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Where's the bottleneck?

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  • 16-03-2015 1:43pm
    #1
    Irish Stones
    Registered Users Posts: 2,307 ✭✭✭


    I connect my PC wireless to my modem/router.
    I pay for a 20 Mbps connection but I've never seen that speed. MY PC is slow on the web and it often drops the connection.
    I have run the speed test with http://www.speedtest.net several times in these past months, and the results have always been poor, with an average download of 5 Mbps (max 10, min 0.01) and an upload of 0.6 Mbps.
    The USB wireless adapter is this one http://www.belkin.com/uk/p/P-F7D1102/ .
    Yesterday I called my ISP and they told me that my true speed was 11.5 Mbps download and 0.85 Mbps upload as measured by my modem.
    So, what is speedtest.net measuring? Why its values are always lower?
    And where's the bottleneck? Could the Belkin adapter be the weak link of the chain? Should I replace it?
    I haven't tried with a wired connection because I haven't a long enough ethernet cable.


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    #2
    mass_debater
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,072 ✭✭✭mass_debater


    Irish Stones wrote: »
    I connect my PC wireless to my modem/router.
    I pay for a 20 Mbps connection but I've never seen that speed. MY PC is slow on the web and it often drops the connection.
    I have run the speed test with http://www.speedtest.net several times in these past months, and the results have always been poor, with an average download of 5 Mbps (max 10, min 0.01) and an upload of 0.6 Mbps.
    The USB wireless adapter is this one http://www.belkin.com/uk/p/P-F7D1102/ .
    Yesterday I called my ISP and they told me that my true speed was 11.5 Mbps download and 0.85 Mbps upload as measured by my modem.
    So, what is speedtest.net measuring? Why its values are always lower?
    And where's the bottleneck? Could the Belkin adapter be the weak link of the chain? Should I replace it?
    I haven't tried with a wired connection because I haven't a long enough ethernet cable.

    It could be either, start by speeding up your pc, this is usually a case of cleaning, stopping software starting at startup and adding more ram (as long as your PC is worth spending the time on). Speedtest estimates the speed of your network from your browser so you need your pc in decent condition without browser toolbars and browser add-ons slowing it down.


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    #3
    Irish Stones
    Registered Users Posts: 2,307 ✭✭✭Irish Stones


    I'm a bit slow at replying but here's some more information.
    The PC has a Intel Core2 Quad CPU Q8200, 2.33 GHz, 4 GB RAM, graphic card ATI HD4800, Win 7 HP 32 bit SP1.
    The modem router has a 20 MHz bandwidth, the stats of the modem at the moment are of 39 Mbps for this PC in Wi-Fi, the upload speed of the network is 845 kbps, download at 11400 kbps.

    The browser is FF 36.0.1.
    If by toolbar you mean the icons top right I have the bookmarks, download, home, share, Chat, ABPlus, ColorPicker and Video Download Helper. These last three apps and YouTube-MP3 1.0.9 are the only plug-ins I have.
    I don't know what the software that starts at the startup may be... where do I check?

    If you need more details please let me know.
    Thanks!


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    #4
    mass_debater
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,072 ✭✭✭mass_debater


    Irish Stones wrote: »
    I'm a bit slow at replying but here's some more information.
    The PC has a Intel Core2 Quad CPU Q8200, 2.33 GHz, 4 GB RAM, graphic card ATI HD4800, Win 7 HP 32 bit SP1.
    The modem router has a 20 MHz bandwidth, the stats of the modem at the moment are of 39 Mbps for this PC in Wi-Fi, the upload speed of the network is 845 kbps, download at 11400 kbps.

    The browser is FF 36.0.1.
    If by toolbar you mean the icons top right I have the bookmarks, download, home, share, Chat, ABPlus, ColorPicker and Video Download Helper. These last three apps and YouTube-MP3 1.0.9 are the only plug-ins I have.
    I don't know what the software that starts at the startup may be... where do I check?

    If you need more details please let me know.
    Thanks!

