Need help and ideas - Internet Speed

Hi, my situation is this:

My computer and my parents computer share the same single slot dsl modem through the use of a 5 port Ethernet switch, much like those in an internet cafe.

I have windows vista, and far newer computer, my internet controller is a Atheros TBase controller, my parents have windows XP and use a PCI Realtek internet controller.

My problem is, theyre internet is on average twice as fast as mine, I run "super anti spy ware" "trend micro interent security" and use "windows defender" everyday, to my knowledge i do not have any viruses. Also, i downloaded and paid for the 30dy trial of the "ascentive internet speedd thing" but that sucked b***ls and slowed my computer down so i uninstalled it.

Any tips or ideas as to why their internet is so much faster would be helped.

PS: If the modem cable was X. my cable was Y and my parents cable is Z, then they are arranged in the splitter X _ Y _ Z, meaning that i get the connection first. Also, our upload speed is the same, download is just far removed, about 370 KB to 200KB (that probably sounds slow to you guys, but we live in NZ and that the fastest we have copper wiring for the loss )

Thankyou

Could you clarify what that comment entails/ how i would change this.

ID also like to add some more information, my internet speed only started getting slow about 5days ago. At that time i had opened up my case to install a new case fan, when i plugged everything back in and turned it on vista was loading up all these drivers (bottom right). Could this have altered my speeds at anyway. Btw, i didnt touch the mother board at all.

try this free tool here
it helped others with similar problems

If you say you both have internet connection via a switch that has the adsl modem also plugged into it, then there is no particular order or chain as to who gets connection first.
it must be software related and as you have vastly different setups, ie os, anti-virus, anti-spyware, firewalls, etc, you have some digging to do i reckon.

Thanyou for your suggesions thus far. I downloaded that aplication and set the dial to 5000kbps, I have noticed i slight change but not much.

By "I think you have some digging to do" you are implying what? I have limited knowledgde about such programs as windows firewall etc, shoudl i be turning any of the off?

Oh by the way, I have heard that atheros have had a pretty bad rep, out of my control as they come pre installed on a M3A motherboard. Would i be able to install a new PCI ethernet card into the expansion slots/ what are the better ethernet cards?

The best place to start in trying to discover what's happening is to provide better specs of your network and computers.

1. The device between your dsl modem and computers

You first referred to having a "5 port switch" connected to your dsl modem (i think that's what you refer to again later as your "splitter?". We should be sure what that thing is. It might be a switch. But it also might be a router or a hub. So look carefully at that device. There's usually a tag on it which tells you the manufacturer and model etc. Post that information back here.

just fyi.. here's a link should you be curious: Differences Between an Ethernet Hub or Switch and a Broadband Router)

2. Now let's get info about the two computers

On each computer: Click to download then run Everest Home. From top of Everest window:

• Click File->Preferences
  • Check English
  • Then (still under Preferences) click Report and uncheck Include Debug Information
  • Close Preferences window
• Click Reports->Report Wizard. Get a Custom Report report in plain text. Check these items
  • Computer
  • Network
• Attach the report file to your TechSpot post. When you create your TechSpot post, use the paper clip icon to attach the report. (If you don't see it among your icons, you need to click the TechSpot Go Advanced button towards bottom of window)

3. Determining your internet connection speed

There's lots of free sites that provide internet connection speeds for you. They transfer large files back and forth between their server and your computer calculate speed based on the time it takes. That means one variable in its speed calculation is the physical distance between you and the server used in the test. (If you used a site with a server based in Chicago it will take more time just because of the addtional physical distance). Here's a link and try using Speedtest.net. They may have a server near you.

Ok, will get back to you about the computer infomation. However, i do have this info thus far:

Edimax 10/100 Mbps 5-Port Ethernet Switch

My Speedtest.net stats are as follows:

2925kpbs Download, 122 kb/s Upload, 2651ms Latency

My family coputer Speedtest.net stats are as follows:

4372kpbs Download, 128kb/s Upload, 131ms Latency.

