Alright I have a OEM version of Vista Home Premium dual booted with Windows 7 Ultimate, I use Windows 7 mainly for internet, games, downloading etc. but I noticed the internet isn't as fast as it was before on Vista so I go to speedtest.net and I measure the connection, I get 0.18mbps on my home connection which is a 3Mbps line, so I go to my friend's who has a 4Mbps line and I run speed test and only get 1Mbp so then I switch to Vista and go to speedtest, I get 3Mbps on my home connection and 4Mbps on my friend's connection? Can somebody help me out?
try enabling congestion control and dca on the ethernet adapter. This did the trick for my connection.
Hmmm. I have Windows 7 and a 6Mbit connection, and I see no degradation of speed. If anything, my file transfers and downloads over then network are faster than before. That is weird that you notice a slowdown... I was downloading a torrent off of Demonoid yesterday at over 2Mbit (I was pulling 3Mbit total with all my torrents combined)...so I dont see what you are experiencing. Hope you figure it out though. EDIT: I notice that you are using wireless...that may be your problem. Is it wireless g or n? (IMHO, wireless is a horrible type of connection if you are trying to get as much bandwidth as possible out of your network. I have a wireless-n router and never use the wireless because it is slooooowwww compared to a wired connection) EDIT2: I would recommend trying a wired connection, temporarily, to see if you get your bandwidth back, and narrow down the problem... EDIT3: For future reference, please try to refrain from making multiple threads on the same topic. It is not necessary and wastes space on the forum.
You have an older wireless router... That may be your problem. Try running a CAT-5 cable from the router to your PC and then run a speed test. I would bet that it is your older wireless router that is causing the slowdown. If there is no difference, connect your PC right to your modem and try the speed test again. Maybe your router is going bad. I have gone through 3 routers in the last 4 years... That's why I have a new router now
Infact, I have tried wired to modem and the speeds on my laptop are back to normal (3Mbps) but the problem is I have a little whiney brother who also wants to play Runescape and World of Warcraft so I have to connect the router and face lag. But why would a old router only affect Windows 7? because I have normal speeds wirelessly on that router with Vista?
It is likely that your router may be going belly up... In my experience, I notice that wireless is usually one of the first thing to be affected when a router is slowly "dying". You will notice degraded speed and random disconnects (or your PC will not be able to connect sometimes at all until you reset the router). I would recommend buying a new wireless-n router, or running a long CAT-5 cable, like I do... I have a PS3, Xbox 360, and 2 PCs hooked up to my router via CAT-5 cables...all wired. I just run the cables under the side of the carpet...
What is a CAT-5 Cable? An ethernet cable? Also I have a very very very long ethernet cable, I read that the length will affect the speed my computer recieves and sends packets, is that true?
Yes, CAT-5 == Ethernet cable. The length will affect it, but it has to be REALLY REALLY long. I have three 25foot cables going to my living-room for (1) my PC, (2) my Xbox 360, and (3) my PS3 (then I have my PC in my room connected with a little 6foot cable 'cuz it is right next to my router). If it causes any delay, it is not noticeable by me, and it is still MUCH MUCH faster than wireless... I play Gears of War 2 on Xbox Live all the time and notice no lag at all. I kill people online all day long with no slowdown. If I were running on a wireless connection then I would definitely see lag. EDIT: Do yourself a favor and get an Ethernet cable that is just long enough to suit your needs...maybe give yourself a couple feet extra just in case ...and you should be good to go.
Could you suggest a good router? By the way I live in Canada, or should I just buy the cheapest N router I see?
Also, what's the speed of your internet because I'm on my friends desktop and on speedtest I get 3.50Mbps and it would take me 33 minutes to download a 800mb file, 800mb in 1 minute is freaking fast, I wish I could download games in 3 minutes
Alright awesome. Another question, my WiFi adapter in my laptop is only b/g will it be able to connect to the N router or will it connect at sacrifice of a slower speed?
I suggest updating you wireless device driver first, if there are ones for 7 or try using the lastest driver. My friend's elder brother had this similar problem, except worse. He could connect the wireless to his router, got DHCP information, but couldn't use any network traffic either internet or on LAN. I tried to figure out if it was his router problem, used another wireless device and it worked perfectly fine. Then I tried to update his wireless driver, viola, problem solved. And that was on XP. Also you should burrow that wireless device/router from your friend and test if it slow down on Windows 7 and your router/device. Having more devices to test is a good way to solve any problem after all. If you still think it's wireless on Windows 7 problem, try wired connection like HotCarl suggest.
You will need a wireless-n WiFi adapter if you want to take advantage of the wireless-n speed boost. You can buy USB 2.0 wireless adapters (or a wireless-n card for your PC would be better if you have a desktop), but in my honest opinion, I would still run an Ethernet cable though, as you will most likely get better speeds (less latency/lag) via wired connection. In my experience, when running a wireless router in a residence, there is interference from walls, other electronic devices (the microwave, etc.), etc., that all combine together to reduce your wireless speed. If you absolutely need wireless, and want the best speed possible, I would recommend replacing your current router with a wireless-n one, and get a wireless-n desktop PC card... (if you are using a laptop, then I guess you would need a USB 2.0 wireless-n WiFi adapter.)
Wireless device as in the device that sends the signal aka wireless access point or the device that receives the signal aka wifi adapter?
It could be an outdated driver, but seeing as how he is able to not only connect to the network, but also use the network resources (internet, etc.) it seems unlikely. I would bet that it is your wireless connection from your old router that is causing the slowdown. Besides, it sounds like you want all the speed you can get out of your wireless connection, so if you do not want to run an Ethernet cable (which in my experience is the best method for a residence, especially if you live in an apartment complex, or if you have many close neighbors), I would definitely advise you to buy a new wireless-n router and the corresponding wireless-n WiFi adapter...you will be much happier in the end.