    Start by downloading ccleaner, install it and run it, then after a clean go to tools -> uninstall and remove anything that says toolbar. Then goto startup and disable everything you don't need starting every time you boot, you can disable most, just leave the antivirus. Reboot.

    Then download, update and run Malwarebytes and remove everything it finds.

    A few other things, make sure your antivirus and Windows updates are up to date. Get a better defragmenter like Defraggler and run it after you have cleaned the pc. What antivirus are you using?

    If you're not confident with any of this drop it into a repair store and ask for it to be cleaned. That pc although a few years old is still ok for a while yet, it has a quad core cpu and 4 Gb ram which is as good as any modem day budget pc.


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    #5
    dub45
    Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 12,448 Mod ✭✭✭✭dub45


    Your best bet is to buy an ethernet cable and find out what speed you are actually getting. You could also check your line stats and see how good your line is. http://www.kitz.co.uk/adsl/linestats.htm

    If you type msconfig into your search box at the start button this will give you the opportunity to see what youir start up programs are.

    Who is your isp and what modem/router are you using? Do you ever use your laptop with other hifi spots?


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    #6
    Irish Stones
    Registered Users Posts: 2,307 ✭✭✭Irish Stones


    mass_debater wrote: »
    Start by downloading ccleaner, install it and run it, then after a clean go to tools -> uninstall and remove anything that says toolbar. Then goto startup and disable everything you don't need starting every time you boot, you can disable most, just leave the antivirus. Reboot.

    Alright, I run CCleaner regularly, last time I did was yesterday, but I've had it run again just now.
    Then I went to CCleaner->Tools but nothing had the word Toolbar in its name.
    As for the startup, I typed "msconfig" and a new window opened, in the Startup tab I saw 17 elements, I didn't know what to disable, I was in doubt and didn't touch anything.
    The elements are:
    ACDSee Pro InTouch, acdID InTouch2, Adobe Updater Startup Utility, SVBS, Adobe CS5 Service Manager, QuickTime, Microsoft Security Client, Win7 DDK driver, Adobe Reader and Manager, EEventManager Application, ArcSoft Connect, Logitech Download Assistant, Catalyst Control Center, Win OS, CCleaner, Dropbox, AutoStartService.
    Then download, update and run Malwarebytes and remove everything it finds.

    I already had it, I have run it and it found 29 elements, I quarantined them all. I re-run it and it found nothing.
    A few other things, make sure your antivirus and Windows updates are up to date. Get a better defragmenter like Defraggler and run it after you have cleaned the pc. What antivirus are you using?

    I have run Defraggler, it says that C is fragmented at 28% but the advice was not to defrag it because it's a SSD and it could reduce its lifetime.
    The antivirus I have is MS Security Essentials
    That pc although a few years old is still ok for a while yet, it has a quad core cpu and 4 Gb ram which is as good as any modem day budget pc.

    I had this PC assembled in 2009 and payed some money, I would like to keep it for some years more.

    Thanks!


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    #7
    Irish Stones
    Registered Users Posts: 2,307 ✭✭✭Irish Stones


    dub45 wrote: »
    Your best bet is to buy an ethernet cable and find out what speed you are actually getting. You could also check your line stats and see how good your line is. http://www.kitz.co.uk/adsl/linestats.htm

    I'm going to have an ethernet cable, I bought it on ebay, it should be here in two days time.
    If you type msconfig into your search box at the start button this will give you the opportunity to see what youir start up programs are.

    Please, see above the list of elements I found.
    Who is your isp and what modem/router are you using? Do you ever use your laptop with other hifi spots?

    As you have probably seen, I'm Italian and live in Italy, my ISP is an Italian provider, the biggest one. The modem router I have is a Thomson TG582n given to me by the provider, brand new, three months old.
    I don't have other hotspots.

    Thanks!


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    #8
    mass_debater
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,072 ✭✭✭mass_debater


    I'd disable most of that and reboot. Disabling won't stop it running, you can still click to start any program, they just won't automatically be half started and loaded into ram at boot. The Adobe stiff will enable itself again after every update. Other than that I'd wait for your Ethernet cable to arrive


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    #9
    Irish Stones
    Registered Users Posts: 2,307 ✭✭✭Irish Stones


    Got my ethernet cable today :)
    UTP class 6 10 metres cable.
    Same results as the wireless connection, so may I think that my ISP can't do any better?


