Turn off all unnecessary programs such as the IE7 phising filter and the Mcafee security programs. If you are behind a router, the Windows firewall is plenty of protection.
That will tell you your true upload and download speeds.
Now, I will tell you I uninstalled my Macafee VS 2007 I think it was. It is too much of a system hog and drove me up the wall no matter what all I disabled. You disable something and it just throws up warnings all the time. I got sick of it and went with a different Virus program.
I think Norton is the same way.
Is it only on the internet or is it processes too? You can go into services.msc if you know what you are doing and shut some processes down you dont need.
Also go into MS config and shut down some of the start up stuff that prob slows down start up too.
I've also been suffering horribly slow download speeds on my brand-new Inspiron, compared to my 10-yr-old Dimension which is sitting right next to it. Here's the rundown on it:
Old system: Dimension, 300 Mhz, 328M RAM, Win2K Pro, stock 10/100 ethernet card, download speed ~1700 kpbs, upload speed ~1400 kbps. No significant packet loss measured.
ISP:Rapid Systems' RS|Air fixed wireless broadband, 3 Mbps. The ethernet cable goes from the card in the PC to an outlet in our unit's wall, and they have a switch, router, & antenna elsewhere in the building.
Speed Tests
Speed measurements cited above are from http://speedtest.rapidsys.com/. There's some variability in the results from run to run, but the Inspiron's measured download speeds are always less than 100 kpbs, and the Dimension's are always greater than 1300 kbps.
Pathping Tests
I've run a number of pathping commands to dell.com, google.com, and our default gateway. The Dimension typically shows no packet loss, or maybe 1-2% at some downstream hop. The Inspiron consistently shows around 7 to 16% packet loss just to the default gateway, and smaller losses downstream.
Vista Diagnostics
Vista's main diagnostic check doesn't find anything wrong with the connection. However, when I run the diagnostics from within the properties dialog of the network connection, it says that the ping tests passed, but gives a warning about "No WINS server..." and fails the last item (which I think said "network connection").
Attempted Solutions (nothing has worked!)
Dell Tech Support
Turning off all non-MS services and all start-up programs
Shutting down old PC with ethernet cable still connected, plugging the cable into the new PC while it's off, and starting up (to see if something in the connection was holding on to the old PC's address... or something...)
Factory Image Restore
ISP Tech Support
Use Windows Update to get latest version of everything in the OS.
Uninstall network card drivers (which Vista detected and immediately reinstalled) to try and force a TCP stack rebuild
Self-help
Disable receive window autotuning (MS' network compatibility eval tool says that the ISP's router doesn't work with autotuning) via netsh.
Disable/enable Receive Side Scaling (RSS) via netsh.
Disable/enable Explicit Congestion Notification (ECN) via netsh.
Turn off all IPv6 features (there's a MS technote about how to do this via the registry)
Anyone have any other suggestions? Is there a way to determine if the network card is faulty (other than taking the PC somewhere to plug into a different ISP connection)? I'm seriously on the verge of returning this PC, and ordering a Gateway with XP...
Haven't tried a PCI network card yet, but that's one of the next steps based upon today's visit from a Dell contract technician. After my last call to tech support, they shipped out a new motherboard w/integrated NIC and a new hard drive. We're not sure what the HD was supposed to change, but we tried both swaps and neither helped. Still suffering massive packet losses.
We also downloaded and installed the latest NIC driver for my system from Dell's website, but since it was released in June and my system was built in January, it was probably the same software. We checked for BIOS updates, but I've got the latest version.
On the tech's advice, I'm going to try a PCI network card, and probably also a router, and see if that resolves the some sort of weird incompatibility between my system and our ISP's hardware or software. Since I've only got two PCI slots, I'm not excited about taking one of them up with a function that's supposed to be integrated into the motherboard, but I don't have any definitive expansion plans at the moment. I'll also interrogate the ISP support for the fourth time, in case they have any bright new ideas.
I have exactly the same problem. I have tried all the fixes listed over the Internet other than taking the Broadcom out and switching it. All drivers are up to date. The Internet works at the right speed with this laptop I'm writing this from, so I know it's not the ISP.
I have contacted a Dell Techie only for my line to cut out, and done live web chat, but my Internet is intermittent from my Dell, so that also d/c. I have emailed too, so now trying this avenue.
I have not had the opp to explore my computer and really need the Internet in order to use at to it's full intention, so am absolutely desperate to get this sorted out.
