Network - File Transfers Between PC's (Ethernet) Slow

Well, like I said in the OP... I have the Linksys E1200 which had great speed... but, started getting random internet drops.

Modem still running, and I noticed Sunday that just 1 computer dropped. Which was new, since usually when mine drops someone else yells that theirs dropped as well. When I get the yellow ! on the network icon I can't even access the router from the 192.168.1.1 until I pull the power on the router and plug it back in. But... just internet, network still runs and I can still stream video from the media server.

I have an old Linksys and tried it... and same issue... every 2-3 days, mostly when doing heavy downloading, which not sure if a factor or coincidence.

So, in an effort to fix the problem, since same issue both routers, I had the modem switched out to a new one... same issue.

ISP sent a phone guy, said lines seem fine but ever so often it's a 'tip ring short' they said. Because an old 100yr house that had an addition added at the back as a separate apartment, then rejoined, basically couldn't figure where the lines came in and all were spliced together. So we cut all the wires except the 1 going to the modem/router so see if helped, and 2 days later it dropped.

Guy is coming back today to reconnect all our phone jacks. On the off-chance that both routers are flaky, I unbridged the connection and plugged directly into the modem to see if the dropping stops. Still getting the full 9.4Mbps connection speed for internet, but, file transfer across the network is just brutal.

In case something was changed because I shared an extra drive/folder last night, I decided this morning to unplug the network cables for the main computer and the media server, plugged into the Linksys and sure enough, speed went from 55KBps to 11.7MBps.

Guy at the ISP says he has the same modem at home and runs full speed so, it's capable... but... just not doing it. The setup was all done remotely by the ISP, but I do have access to it through IE/Chrome so if any settings I need to look at I can (when at home).

I'd like to basically sort out what is causing the drops first, before I buy anything... if it's not the routers, I'd hate to buy something else. Plus, if it is the ISP/modem/phone line... I'll have the same issues.

EDIT - Looking at the switches and seems a good idea, except no wireless. ISP charged $2/m extra for the Wireless option turned on... ya same modem, just turning on/off an option. Not bad if modem works... but if gotta buy a switch and pay extra for wireless on the modem, probably easier to get a router and bridge.

No... 11.5MB is fine... I'm complaining because using the modem only (no router) it dropped from 11.5MB down to 55KB between computers.

Router issue was fine until 6 weeks ago, when the modem would stay connected, router would still work, but internet access through the router was dropped and the only fix is to shut off/on the router's power.

It is set to the default 30sec redial to 'keep connection alive', other than that... updated the firmware, reset, hard reset, and eventually used the old router and bought a new network cable for between the modem-router. Next day it dropped. 2-3 days seems to be the pattern.

Built a new computer last Thursday (finally) and installed Windows and such, updates run, no problems. The old PC I formatted the C:\ and installed just Win7 and the media software and antivirus. The family HTPC in the living room was running v13 of XBMC which is now v15 and called KODI, so, wiped out that software as well and installed KODI.

On the Server, I ran the updater for KODI so it could scrape all the movies/tv series in the computer... went out a few hours, came back and internet was off.

Restarted the router, then ran the same update process on the family system... lots of small files to download (posters, fan art, details etc..) and by the time it was done, the internet was off again. I went to my computer to reset the router and that's when I noticed that my internet connection was fine. Restarted the router and family HTPC reconnected again.

It's almost as if the router is getting confused with all the data transferring and decides to 'fix' the issue by dropping the internet.

But... again... plugged in an old Linksys... same deal. The E1200 I've had running 2yrs now and never had this issue, and never changed any settings.

All that aside... it doesn't explain why the modem LAN speed is extremely slow.

Ya, that's what I thought...

Well, guy came in and said he fixed our wiring, so we bridged the modem and runs through the Linksys again... and sure enough, family did some banking and checked email... most computers all turned off, just 1 computer and 1 tablet on, no downloads or video streaming.... 3h later the internet dropped again.

Never really did a test without the router because modem issue was never solved to make it usable for the media players and file transferring.

If I didn't live in a small Hamlet (ya not even big enough to be a village) I'd have more options for IPS's but I am kinda stuck.