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    #10
    mass_debater
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,072 ✭✭✭mass_debater


    Irish Stones wrote: »
    Got my ethernet cable today :)
    UTP class 6 10 metres cable.
    Same results as the wireless connection, so may I think that my ISP can't do any better?

    What site are you testing with? Have you logged into the modem to see what speed you're connection is syncing at? Have you tried another PC? Have you tried your PC on another connection?


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    #11
    Irish Stones
    Registered Users Posts: 2,307 ✭✭✭Irish Stones


    mass_debater wrote: »
    What site are you testing with? Have you logged into the modem to see what speed you're connection is syncing at? Have you tried another PC? Have you tried your PC on another connection?

    I tested with Speedtest.net (at the moment is 10 Mb download, 0.75 Mb upload).
    My modem says 11.5 Mb and 0.85 Mb, like when I was using the wi-fi.
    The other PC I have is a netbook, I haven't tried it now, but have tried it in the past, both wireless and wired, not much better.
    I don't have another connection available. All the networks around me are protected ;)


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    #12
    mass_debater
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,072 ✭✭✭mass_debater


    Irish Stones wrote: »
    I tested with Speedtest.net (at the moment is 10 Mb download, 0.75 Mb upload).
    My modem says 11.5 Mb and 0.85 Mb, like when I was using the wi-fi.
    The other PC I have is a netbook, I haven't tried it now, but have tried it in the past, both wireless and wired, not much better.
    I don't have another connection available. All the networks around me are protected ;)

    Nothing wrong, that's exactly what to expect if it's ADSL, you only get about 85% due to overheads. You'll also have slowdowns during peak hours


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    #13
    stevek93
    Registered Users Posts: 3,088 ✭✭✭stevek93


    Irish Stones wrote: »
    I'm a bit slow at replying but here's some more information.
    The PC has a Intel Core2 Quad CPU Q8200, 2.33 GHz, 4 GB RAM, graphic card ATI HD4800, Win 7 HP 32 bit SP1.
    The modem router has a 20 MHz bandwidth, the stats of the modem at the moment are of 39 Mbps for this PC in Wi-Fi, the upload speed of the network is 845 kbps, download at 11400 kbps.

    The browser is FF 36.0.1.
    If by toolbar you mean the icons top right I have the bookmarks, download, home, share, Chat, ABPlus, ColorPicker and Video Download Helper. These last three apps and YouTube-MP3 1.0.9 are the only plug-ins I have.
    I don't know what the software that starts at the startup may be... where do I check?

    If you need more details please let me know.
    Thanks!

    From what I am seening 39 Mbps and 845kbps when you convert that into seconds you get 3.9MBps (megabytes per second) down on your local area connection, not worrying about the upload at the moment. This is more than enough to felicitate your broadband connect their might be a bit of overhead from NAT per usual but that is fine your speed seems to be fine if it stays in around that ball point we know wireless can fluctuate but not that much.

    I'd look more into your browser more so or also do a ping test and see how that goes.


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    #14
    Irish Stones
    Registered Users Posts: 2,307 ✭✭✭Irish Stones


    stevek93 wrote: »
    From what I am seening 39 Mbps and 845kbps when you convert that into seconds you get 3.9MBps (megabytes per second) down on your local area connection, not worrying about the upload at the moment. This is more than enough to felicitate your broadband connect their might be a bit of overhead from NAT per usual but that is fine your speed seems to be fine if it stays in around that ball point we know wireless can fluctuate but not that much.

    I'd look more into your browser more so or also do a ping test and see how that goes.

    This is my last result

    4226919812.png

    How can you be that fast? :eek:


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    #15
    mass_debater
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,072 ✭✭✭mass_debater


    Irish Stones wrote: »
    This is my last result

    4226919812.png

    Perfectly normal at this hour for 11.5 Mb and 0.85 Mb,


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