I too am having the same problem with my internet in general. I have discovered that if I use my built-in bluetooth AND my wireless internet the internet connection is intermittent, specifically it is slow with frequent disconnects. I disabled the bluetooth module in the device manager and viola the internet works like a charm. BUT since I have a 80 Bluetooth mouse that I need to use this is a problem for me. Microsoft has a USB stack update BUT I am not using a usb doggle. It may still fix the issue but I will contact Dell to see if they have come up with a solution. I have the feeling that the vast majority of these internet slow downs is being caused by this conflict and not McAfee, Phishing, Firewalls, etc.
jmwills
2 Intern
•
12K Posts
0
May 19th, 2007 15:00
bb_katie
8 Posts
0
May 22nd, 2007 00:00
PM-Performance
9 Posts
0
June 1st, 2007 18:00
MacLeod36
2 Posts
0
February 8th, 2008 16:00
I've also been suffering horribly slow download speeds on my brand-new Inspiron, compared to my 10-yr-old Dimension which is sitting right next to it. Here's the rundown on it:
New system: Inspiron 530, 1.6 GHz, 1G RAM, Vista Home Premium 32bit, stock (Intel?) 10/100 ethernet card. Download speed 7 kpbs - 80 kbps, Upload speed ~2000 kbps. Packet losses ~ 7-16%
Old system: Dimension, 300 Mhz, 328M RAM, Win2K Pro, stock 10/100 ethernet card, download speed ~1700 kpbs, upload speed ~1400 kbps. No significant packet loss measured.
ISP: Rapid Systems' RS|Air fixed wireless broadband, 3 Mbps. The ethernet cable goes from the card in the PC to an outlet in our unit's wall, and they have a switch, router, & antenna elsewhere in the building.
Speed Tests
Speed measurements cited above are from http://speedtest.rapidsys.com/. There's some variability in the results from run to run, but the Inspiron's measured download speeds are always less than 100 kpbs, and the Dimension's are always greater than 1300 kbps.
Pathping Tests
I've run a number of pathping commands to dell.com, google.com, and our default gateway. The Dimension typically shows no packet loss, or maybe 1-2% at some downstream hop. The Inspiron consistently shows around 7 to 16% packet loss just to the default gateway, and smaller losses downstream.
Vista Diagnostics
Vista's main diagnostic check doesn't find anything wrong with the connection. However, when I run the diagnostics from within the properties dialog of the network connection, it says that the ping tests passed, but gives a warning about "No WINS server..." and fails the last item (which I think said "network connection").
Attempted Solutions (nothing has worked!)
Anyone have any other suggestions? Is there a way to determine if the network card is faulty (other than taking the PC somewhere to plug into a different ISP connection)? I'm seriously on the verge of returning this PC, and ordering a Gateway with XP...
DELL-Chris B
2 Intern
•
1.1K Posts
0
February 12th, 2008 14:00
It sounds as if you have narrowed it down to being the network port on the motherboard. Have you tried throwing in a PCI Network card for testing?
If that works, you could have the system serviced per the service contract in place.
MacLeod36
2 Posts
0
February 12th, 2008 15:00
Chris,
Haven't tried a PCI network card yet, but that's one of the next steps based upon today's visit from a Dell contract technician. After my last call to tech support, they shipped out a new motherboard w/integrated NIC and a new hard drive. We're not sure what the HD was supposed to change, but we tried both swaps and neither helped. Still suffering massive packet losses.
We also downloaded and installed the latest NIC driver for my system from Dell's website, but since it was released in June and my system was built in January, it was probably the same software. We checked for BIOS updates, but I've got the latest version.
On the tech's advice, I'm going to try a PCI network card, and probably also a router, and see if that resolves the some sort of weird incompatibility between my system and our ISP's hardware or software. Since I've only got two PCI slots, I'm not excited about taking one of them up with a function that's supposed to be integrated into the motherboard, but I don't have any definitive expansion plans at the moment. I'll also interrogate the ISP support for the fourth time, in case they have any bright new ideas.
I'll post the results of all this.
Kristina_Slow_I
2 Posts
0
February 23rd, 2008 20:00
I have exactly the same problem. I have tried all the fixes listed over the Internet other than taking the Broadcom out and switching it. All drivers are up to date. The Internet works at the right speed with this laptop I'm writing this from, so I know it's not the ISP.
I have contacted a Dell Techie only for my line to cut out, and done live web chat, but my Internet is intermittent from my Dell, so that also d/c. I have emailed too, so now trying this avenue.
I have not had the opp to explore my computer and really need the Internet in order to use at to it's full intention, so am absolutely desperate to get this sorted out.
If anyone can help, please reply to this email.
Kristina_Slow_I
2 Posts
0
February 25th, 2008 18:00
Big thanks to yogaman28734 and the thread on http://www.dellcommunity.com/supportforums/board/message?board.id=si_wireless&thread.id=39060&view=by_date_ascending&page=2
This worked for me, and I am plenty grateful! No more phone calls abroad to try to fix this problem through Dell.
I am chuffed to pieces that I have finally found the solution!
Thanks!
jennybomb
4 Posts
0
April 10th, 2008 13:00
I too am having the same problem with my internet in general. I have discovered that if I use my built-in bluetooth AND my wireless internet the internet connection is intermittent, specifically it is slow with frequent disconnects. I disabled the bluetooth module in the device manager and viola the internet works like a charm. BUT since I have a 80 Bluetooth mouse that I need to use this is a problem for me. Microsoft has a USB stack update BUT I am not using a usb doggle. It may still fix the issue but I will contact Dell to see if they have come up with a solution. I have the feeling that the vast majority of these internet slow downs is being caused by this conflict and not McAfee, Phishing, Firewalls, etc.