One Laptop Has Slow Ethernet & Wireless, Others Don't

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KTenshi2

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Sep 15, 2014
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I used to have AT&T internet in which I was paying for 6 mbps but getting 2 mbps, so I switched over to Cox. I'm now paying for 100 mbps and getting 12-14 on the computer I actually use (my Dell Alienware m17xr3). I have a cheap laptop I bought last year that, when on the same network, can hit 100 ~ 113 mbps. The Cox installer guy's laptop also was able to hit 100 mbps. I've tried using VPNs on both computers, testing on different servers, different times, on two different ISPs and two different routers. The router I currently use is an Ubee from Cox, Dual Band 5.0ghz. I think I've isolated the problem to just my Alienware, though. I get the same problem whether wired or on wifi. I have also tried running in safe mode with networking, and still get the same numbers, again both wired and wireless. I just installed this:

http://www.dell.com/support/home/us/en/19/Drivers/DriversDetails?driverId=GKNXK

at my friend's suggestion, and now I'm getting around 16-18 mbps. That's still nowhere near what I'm paying for, though. Comments I've received speculate that it's a likely a driver/hardware conflict. Other people have suggested potentially reformatting may solve the issue, or that my network adapter / network card might be damaged.

There's so many factors I can't seem to nail anything down, but I've tried everything I can possibly think of. Basically, it has to be my computer, right? The problem is what's causing it? I'm also the only computer that's ever on the network unless I get out my secondary laptop for speed test purposes.

I'm okay when it comes to troubleshooting simple stuff but when it comes to hardware and technical details I might need some hand-holding. Thanks in advance.
 
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boosted1g

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Jun 12, 2013
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First of all, this slow speed is with VPN connections turned off right??? Your internet speed on a VPN wont be any better then the upload speed of that connection.

Go into you device manager, show hidden devices and dissable any unused adapters (will have to find out whcih adapters is used by your VPN connection if you plan to use use that). Now reboot.

If that does not work then lets reset your adapters by flush dns cache and reset tcp/ip stack.
type ipconfig /flushdns in a command prompt
type netsh winsock reset catalog
type netsh int ip reset reset.log
reboot
 
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KTenshi2

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Thank you for the quick reply. Sorry, I meant I tried it with the VPN on and off. The VPN is something new after I got my new internet, it was just one more test method I used, though. I actually don't plan to use it anymore. Here is a link showing my current network adapters after I marked to display hidden:

http://puu.sh/bA9rP/c51fa2ff09.png

How do I know which ones aren't in use? Thanks!
 
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KTenshi2

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Well, neither of those solutions worked. Though the only adapter I wasn't able to disable that you mentioned disabling is the RAS Async Adapter. I disabled all of them except for the top 4 and that one. The command prompt stuff didn't work either.
 
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KTenshi2

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I tried disabling everything except the first adapter and the one I mentioned previously that only gives me the option to uninstall it. Still the same problem. There shouldn't be a network share or anything. I'm the only one in the house that uses the network and my computer and phone are the only thing connected to it.
 
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boosted1g

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The RAS ASYNC ADAPTER has to do with dialup, wont be an issue if you uninstall it.

Try setting up a newtork share on the other laptop you have and have both of them hooked up via wired internet. Then try to send a 100mb or larger file. should at least get 40-50MB transfer speed (laptop hard drives can be a little slow, while a desktop drive can max out the network speed).
 
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KTenshi2

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I don't really understand. I plugged in both laptops to ethernet and tried making a home group, but I dont really get how transferring files over the network works or if homegroup is even the right thing or if it's set up right.
 
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KTenshi2

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Well, after failing to establish the home network before my class started, I stopped messing with my computer around 3:30pm. I used it a bit more and then left at around 5. Got home at 10:30 and just decided to do another speed test randomly for the heck of it. I haven't done anything since it wasn't working at 5pm....but I just got a 95 mbps download yield on the speedtest. I have no idea what could have possibly caused this or if it's permanent. I kind of don't want to turn off my computer now..
 
