Kitz Forum

Computers & Hardware => Networking => Topic started by: bigbadbri on August 09, 2007, 01:10:35 PM

Title: slow broadband following windows update
Post by: bigbadbri on August 09, 2007, 01:10:35 PM

recently got myself a scaleo 1515 p series with 2gig of ram, 2.13 ghz duo core processor, which was working brilliantly until 1of2 things has caused my download speeds to drop drastically. I'm on a wireless network on 1 meg connection with AOL.

Whenever previously downloading, i consistantly got a 120k/bps download speed, now i'm getting approx 35k/bps here's what may have caused it and if anyone can help I'd appreciate it!!

Scenario

1) when looking at windows updates, i had 1 outstanding update which was optional, it was for "Via Rhine II Fast Ethernet Adapter" i updated this as i thought it was something that may well improve.

2) also at the same time my subscription to norton anti-virus expired and i have nothing to tell me if i've got a dodgy virus.

I've already uninstalled the Via Rhine adapter and reinstalled it, but this did nothing to help, if anyone knows what to do it be very grateful.

And i've tried every system restore going and it won't let me roll the computer back, it is doing my head in >:(

thanks

Title: Re: slow broadband following windows update
Post by: roseway on August 09, 2007, 01:37:19 PM

Hi bigbadbri and welcome.

I think you can dismiss the ethernet driver as the cause. Your ethernet interface will either work or it won't - a driver update is very unlikely to have such an effect on the throughput.

I suppose that a virus could have this effect, and you should certainly get a virus checker up and running again ASAP. I see a lot of bad comments about Norton, so perhaps you should uninstall that and get an alternative such as AVG-free. I don't use Windows myself, so I don't know the details, but I believe that uninstalling Norton is problematical, and there are several guides available on the 'net.

Are you using a router for your internet connection? If so, can you connect directly to it, to eliminate the wireless connection as the source of the problem?

If you're on a fixed 1 meg connection and this problem has come up suddenly,  the only other thing I can think of is a technical problem at the exchange.

Title: Re: slow broadband following windows update
Post by: bigbadbri on August 09, 2007, 04:52:27 PM

thanks for your reply, i installed avg free last night and its currently on it maiden voyage, so hopefully it will find/fix something, i'll check the exchange and i'm sure i've seen a link that tells you of any problems for a post code area, don't suppose any one knows the link or where to go?


thanks

Title: Re: slow broadband following windows update
Post by: roseway on August 09, 2007, 06:42:13 PM

http://usertools.plus.net/exchanges/ may help.

Title: Re: slow broadband following windows update
Post by: kitz on August 09, 2007, 07:59:12 PM

Hi and welcome.

Something else which may be worth a try is doing a BT performance test..   This should tell you if you have recently had a bad sync and if its a low IP profile which is limiting your speed.

http://www.kitz.co.uk/adsl/btwperformancetest.htm

Title: Re: slow broadband following windows update
Post by: roseway on August 10, 2007, 07:05:24 AM

Perhaps bigbadbri can clarify this, but I got the impression that he's on a fixed 1 meg connection.

Title: Re: slow broadband following windows update
Post by: kitz on August 10, 2007, 09:19:02 AM

ahhh...  sorry didnt realise that

Title: Re: slow broadband following windows update
Post by: bigbadbri on August 10, 2007, 01:23:49 PM

Yep its a 1meg connection with aol, they keep telling me i'm on a 2meg (because of an upgrade) but at the same time keep e-mailing me saying they haven't got round to upgrading. In the good old days i consistantly got a 120k/bps download speed which would be slow for a 2meg connection.

I've now found that 85-90% of the time my internet is really slow/unusable, ie last night tried downloading from download.com, hey presto i was getting 120k/bps, so i cancelled the download and went straight to myspace, bbc and skysports.com and it was back to the drawing board, the websites don't load or do without pictures and very very slowly.

The virus scanner found nothing, used a spyware program and that found nothing too, so i'm gonna phone aol and let them know that if it can't be sorted i'll be cancelling my Direct Debit with them, if i'm gonna have no internet i may as well stop paying for it.

Thanks for all your help.

Title: Re: slow broadband following windows update
Post by: bigbadbri on August 10, 2007, 08:06:34 PM

******* resolved ************* ish

rang aol today for the third time and after the usual try this and that i was informed due to some "acceptable use policy" i've been on limited downloads, considering that when i signed up it was for unlimited broadband. i think this is very unfair and will get back to them about this tomorrow!!!

i've downloaded over 60gb in 8 or 9 months on the silver package (they don't tell you about that)

Pants!!!! >:(

Title: Re: slow broadband following windows update
Post by: kitz on August 10, 2007, 08:26:18 PM

Glad you (kinda) now know what it is.

Unfortunately too many ISPs advertise "unlimited" which is anything but - and a major bug-bear of mine.
60GB over 9 months only works out at around 6-7GB per month - which is hardly true unlimited  >:(