One slow PC on a wired network. Help!!

Soon · 14-02-2011, 11:21

HELP!!!
I have just had VM installed and have run a CAT4 cable to a switch to which is connected 2PCs and 1 printer. One PC is running fine when connecting to the internet but the second is suffering from considerable lag and slow page download when browsing. The webbased broadband speed checkers take a few minutes to download then give me a good download speed reading.

I have run Win MTR and the readings look bad but I have no idea what they mean. Can anyone advise please. Desperate.

|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| WinMTR statistics |
| Host - % | Sent | Recv | Best | Avrg | Wrst | Last |
|------------------------------------------------|------|------|------|------|------|------|
| 10.213.28.1 - 8 | 69 | 64 | 0 | 6 | 29 | 5 |
|watf-cam-1b-ge92.network.virginmedia.net - 0 | 88 | 88 | 4 | 6 | 30 | 6 |
|watf-core-1b-ge-010-0.network.virginmedia.net - 47 | 30 | 16 | 0 | 10 | 35 | 6 |
| No response from host - 100 | 17 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
|popl-bb-1a-ae0-0.network.virginmedia.net - 77 | 21 | 5 | 0 | 7 | 12 | 7 |
| No response from host - 100 | 17 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| No response from host - 100 | 17 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| No response from host - 100 | 17 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| No response from host - 100 | 17 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| No response from host - 100 | 17 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| No response from host - 100 | 17 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| No response from host - 100 | 17 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| dy-in-f99.1e100.net - 0 | 88 | 88 | 28 | 30 | 54 | 29 |

Any help from anyone please?

---------- Post added at 11:21 ---------- Previous post was at 11:20 ----------

Sorry typo - that was CAT5 cable.

techguyone · 14-02-2011, 12:13

Are you connected to a modem then from that onto a switch, then onto the pc's ?

I had no end of troubles when I had a router connected on the end of the modem then onto the network.

---------- Post added at 12:13 ---------- Previous post was at 11:59 ----------

Actually reading back..

Do you have a Switch or a router?
There are differences.

---
Routers for home networks (often called broadband routers) also can join multiple networks. These routers are designed specifically to join the home (LAN) to the Internet (WAN) for the purpose of Internet connection sharing. In contrast, neither hubs nor switches are capable of joining multiple networks or sharing an Internet connection. A home network with only hubs and switches must designate one computer as the gateway to the Internet, and that device must possess two network adapters for sharing, one for the home LAN and one for the Internet WAN. With a router, all home computers connect to the router equally, and it performs the equivalent gateway functions.

---

Soon · 14-02-2011, 12:32

Yup. Virginmedia Hub (combined modem-router). Cable from back of this to a switch. 2 PCs and 1 printer via cable into back of switch.

From what you say, should I be running the 2 PCs from the back of the Virginmedia HUB?

techguyone · 14-02-2011, 12:50

I'd try that, presumably it's got 4x ethernet ports at the back?

Soon · 14-02-2011, 14:49

techguyone,

I am very grateful for your suggestions.

I have tried running a single cable from the back of the Virgin Media HUB to the offending PC with no other PC or printer connected to the HUB and the problem continues. The Win MTR stats are similar.

I suspect that the PC is the problem. I have run AdAware and Norton 360, reset IE8 to default advance settings and uninstalled and reinstalled the network adapter. I went to PC World (always a challenge) and spoke to the tech guy there who was stumped but did not think that buying a PCT ethernet card (the one in the PC is attached to the motherboard) will help, and besides they did not stock them.

Oi Vey.

Is this time for a new PC? Nothing I can rip out and replace?

Mick Fisher · 14-02-2011, 15:12

In case the offending PC has both a wired NIC and a wireless NIC installed make sure the wireless NIC is disabled.

Try setting both PC's to Auto-Negotiate in Network settings.

techguyone · 14-02-2011, 15:13

Hard to say, normally ethernet components are very robust, its unusual for one to fail.

What specs are the PC? is it something thats old? what OS is it running?

A stand alone ethernet card won't be expensive, and assuming the rest of the PC is ok, would be the cheapest option, regardingwhat you can rip out and reuse on a new PC would depend on how old the last one is, a lot of components on current PC's aren't compatible with the previous generations.

Soon · 14-02-2011, 15:18

3-4 years max.
Vista SP2
3G memory
Dual core processor (not at home at present)

What is bizzare is that, as I don't have to give up the Sky 2Meg service via the phoneline to have Virgin installed, I took the precaution of some overlap in service..just in case. The offending PC is nice a speedy on the old sky connection but reallllly slow on the new "fast" virgin connection.

techguyone · 14-02-2011, 15:24

I'd try a new NIC, you have updated all the drivers on the existing card haven't you ?

qasdfdsaq · 14-02-2011, 16:20

Given the existing NIC is passing data at correct speed and with no loss, I'd say the problem has nothing to do with the network card.

Soon · 14-02-2011, 16:49

Options please, qasdfdsaq?
Slash and burn (dump and buy)?

qasdfdsaq · 14-02-2011, 17:02

It won't be the PC hardware at all. I suspect it's some silly softwre conflict or bad setup. Reinstalling the machine (as a last resort) will almost definitely fix it. There's absolutely no need to buy a new computer.

MovedGoalPosts · 14-02-2011, 17:09

Presumably the network card is set to auto detect the connection settings in it's properties, but is it autodetecting correctly? Have you tried simply using a different cable, or swapping the ports in the switch / router. Numerous times I've seen gigabit connections picked up as only 100Mbit. Can you force the card's properties to a different setting i.e. full duplex?

You say in post one that you are using Cat 4 cable. Is that a typo?

Soon · 14-02-2011, 17:35

Typo CAT5.
Tried 3 cables and different ports in switch but not router. Will try fiddling with card's properties.

Thanks to all. Will post to update on developments.

qasdfdsaq · 14-02-2011, 20:49

Still almost certainly not the network card, cable, or connection. If it were any of the above we'd see reduced speeds and/or packet loss, evidence suggests there is none of either.

Only connection setup time is affected.

You could try Netalyzr:

http://netalyzr.icsi.berkeley.edu/

and either post the results or a link to them (stripping out your IP address), this test shows both connection setup time and DNS lookup time in addition to pure speed.