Slow Internet Speed Troubleshooting Fault Tree

The core issues with wired networks are focused on physical connections, port configurations, and drivers. Follow the branches below in order:

Branch 1: Is the physical connection meeting standards?

If the cable is old, damaged, or the port looks worn → this branch applies.

Causes

• Insufficient cable specifications: aging cables, broken cores causing signal attenuation and negotiated speed reduction.
• Ethernet port hardware faults: oxidation, bent pins, or poor contact on Mini PC Ethernet port, router, or optical modem LAN ports causing unstable connections.

Solutions

• Replace with qualified cables. For gigabit (1000Mbps) networks, use Cat 5e (Category 5e) or Cat 6 (Category 6) or higher cables.
• Check Ethernet port status: inspect if pins are deformed, unplug and reconnect the network cable, or plug it into another network port, and observe if the port indicator light functions normally.

  The color of the Ethernet port light usually indicates the connection status and network activity: green indicates a high-speed connection (100 Mbps/1000 Mbps) or data activity; amber yellow indicates a lower speed (10/100 Mbps) or potential issues; red indicates an error; and no light indicates no connection.

Branch 2: Is the port configuration correct?

If speed is limited to 100 Mbps even with a good cable → this branch applies.

Causes

• Optical modem/router port specification mismatch: mistakenly plugging the cable into a 100 Mbps LAN port instead of a gigabit LAN port; some optical modems only have one gigabit port, the rest are 100 Mbps ports.

Solutions

• Confirm port specifications: plug the cable into the LAN port marked "1000M" on the optical modem/router.

Branch 3: Is the wired network card driver up to date?

If physical connections are fine but speed is still low → this branch applies.

Causes

• Outdated network card drivers causing underperformance and frequent packet loss.

Solutions

• Visit the GEEKOM official support website Geekom, find the corresponding product model, download the original manufacturer's compatible network card driver, reinstall it, and restart the device after installation.

The core causes of slow WiFi speeds focus on signal interference, frequency band selection, antenna and hardware, and drivers. Follow the branches below in order:

Branch 1: Is the WiFi frequency band or signal quality the issue?

If the actual bandwidth shown in WiFi settings is much lower than expected → this branch applies.

Causes

• The PC's WiFi frequency band is incompatible with the currently connected router's band.
• Severe signal attenuation: Mini PC is too far from the router or there are load-bearing walls/metal obstructions causing very low signal strength.

Solutions

• After connecting the PC to WiFi, open WiFi settings to check the actual bandwidth of the current connection.

• If the actual bandwidth is much lower than the theoretical bandwidth, it indicates that the PC's WiFi default frequency band is incompatible with the router's band. You can open Device Manager, right-click the PC's WiFi network card, select Properties, go to Advanced, change the current WiFi frequency band to the fastest band supported by the router (usually indicated on the router), and check if the network bandwidth changes and if the connection returns to normal.

• Optimize placement: place the Mini PC closer to the router, avoid load-bearing walls, metal cabinets, fish tanks, and other strong obstructions; adjust the router antenna direction, ensuring antennas are vertical to the ground.

Branch 2: Is the wireless driver or power management the issue?

If WiFi connects but speed is consistently low or drops frequently → this branch applies.

Causes

• Outdated or incompatible wireless network card drivers causing low WiFi negotiation speeds and frequent disconnections.

Solutions

• Visit the GEEKOM official support website Geekom, find the corresponding product model, download the original manufacturer's compatible network card driver, reinstall it, and restart the device after installation.

Branch 3: Is there an antenna fault?

If WiFi signal is extremely weak or drops to near zero → this branch applies.

Causes

• Poor antenna contact: Mini PC antenna is loose or detached, causing a significant drop in signal reception capability.

Solutions

• Check antenna status: open the device and check if the built-in WiFi antenna's IPEX connector is firmly plugged in, whether the external antenna is damaged or placed correctly.

1) WiFi Antenna Detached:

Antenna Connection Status	Corresponding WiFi Signal

WiFi antennas typically use a snap-fit design. The snap mechanism can detach due to vibrations during disassembly/transport or loosening after repeated connecting/disconnecting. In most cases, it can be reattached without tools, but the operation must be extremely gentle.

• The end of the antenna cable is a small round connector (U.FL/IPEX connector) that connects to the corresponding gold protruding socket (contact pin) on the WiFi card.
• Align vertically: Align the connector exactly above the socket (do not tilt! Tilting may cause damage).
• Press gently: Use the tip of tweezers or a finger to evenly press until a slight click sound is heard (indicating the snap is locked).
• Verify: Gently (horizontally) pull the cable. It should not easily come off (but do not pull hard!).
• If both antennas are detached, they should usually be reconnected to the correspondingly color-coded sockets — gray (AUX) / black (main line).

2) WiFi Antenna Damage

A damaged antenna can only be resolved by purchasing a replacement. This antenna can be directly purchased on e-commerce platforms. Please note that WiFi antenna lengths vary among different GEEKOM models. For specific dimensions, please contact customer service.

3) Physical Damage to WiFi Antenna

Root cause analysis: Due to mechanical compression from adjacent parts during assembly, the WiFi antenna becomes deformed (flattened).

You can use tape to fix the antenna to prevent it from moving inside the case or shifting.

If the above branches cannot resolve the issue, deeper troubleshooting of the Mini PC's core hardware and BIOS settings is required:

Branch 1: Is overheating causing hardware throttling?

If the PC runs hot or the fan is loud during network use → this branch applies.

Causes

• When the Mini PC runs under high load for a long time, the CPU, chipset, and network card temperature become too high, triggering thermal throttling, directly leading to significant network performance degradation, speed fluctuations, and lag.
• Dust accumulation on cooling fans and dried thermal paste further reduce cooling efficiency.

Solutions

• Improve cooling: clean dust from the Mini PC's fan and vents, replace the CPU thermal paste; place the Mini PC in a well-ventilated area, avoid blocking vents; add a cooling base to assist cooling.

• Adjust BIOS cooling strategy: enter BIOS, set cooling strategy to "Performance Mode" to raise fan speed thresholds and prevent premature throttling.

  Step 1: When powering on or restarting, repeatedly press the Del/Delete key to enter the BIOS menu.

  Step 2: After entering the BIOS menu, navigate to the Advanced tab, find the PowerMode option, and change it to Performance Mode. Then press F4 to save settings. The system will restart automatically to apply the configuration. If this option is not under the Advanced tab, check the Main tab. If still not found, adjust FanMode instead.

Branch 2: Is the BIOS version outdated?

If all other branches have been checked and the issue persists → this branch applies.

Causes

• Outdated BIOS version with hardware compatibility bugs causing abnormal network card performance.

Solutions

• Update BIOS version: visit the GEEKOM official support website Geekom, download the latest BIOS for your model, and follow official instructions to update.