The two reports have been added. Furthermore, if it makes a difference, I cannot ping myself in the cmd window, I always get "general error," I get that when i ping websites aswell. The only way I can ping myself is with ping local host. Maybe this accoutns for why my latency is so high on speetest.net

As for ping, it’s being blocked by your firewall

• You should only have ONE firewall running
• I’ll assume you’re using the trend micro personal firewall in which case the Windows firewall should be turned off. (It probably is but never hurts to double check. Open it by Control Panel->Windows Firewall)
• Click here on how to change trend micro firewall. Ping consists of two ICMP messages. You must allow outgoing Echo Request (type 8) and incoming Echo Reply (type 0)

Internet connect speed

Your computer ===> 2925kpbs Download, 122 kb/s Upload, 2651ms Latency
Family computer===>4372kpbs Download, 128kb/s Upload, 131ms Latency

• Your latency time is VERY, VERY high
• Your dsl modem is probably a combination modem and router. Look for the tag on the modem and post the manufacturer and model #
• The IP address of the dsl modem is: 192.168.1.1. When you get ping to work you should be able to
  ==> ping 192.168.1.1 and
  ==> tracert www.google.com
  tracert will show the packet’s path to destination and latency for its hops (almost certainly problem is between you and modem)
• You can also try in the meantime
  ==> Power down both computers
  ==> Turn off both the ethernet switch and your modem (look for on/off switch. If none, unplug the power cord)
  ==> Wait 30 seconds
  ==> Turn on modem first. Its lights typically blink in a pattern while it reboots. After lights stop displaying a regular pattern go next step
  ==> Turn on the network switch. (Wait for its lights also before next step)
  ==> Turn on your computer. (Keep the family computer off) When your computer is back up try the connection speed again

Have followed the steps and can now ping my home IP and the router IP. Both get a 1-2ms ping which is unsurprising condiering the distance. My pings to speedtest.net are still 999 with a latency of over 2000 however. My pings to google yield a 300MS responce. Windows firewall WAS turned ON, this is now turned of leaving Trend Micro as my only defence. I will try the turn down sequence when the other computer becomes free.

btw....you might also send ping with a block of data (which more approximates download/upload tests) example ping -l nnnn 192.168.1.1

where thats "minus sign" "lowercase l' 'blank space" "datablock size"

Have tested with packets of all sizes. My ping to my router and home IP adress remain constantly low, however my connection to game servers such as Battle.net and websites such as Speedtest still remain high (speed test is still capped out at 999).

If anyone can decipher this to mean anything bad could you please advise me.

Ping statistics for 192.168.1.1
Packets Sent = 4 Packets Received = 4 0% loss
Approximate round trip times in Milli-seconds 6ms
Bytes sent 10000 ITL = 225

Tracert Statistics for 192.168.1.1 over 30 hops
1 2ms 2ms 2ms 1ms

Attached is the tracert for google.com as it is too complicated to type out

Any additional help/ideas would be much appreciated. Your help thus far has also been great regardless of results

Just out of curiosity, can you post up your ipconfig /all results for both pc's?

This is my ipconfig all. Will post other computer soon.

Ok, probably don't need to see the other one. I just wanted to see if the problematic one was auto configured, rather than having a differing DNS to the other one.
Obviously your router is handling DHCP and DNS requests which is as expected.
Tbh i would begin to suspect your nic. I've never even heard of that brand and you did mention it has a bad rep. For the sake of a few pennies, buy a different nic and see if it makes a difference.

Hi NZvist

Don't get too anxious over the problem . We;ve only just
- Opened you firewall correctly and fixed having 2 firewalls running
- Identified one of connecting devices: the 5-port switch
- And had a look a tracert result

We next want a look on your machine and your DSL modem connection. Under certain network conditions, Vista has been known to "behave badly".

