Super slow wifi on Mac mini M1

Ok I solved the problem... by realizing it can't be solved.

I moved the router much closer to check for bugs and things work fine. The Mini M1, when close to the router, works fine. But when challenged with a bit of distance and thick walls, the M1 crumble when the MacBook Air M1 and the iPhone 13 keep going and still pull satisfying measurements for everyday use, even with an RSSI of - 85-89dB.

So the reality if the Mac mini M1 has a much lower quality of wifi antenna/reception than a MacBook Air or an iPhone 13. It's as simple (and annoying) as that. Wish I'd known that before buying one.

I ended up giving up on the Mini. I realized my problem was due to my Mini M1 being a 2018 model with Wifi5. I tried a 2020 model (wifi 6) in the same place and things were acceptable, though not great. An iMac 24 solved it, delivering up to 6 times more data per sec than the Mini 2020.

For me the Mini is sub par and has design problems regarding connectivity. People who are close to their routers won’t realise it.

I'm not saying "the Mac mini doesn't work", I'm saying "the Mini2018 has sub-par wifi performance when challenged". And I'm pretty sure it's not only my model (speculation), but just the design. "Mac mini M1 wifi problem" was almost an internet trend when the machine was released...

In any case, based on MY testing of 4 recent machines which I'm sure all work as intended, the Mini 2018 was the worst with difficult wifi reception, when iPhone, MacBook Air and iMac24 delivered excellent performance, with the latter delivering the best performance.

Installing Monterey on 3 machines positioned in exactly the same place connected to the same router quite far away (so not a great RSSI) took 3h50 on the Mini 2018, 1 h on the iMac 2020, less than 10 minutes on the Imac24. I didn't test the MacBook Air but results would have been closer to iMac24 performance.

These conclusions, again, are only valid with difficult wifi conditions. In the router's room or in the next room (assuming one doesn't live in a bunker), the differences would still be there, but much less dramatic. I measured the Mini 2018 in the same room as the router and it delivered perfectly fast connection.

These are my conclusions, and people can obviously do whatever they want with them.

What you describe is not encouraging. It hints at wild variations between Minis, and an almost certain structural problem that Apple still hasn't acknowledged or identified. The Mini you borrowed, contrary to mine, falls into the realm of "faulty". Mine wasn't faulty, it just sucked.

I'm personally off this machine because it doesn't compare well to other Apple devices regarding connectivity, but a new Mini should still work in the set-up you describe. I think your friend might have been particularly unlucky when he got his.

If your plan was to buy a new one from Apple and it doesn't work, you could return it, so you're not taking a big risk.

But if your plan was to buy a second-hand one, my advice would be: don't. Or test it carefully in your home first.

I realize if you need two monitors and want to stay within the Apple ecosystem, you're kind of in a bind. If you could live with one monitor only, the iMac 24 is a very different, and much better, machine. Again, I'm just talking about connectivity, the Mini does the rest well.

I'm far from the router, with walls in between, which probably explains the figures.

Moving the Mini away from the computer (as long as the cable allows me, which is about 30 cm, seems to improve things. Thanks.

Again, my router isn’t in the next room but further. And it IS down to the antenna ( or it’s software management) in my case. The Mini (or a lot of them) have connectivity issues which do not affect any of the orher 3 Apple devices i tried. The older the Wifi protocol, the worse issues will be ( logical.

With your RSSI, you should have a much better connection, even though a lot of Minis seem to have problems with wifi. Can't you get yours fixed? Your figures are really bad, much worse than mine. Don't go spend more money on accessories which might or might not work when you have a not inexpensive machine which should work in the first place.