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KTenshi2

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I say that, I just realized that for whatever reason my speedtest switched over to the Columbia Missouri [Socket] server. I live in Wichita, Kansas, and I just tried the Wichita server again and got the usual 14 mbps. I did the Columbia Socket server again and got 106 mbps. I'm pretty sure I've been doing the same servers when trying both laptops, but I'm not sure anymore. I've never gotten the slow connection on my Asus, unless it's just never defaulted to Wichita, which I guess could be possible since I used it in Japan and locale is set to Japan, but it was always using a server in Kansas for sure.

What does this even mean, though? I get the connection I pay for when I connect to the Columbia Missouri server, but not the Wichita server. What does this say about my actual connection and my ability to utilize what I'm paying for?
 
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boosted1g

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I would test both devices to both servers and see if you get similar results.
If they both get similar results then it is either the server or some inefficient DNS routing issue. What is your Ping?
There is two servers in Wichita on speedtest.net(which btw I used to live in Wichita, graduated from WSU).

If testing to surrounding servers gets you your full bandwidth I would not worry about it. Test your speeds downloading a real file from here: http://www.thinkbroadband.com/download.html
 
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KTenshi2

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Okay, here are the results:

Columbia, MO [socket]:
Alienware: Ping 44 / Download 89.94 / Upload 11.43
Asus: Ping 44 / Download 46.61 / Upload 11.23

*Yes the Alienware is faster in this case...

Wichita, Kansas:
Alienware: Ping 1 / Download 65.85 / Upload 11.52
Asus: 1 Ping / Download 53.25 / Upload 11.54

None of this makes any sense anymore.

I also tried downloading a 100MB sample file from the site you provided. It took 52.17 seconds (I used a stopwatch). That translates to 100 / 52.17 = 1.91MB/s * 8 = 15.33mbps which is consistent with the speed tests I was getting. In any event, the speed test results are all over the place now, but my actual speed is still that of about 15 mbps, not the 100 I'm paying for.

Also, I go to Wichita State University now. Small world, huh?
 
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boosted1g

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The router that you have, is it a modem/router combo or seperate?

If sperate try plugging the modem direct to laptop (try the asus one as it seems to be less of a variable), restart modem and then try speedtest.net and the file download site.

If you have a combo modem/router if the above test has the same poor results then will have to contact cox.
 
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KTenshi2

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I have a modem router combo, but like I said before, I was having this problem with AT&T as well. This has happened on 2 separate routers, so I think we can rule out the ISPs and the router, can't we? And not sure what you mean by plugging it directly into the laptop, unless you're talking about ethernet, in which case, we already tested with wired connection?
 
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boosted1g

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Yeah I was meaning a wired connection if you had a seperate modem and router and could plug in to just the modem.

DSL connection is common to have lower speed then what it claims, the farther you are from the fiber hub the more your signal/speed decreases, its just the nature of DSL, thus you getting only 2mbps on a 6mbps connection is nothing shocking at least.

Since the issue is on two laptops then I would think the issue has more to do with the connection then a computer. You can always take your laptop to a different location and test it there.
 
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KTenshi2

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So basically what you're saying is that the speedtest doesn't measure my actual speed and that purely based on my location, regardless of the speedtest showing whether or not I'm getting 100mbps, I am pretty much stuck at capping out at 14mpbs in terms of actual rates? You say I could take the laptop somewhere else, but then it wouldn't be on my home network's connection, so what would be the point?
 
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boosted1g

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Speedtest is not sending an actual file to your PC, it is testing the thoughput of the PC which is not quite the same thing.

If you are only getting 14mbps when you are paying for 100 that is not acceptable and cox needs to fix it.

I suggested you take your laptop to a different network with a speed you know, prefereably one that is at least 30mbps or higher and do both tests to see if you get cirppled results. If your laptop gets max download speed on both tests on a different network then you know the laptop is fine and it is your connection, which will also help you convince cox that the problem is with their equipment.
 
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KTenshi2

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Okay. I can't say when I'll be able to take my laptop to another network, though. And when you say "both tests" what do you mean? Downloading a sample file from the site you provided and what?

Thanks, you've been a lot of help so far.
 
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KTenshi2

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Ah, okay, got it. The only connection I know of that meets those qualifications would be WSU's, so I'll take my Alienware to class sometime and see. Thanks for your help up until now.
 
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