fast tablet wifi, slow desktop wifi

I can't figure it out. I'm connected to the same network on both devices in the exact corner of the room and the tablet gets 26 mbps/ 11 mbps and the desktop gets 500mbps/250mbps at best according to google speedtest. The tablet is a Lenovo Tab 2 A10 and the desktop is a custom built i5-4460, 8 gb ram about two years old. The network is 802.11n hotspot. The desktop wireless adapter is a Realtek Realtek RTL8192CU Wireless LAN 802.11n USB 2.0 Network Adapter.

IPv4: Internet

IPv6: No Network access

Speed changes between 48.0mbps

I don't know much about internet lingo, just looking to get a better connection on my pc. What should I do?

I think you have the speed information reversed in your post if your desktop PC is indeed the slower of the two...

Anyway, it's almost certainly the wifi adapter you're using with your PC. Small USB adapters like that just aren't very good. I've had a lot of experience using similar adapters, and switching over to an internal PCI wifi adapter with decent-sized adjustable antennas makes all the difference. Wifi is finicky and will basically never reach its theoretical maximum speeds, and in fact will usually have trouble reaching even half of their advertised speed.

This card, or something like it, would probably fix your issue.

Google speed test is in Mbps

Are you doing a google speed test on both? There is a significant difference between Mbps and mbps.

I also think you are confusing internal network speed vs internet speed.

I bet that tablet has less running less background apps running and has a thinner OS...

i'm so confused. Title says Desktop is the slow one, but the first sentence says desktop is the faster one (500 mbps vs 26mbps) then the last sentence acts like the PC is the problem again.

If you can avoid it I would recommend to avoid using Wi-Fi on a computer. Plug in an Ethernet cable and use a network adapter if you have the option to purchase one. My speeds 100 feet away from the router are the same as if a cable modem was plugged into my pc. It's one of the most magnificent pieces of technology i have ever seen. The speed test on the router machine in the living room is the same as the one in my room using the adapter. Netgear makes a good one for like 70 bucks. Try to avoid using Wi-Fi if you have the option of an ethernet cable. I mean there are people out there who swear by speeds they get but I have a lot of experience with networking and PCs and the adapter is one of the most recommended things I can suggest for people who want ethernet speeds several rooms away from the router and no cables in between rooms.

Sorry forgot you mentioned you don't know the terminology and network adapters aren't common for most networks. A network adapter in short is a connection you make from your router to a wall plug, and using the same rectangular box the size of a power supply you can sync up the two or more devices throughout the house. The beauty.of it is that it uses your houses electrical wiring to transmit the signal from one room to the next... essentially just connecting you direct to the router network. I used to run cables through the house for networking and now a days I just plug in the adapter and it's a flawless connection. We pay for a 65 MBPS connection and I download at around 7 megabytes a second, have considered moving up to the 100+ but don't really need to get speeds that much higher. If you are getting 500 MBPS that sounds like fiber or a t1 or something because you would be getting 50 megabytes a second and damn if that is the case! On my tablet and consoles I get bad download speeds through wifi but on the PC it has been a perfect connection for several years using the adapter.

Here is the one I believe I am using and it is only $38 on amazon otherwise you can get them at best buy, walmart etc.

https://www.amazon.com/NETGEAR-Powerline-1000-Gigabit-PL1000-100PAS/dp/B01BYKITU2/ref=sr_1_18?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1527901886&sr=1-18&keywords=netgear+network+adapter

@steveurkel: I think you mean power line adapter? "Network adapter" is a very generic term.

Anyway, yeah those are decent. I used to use one, but I honestly kind of hate that it monopolizes an entire outlet with its bulk.

A newer router with good range and an adapter to match should be capable of excellent speeds, and it's what I'd recommend. Everyone's setups are different though, so go with what works.

heard that powerline adapters vary greatly on how well your house is wired. If you're in an old house, it might not be good at all.