2 PCs connecting, 1 slow 1 fast, why?

Mick L

Hi

I'm having a bit of a problem with my wireless network / broadband at home.

Basically I have 2 computers (1 pc and 1 laptop) connected to a wireless broadband router.
This router is connected to my broadband modem.

Everything works fine on the laptop but on the PC, even though it connects fine, my broadband speed is 1/4 of what it should be, despite the wireless connection saying it's excellent and runnning at 54Mbps.

I've tried a different wireless network card on the PC but no difference.
I've tired disabling security on the wireless network but no difference.
I'm using the utilities supplied with each card and I have Windows Zero config service disabled as it was causing problems gaming.

When I connect the PC to the router using a CAT5 cable it works fine at its full speed.

The hardare I'm using is

Dlink G520M and/or Netgear WG111v2 on the PC (both using latest drivers)
Dlink DI-624+ broadband router (latest firmware, WPS-PSK)
Dell Inspiron 9100 (connects fine)

So does anyone know of any setting that could be causing the PCs speed to the internet to be so slow with a wireless connection only?

Thanks

Foxwood

Mick L wrote:

Everything works fine on the laptop but on the PC, even though it connects fine, my broadband speed is 1/4 of what it should be, despite the wireless connection saying it's excellent and runnning at 54Mbps.

So if you're connected wirelessly, a file downloads at 512kbps instead of 2mbps, and if you connect using an ethernet cable, it downloads at 2mbps?

andy1249

Looks like you have eliminated a hardware issue anyway , so what kind of antivirus /firewall software are you using on each machine , do you have the same software/settings on each machine.

Having the firewall settings or the antivirus settings scanning each file as it comes in can slow things down quite a bit.

Mick L

Thanks for the replies guys.

Foxwood wrote:

So if you're connected wirelessly, a file downloads at 512kbps instead of 2mbps, and if you connect using an ethernet cable, it downloads at 2mbps?

Yeah give or take, its approx 1/4, its really annoying. I also get the same results using www.irishisptest.com

andy1249 wrote:

what kind of antivirus /firewall software are you using on each machine , do you have the same software/settings on each machine.

I have AVG on the PC, but I disabled thinking the same thing, no joy though. I have Norton on the laptop. As far as I know I have the same settings on both machines. One issue I did think of was that on the laptop I'm using the Windows Zero Configuration service, but on the PC I'm using the DLink utility. I tried using the windows configuration on the PC but it says the hardware doesn't support WPA even though it does. Also there are 2 different versions of the AEGIS protocol on the PC (both later versions than the one on the laptop). However I don't think its security as the issue is still there when I have the wireless network set to an open system with no encryption.

I'm not sure what else I can check, both machines are XP Pro SP2 with all current updates.

RangeR

Mick L wrote:

Thanks for the replies guys.

Yeah give or take, its approx 1/4, its really annoying. I also get the same results using www.irishisptest.com

I have never been able to get my wireless connection to download anything faster than 150 to 180KBps [Kilobytes, not bits]. This is equivalent to 1.5Mb to 2Mb internet connection, even though I have a 6Mb line.

Having said that, local interference could see that figure reduced. You could try different channels on the access point. Are there any other wi-fi networks around [How many ssid's can your PC pick up]? If there are more than just yours, find out what channels they are on [google NetStumbler] and use one that is furthest away.

If your PC is close to the router, why not just leave it permanently hooked up by cable, rather than wireless.

Foxwood

Mick L wrote:

I'm not sure what else I can check, both machines are XP Pro SP2 with all current updates.

If you transfer a file between the PC and the laptop, what sort of speed are you seeing?

Mick L

IrishTLR wrote:

I have never been able to get my wireless connection to download anything faster than 150 to 180KBps [Kilobytes, not bits]. This is equivalent to 1.5Mb to 2Mb internet connection, even though I have a 6Mb line.

Having said that, local interference could see that figure reduced. You could try different channels on the access point. Are there any other wi-fi networks around [How many ssid's can your PC pick up]? If there are more than just yours, find out what channels they are on [google NetStumbler] and use one that is furthest away.

If your PC is close to the router, why not just leave it permanently hooked up by cable, rather than wireless.

There is one other network in range, thats on channel 11, I'm on 6. I don't think it's interference as the laptop gets a good speed with the wireless. That's why I'm convinced its something particular to my PC. As for leaving it wired, I'm afraid that's not an option. I've moved the PC into the middle of the living room floor just for testing. I'm wth NTL so the ntl box is in that room with the tv. I don't want to start drilling holes to route cables between the rooms as its a rented apartment.

Mick L

Foxwood wrote:

If you transfer a file between the PC and the laptop, what sort of speed are you seeing?

I'll run a few tests this evening and post up some figures.

Mick L

Ok here are the results of some tests

Wired PC
Irishisptest.com 5.20Mbps Down, 480kbps Up
Download from ftp://ftp.heanet.ie/pub/TheOpenCD/releases/3.1/ (700Mb File) 420KBps (sustained peak)

Wireless PC
Irishisptest.com 1.73Mbps Down, 420kbps Up
Download from ftp://ftp.heanet.ie/pub/TheOpenCD/releases/3.1/ (700Mb File) 215KBps (sustained peak)

Wireless Laptop
Irishisptest.com 5.16Mbps Down, 459kbps Up
Download from ftp://ftp.heanet.ie/pub/TheOpenCD/releases/3.1/ (700Mb File) 418KBps (sustained peak)

Transfer from laptop to PC Wired
1 minute 26 seconds

Transfer from laptop to PC Wireless
3 minutes 41 seconds

Transfer from PC Wired to Laptop (209Mb File)
1 minute 30 seconds


Transfer from PC Wireless to Laptop (209Mb File)
3 minutes 6 seconds

Foxwood

I just read a few reviews og the DWL-G520M, and they're all generally positive about it, speedwise. I can't think of any reason that you should be seeing the probem that you're seeing. By the way, have you tried the USB adapter on the laptop? If it's getting the full speed on the laptop, then it sounds like some sort of conflict on the PC, but it's hard to say what that might be. If you watch the task manager during a flie transfer, is there a process that's using an unusual amount of CPU?

It shouldn't make a difference, but try changing the orientation of the antenna on the router (just turn it 90 degrees).

FSL

You will get a difference in the transfer time from the PC to the laptop when using wireless - wireless compared to wired - wireless. The wireless - wireless has only 54 mbps to share between the two connections. The wired to wireless has 100 mbps on the wire and 54mbps on the wireless so the wired - wireless should take half the time of the wireless - wireless. This does not help with your problem per se but does explain the PC to Laptop transfer difference.

Krusty_Clown

Seems very unusual...
Can you ping your router from both machines and report the findings?
Then run a traceroute from both machines to a website? e.g.

tracert www.boards.ie

and report if there's any significant difference?

The only different seems to be that you are using the Windows Zero Configuration service on the laptop, and using the native drivers/software on the desktop. when you tried a different wireless card on the dekstop, was it the same brand/drivers as the original? If so, try something else...