[HELP] Wired connection suddenly slow?

RipGroove · 19 Sep 2021 at 16:12

EDIT/ SOLVED - See post #23 in this thread or TL: DR Windows Start Menu/Settings/Network & Internet/Network Reset

My Virgin Media fiber conenction has been a rock solid 550Mbps for nearly 1 year but today on my wired connection it's just 130Mbps. It is not the fault of VM because my phone still gets 550Mbps over a wireless connection so it must be an issue with my PC.

I've tried both ethernet ports on my mobo and checked for updates in the following places and I have zero outstanding updates:

Windows Update
AI Suite (Motherboards updating software)
Intel Driver & Support Assistant

I have no software running that is hogging the connection or anything like that and obviously I've tried rebooting the PC and the VM Hub, but as I said the Hub is actually providing the correct speed via wireless so I don't beleive there is an issue there.

Any ideas?

VaderDSL · 19 Sep 2021 at 16:26

Are you using a VPN or anything like that?

RipGroove · 19 Sep 2021 at 16:35

VaderDSL said:
Are you using a VPN or anything like that?

No, I should have mentioned that. Ive recently upgraded my CPU and motherboard and done a fresh Windows install so the system is running pretty bare bones at the minute with regards to software and everything is fully up to date. Its been absolutely fine up until today, yesterday was 550Mbps as normal, today it's 130Mbps seemingly out of the blue.

MarcLister · 19 Sep 2021 at 21:15

Do you have another wired PC that you can connect to the VM hub and see what speeds that gets? Have you tried changing the ethernet cables to eliminate them?

RipGroove · 20 Sep 2021 at 05:22

MarcLister said:
Do you have another wired PC that you can connect to the VM hub and see what speeds that gets? Have you tried changing the ethernet cables to eliminate them?

I will try a laptop wired in later on, good shout.

RipGroove · 20 Sep 2021 at 15:12

I only have an old laptop here at the minute and that got 256Mbps when plugged into the very same cable as the dektop PC so there is definitely an issue with the desktop PC. The fact the old laptop got 256Mbps instead of the 550Mbps I usually get when wired in and still get over wireless is probabpy because its an old out of date laptop (the Wife's). The Wife actually has a new NHS laptop when when she's back shortly I'll try that one because it should retuen a better result.

So still not sure what's wrong with the desktop PC? Bit baffling tbh.

RipGroove · 20 Sep 2021 at 15:39

I think it must be something to do with the VM Hub's wired connections somehow. No matter what ethernet port or cable I use (I have several VM Cat6 cables) this is what I get:

Desktop PC = 130Mbps (every time it's tested)
Old Laptop = 200-260Mbps
New NHS Laptop = 170-200Mbps

The desktop PC is the healthiest and usually the most consistent so it's always very stable and returns a high Mbps so that's always the one I trust. I guess I can rule out the PC's then and start to look at the VM hub, not quite sure what could be causing it though.

MarcLister · 20 Sep 2021 at 17:01

I agree. It's weird that the wireless is working OK and the ethernet ports appear to be a problem. You're not using any network switches between the computer and the VM hub are you?

Are you running the latest BIOS on the motherboard? Definitely Intel's v26 drivers for the Ethernet ports?

RipGroove · 20 Sep 2021 at 17:04

MarcLister said:
I agree. It's weird that the wireless is working OK and the ethernet ports appear to be a problem. You're not using any network switches between the computer and the VM hub are you?

Are you running the latest BIOS on the motherboard? Definitely Intel's v26 drivers for the Ethernet ports?

Yeah its odd. No ethernet switches and BIOS is up to date. Not sure where I can view the ethernet port drivers version so I'll see if I can find it. It's happening accros multiple devices though.

RipGroove · 20 Sep 2021 at 17:06

VM are sending a technician out on Friday afternoon so hopefully they'll figure it out.

VaderDSL · 20 Sep 2021 at 17:07

Is it possible to turn wifi off on the VM router? Then with the sole PC connected, does it still only give the reduced speed? I would then also boot to a linux live distro and test again, then if it does the same then you can be 100% sure that it is the ethernet on the VM router.

RipGroove · 20 Sep 2021 at 17:12

All I see under Device Manager/Network Adapters/Intel(R) Ethernet Controller (3) I225-V/Properties/Driver is:

Driver Version 1.0.2.6

And its the same for Intel(R) Ethernet Controller (3) I225-V #2

RipGroove · 20 Sep 2021 at 17:13

VaderDSL said:
Is it possible to turn wifi off on the VM router? Then with the sole PC connected, does it still only give the reduced speed? I would then also boot to a linux live distro and test again, then if it does the same then you can be 100% sure that it is the ethernet on the VM router.

I can disable the WiFi and give that a go yes, bare with me. With regards to Linux, nope, never used it lol

VaderDSL · 20 Sep 2021 at 17:15

RipGroove said:
I can disable the WiFi and give that a go yes, bare with me. With regards to Linux, nope, never used it lol

It's pretty easy if you have a USB stick, you can simply boot to it and use it as a normal install from the USB stick, probably not worth it with what you've already tested (multiple machines) but it's there as an option

RipGroove · 20 Sep 2021 at 17:16

VaderDSL said:
It's pretty easy if you have a USB stick, you can simply boot to it and use it as a normal install from the USB stick, probably not worth it with what you've already tested (multiple machines) but it's there as an option

Yeah, I'll see what the VM Tech comes back with on Friday before going down that road.

Just disabled WiFi and still got the same result.

I'll let you know what happens Friday then I guess

RipGroove · 24 Sep 2021 at 16:53

OK so it's my PC but I don't know what's causing it??!!

VM came out and tested my whole network and everywhere they plugged their meter into a wired connection it gave results of 550Mbps+ So the problem is my PC.

MarcLister · 24 Sep 2021 at 18:50

I'd give VaderDSL's suggestion of running a Linux distro from a pen drive serious thought. If you have a pen drive you can use and can boot into the distro from it and test download speeds there and it's the same then you know it's the computer hardware, i.e. the ethernet port. If the problem goes away then it stands to reason that there's something in Windows causing an issue and you might want to re-install Windows again to clean things out or dive into the network settings and check things out.

RipGroove · 24 Sep 2021 at 18:53

MarcLister said:
I'd give VaderDSL's suggestion of running a Linux distro from a pen drive serious thought. If you have a pen drive you can use and can boot into the distro from it and test download speeds there and it's the same then you know it's the computer hardware, i.e. the ethernet port. If the problem goes away then it stands to reason that there's something in Windows causing an issue and you might want to re-install Windows again to clean things out or dive into the network settings and check things out.

You guys might be right then as that seems like the only way to narrow it down further. I'll have to do some reading up on how that works then as I've never done it before. Wish me luck lol

GinG · 24 Sep 2021 at 20:42

Have you ran a virus/malware scan?

RipGroove · 24 Sep 2021 at 20:44

GinG said:
Have you ran a virus/malware scan?

I run Spybot fairly regularly but I don't think I have done since experiencing this network issue so I will actually do that.