Why is the WiFi Hotspot slow?
The StellarMate WiFi Hotspot by default operates at 2.4Ghz. As with any WiFi-enabled device, the signal strength and reliability can be affected by several factors:
1. Power Supply: StellarMate requires the use of a 3A+ 5V power supply (3 Amperes or higher) in order to properly operate StellarMate OS on Raspberry Pi 3/4. Using anything less than 3A would result in system instabilities and possible corruption. To solve this problem, invest in a reputable power supply before you boot StellarMate OS.
2. Congestion: if there are many WiFi Networks in the area surrounding StellarMate, the WiFi Hotspot might be slow due to signal and channel congestion. A possible solution in case of severe interference is to toggle WiFi frequency (2.4Ghz/5Ghz) in StellarMate OS and try to locate a channel that is relatively free of congestion.
3. Obstructions: If you used a metal case for StellarMate or the unit is attached to a metal surface, this can attenuate the signal. Try to keep StellarMate separate from any nearby metallic objects.
4. USB 3.0: There is a known issue with USB 3.0 ports causing significant interfaces with 2.4Ghz signals. If an active USB 3.0 port is used by any peripheral, it may lead to signal degradation. There are two methods to resolve this issue:
4.1 Connect USB 3.0 peripherals to the StellarMate USB 2.0 port
4.2 Switch StellarMate OS WiFi HotSpot Frequency to 5Ghz range which is immune to this interference from USB 3.0.
5. HDMI Resolution: If you connect StellarMate to an external display using an HDMI cable, then high resolution is known to cause interference with WiFi. Try to lower the HDMI resolution to improve the situation.
If none of the above solutions work, another possible solution to to try using a Wired connection using Ethernet cable. This can be achieved via a direct Ethernet connection between StellarMate and your PC/Mac, or via a router. It is a last-resort solution but is known to be reiable and almost 10 times faster than WiFi.