1. I still need you to look at the tag on your DSL modem and report (mfr and model #)
2. Did you ever reset all the devices as described earlier (i don't want to assume it)
3. Use this MS Vista tool to test hardware compatibility with Vista (tho i still would like the mfr/model # of your DSL modem.)
4. Next, open Vista Network Connections. Start->Network->Network and Sharing Center. Look for Manage network connections and click on it
5. In Network Connections display
   • Would guess you have two or more items listed? One is for Local Area Connection or similar name Rt click on the it, select Properties.
   • Disable (uncheck) Internet Protocol Version 6 (click here to see)
   • See the other items listed with ipv6. How does your list compare to the one in that link above? Report any differences. Or post a snapshot of what's indicated for that connection.
   • Now, back to those other items in Network Connections display. How many total items you see? I will guess there's another connection listed? Rt click->Properties. Do you see tabs which include: General, Options, Networking, Sharing
     - Click Options tab. Click the PPP settings button. Anything checked?
     - Click Networking tab. Uncheck Internet Protocol Version 6. Anything different in this list?
     - Click Sharing tab. Anything checked?
6. Look at this MS Vista link and find troubleshoot section for slow connections click here. . Follow the steps

/********* EDIT *********/
btw.. i have heard of that nic. tho can't say in general how well or poorly it peforms. Tho it did seem to work for person who had posted in here before while using that nic. I do also have a good tool for monitoring and reporting statistics (including error frequency) for an adapter. But figure we see what we find above before installing it

Ok well, My router/modem is a Dynalink RTA230, dynalink being the stock standard manufacturer for Newzealand and Australia.

Also, i did do the shut down pattern adivsed to me. I also only have one item listed in the network management: Local Area Connection, Network 2, Atheros L1 Gigabit Ethernet Tbase controller 10/100/1000. Have disabled ipv6 now, my list is now exactly like the picture shown.

Im am compatible with my router except in the Network Adresss translator type, although it said this shouldnt concern me.

However, despite being compatible with the: TCP high perfocmance test it states "A result of "Supported" indicates that your router can work with this new Vista Feature to improve download speeds and increase endpoint connection reliability. Note You would need to explicitly enable ECN on Vista to take advantage of this feature". How do i do that? Edit: Have researched further and found the solution.

Edit: Ive been doing some testing lately, both of my memory and on speedtest/speedfan

What i remember about the day all my internet slowed up, online gaming had been perfectly fine for the last 8months, I was trying to find out whether i had any motherboard slots left for fans in the manual. When i stumbled across the "cool n quiet" section I was naturally intrigued and installed it from the disk.

The reason ive told you this: When cool n quiet is "disabled" in the bios the cool n quiet utility works on my computer and my internet speed goes right down and my temperature goes up. This is strange because when it is enabled in bios it sais that the utility cannot function because cool n quiet is disabled. Adding to this my computer temperatures go down and my internet speed goes up.

The differences in having it enabled in bios but not working to having it disable in bios and working is a drop in 1000kbps, and an increase in idle temperature by 15degress. Note, my latency still stays super high on both speedtest and online gaming (which is now extremely difficult to compete in due to the delay)

Im not sure if that info helps, it might tho.

(I just noticed you added some info to your post. Will review it but all this is still relevant)
Will start with modem related questions/info

• fyi.. Here’s info and user manual for your RTA230
• Is it supplied by your ISP? Do you rent it? Or did you buy it? Who is your ISP? (would you have their web address?)
• The RTA230 is several years old and has been discontinued by Dynalink
• If you rent it from ISP, see if you can’t have it replaced with a device certified to work with Vista (all of the RTA230’s manuals only go up to XP). Tell them you have vista networking issues. Would be easiest way to rule out the modem as the problem. The following points only matter if you can’t get a modem swap
  • Ask your ISP for a copy of
    ==> Correct settings for ADSL modem connections to their service
    ==> Correct connection settings for XP and Vista network connections
    I’d think they could email something (or that support info may already be on their website) We should understand your ISP requirements before attempting tweak/change anything on your end
  • Check the firmware version on that modem to see if it’s latest release (by the way, the “latest release” was in 2007). See the .pdf file I attached to this post on how to check the firmware version. Tell me what it says.

My ISP Provider is Kiwilink.

www.kiwilink.co.nz