wider coverage but slower speeds and is more susceptible to interference from nearby wireless devices
Confirm there are no excessive obstructions between the notebook and the router
Walls, metal objects, microwave ovens, and Bluetooth devices can all interfere with wireless signals. It is recommended to reduce the distance between the notebook and the router as much as possible
Layer 2: Windows Settings Adjustments
Set the power Mode to Best Performance to prevent the network adapter from being throttled by power-saving settings
Settings → System → Power & battery → Power Mode → select Best Performance
Close background programs that are consuming bandwidth
Right-click the taskbar → Task Manager → sort by the Network column to check whether any programs are continuously consuming a large amount of bandwidth
Common sources: Windows Update, OneDrive or other cloud sync software, streaming applications
Disable third-party VPN or proxy software
If a VPN or proxy application is installed, temporarily disable it and test the network speed again. If the speed returns to normal after disabling it, the issue is related to that software's settings — check its server or protocol configuration
Reset Windows network settings
Settings → Network & Internet → Advanced network settings → Network reset → click Reset now → the system will restart automatically. After restarting, reconnect to Wi-Fi and test the network speed
Note: Performing a network reset will erase all saved Wi-Fi passwords. Please record any important Wi-Fi passwords before proceeding.
(Additional recommendation) Check whether your router firmware is up to date
Visit the router manufacturer's official website, search for your router model, and download and install the latest firmware version
Layer 3: Reinstall the Wireless Network Adapter Driver
Download the latest driver from the MSI website
Go to msi.com and enter the full product name of your notebook in the search bar (this can be confirmed in MSI Center → Support → System Info, e.g., Titan 18 HX A2WJ)
On the product page, navigate to Support → Driver → Wireless LAN
Locate the driver corresponding to your wireless network adapter, download it, and extract the files
Uninstall the existing wireless network adapter driver
After downloading, disconnect from Wi-Fi
Right-click Start → Device Manager → expand Network adapters
Right-click the wireless network adapter → Uninstall device → check Delete the driver software for this device → confirm
Repeat the above steps until the Delete the driver software for this device option no longer appears, then restart the computer
Install the new driver
Run the installer based on the contents of the extracted folder:
If Setup.exe is present: double-click to run it and follow the on-screen instructions
If install.bat is present: double-click or right-click and select Run as administrator
After installation is complete, restart the computer, reconnect to Wi-Fi, and test the network speed
*If your notebook is equipped with an Intel wireless adapter, refer to [How To] Intel Wireless LAN (WLAN) Driver Install/Update Guide for additional guidance on Intel WLAN driver installation and updates.
*If your notebook is equipped with a Killer wireless adapter, refer to [How To] Uninstall/Install Killer driver and Killer Control Center for the complete Killer driver installation process.
FAQ
Q: My speed test results are normal, but I still experience lag when playing games. What should I do?
A: Network speed and latency are two different measurements. If speed is normal but latency is high, common causes include connecting to a game server that is geographically distant, improper router QoS settings, or background programs consuming bandwidth. Check the Network column in Task Manager and confirm you are connecting to the game server node with the lowest latency.
Q: Will my saved Wi-Fi passwords be deleted after resetting the network settings?
A: Yes. Performing a network reset through Windows Settings will erase all saved Wi-Fi passwords. Please record any important passwords before proceeding.
Q: I switched to the 5GHz band but the speed is actually slower. Why?
A: The 5GHz band offers faster speeds but has weaker penetration. If the notebook is far from the router or there are walls between them, the signal strength on 5GHz may actually be weaker than on 2.4GHz. Try reducing the distance between the notebook and the router and test again.
Q: The network speed is still not improved after updating the driver. What should I do next?
A: Try the following steps in order: confirm that the router firmware is up to date, then use a wired Ethernet connection to test whether the issue is specific to the wireless signal.