Robert R. answered • 09/24/24
Certified IT Professional Specializing in Cybersecurity/Networks
Your question is actually not absurd at all! The issue you're experiencing with the lag spikes while gaming on your PC could be related to several factors that affect your Wi-Fi USB adapter's or PC's performance.
The lag spikes you're experiencing while gaming on your PC, compared to the smooth performance on your phone, could be due to several factors related to your Tenda U2 Wi-Fi USB adapter. USB Wi-Fi adapters like the Tenda U2 often have limitations, especially compared to PCIe adapters or built-in Wi-Fi cards, as they may suffer from bandwidth issues or interference. A more reliable solution would be to use an Ethernet cable or switch to a PCIe Wi-Fi card. Additionally, wireless interference from other devices or nearby networks can lead to instability, so changing your router's Wi-Fi channel, moving to the 5 GHz band, or positioning your adapter closer to the router could help. Power management settings on your USB ports might also be causing temporary disconnections. Disabling the option that allows the computer to turn off the device to save power in the device settings could resolve this. Network congestion from other devices using bandwidth intermittently might be another cause, which can be addressed by using Quality of Service (QoS) settings on your router to prioritize gaming traffic. Moreover, outdated drivers for your Wi-Fi adapter or firmware for your router could lead to performance issues, so keeping them updated is crucial. Finally, high CPU usage or background processes on your PC might also contribute to these lag spikes, which can be mitigated by managing system resources through the Task Manager.
