Another anti-vote for Norton, the biggest system resource hog ever invented.
My parents have Roadrunner and still think AOL is “The Internet.” It drives me up the wall when they start up AOL, open AOL’s browser and then go to a website instead of just using the IE or FF icons I put on the desktop. The thing about AOL is that even when it isn’t ‘running’ it’s still being a resource hog.
I also tried this, to no avail. My mum (correctly, in her defense) pointed out that Norton was there all of 3-4 days ago when it was working with no problems (I saw it myself), and she doesn’t have the knowitall to have tinkered around with the ethernet settings. Thus, I’m convinced that it was something else, hopefully a software issue. I won’t dispute that it’s worthless symantec bloatware, but it’s a moot point if she’d patently REFUSE to let me take it off her system (and believe me, I’ve tried…), and I don’t think that’s what caused this sudden, dramatic drop off in speed.
Like I said before Malwarebytes did find quite a few “infected” registry files, so there’s definitely something there. But none of the files I’ve removed so far have done anything to fix it.
How much memory does her PC have? How much is it using? IOW is the PC paging heavily?
/VETO
The only reason ever to disable AutoNegotiate is if you are trying to run networking hardware more than 10 or 15 years old. Even then, before going to fixed port settings, you better understand exactly how the hardware works.
Disabling AN will almost always force the networking devices to switch to half-duplex, no matter how the manual setting is configured.
Have you swapped ports on the router?
I’m not familiar with the equipment your ISP uses, but the DSL Modem/router might have configuration issues on a port-by-port basis.
Make sure you aren’t running multiple firewalls! (as in Windows built in, and Norton, for example).
I don’t suppose you have access to a small managed switch? It might be interesting to mirror the port connected to the desktop and watch some dumps with WireShark.
It could just be as simple as a bad network interface card… Do you have a USB Network adapter you can try temporarily? I actually order computers for the plant floor here specifically with dual network interfaces, just to save the hassle of opening up the box when one dies.
If it is slow in safe mode, I think the signs point to malware or some virus.
So yet another wrinkle in this cavalcade of weirdness…
Plugging it in directly to the DSL modem alleviates any speed issue. Could this still be a router issue, in spite of the comparable PING speeds?
Go to dslreports.com, run their tweak test, and make the suggested changes.
Windows XP has issues with - MTU size, I think - something. It’ll default to something that isn’t really going to give you the best speeds. The tweak test will tell you what needs adjusted, and there is info on that page to tell you how to change it.
Certainly, a duplex mismatch will do that. For instance the router, just that port or as a whole, may not be using autonegotiate but be hard-set to 100 full duplex, 100 half duplex, 10fd or 10hd. Or its autonegotiate may be broken and be negotiating to one of those speeds. See if it has a way of reporting to you what each port is doing in that area.
I thank you for the input, but unfortunately renegotiating it didn’t do the trick. I THINK, however, that I may have figured this mystery out:
This is a reasonable facsimile of the router we have. It has wired and wireless functions.
I remembered, as though by a flash a lightning, that my mum has my old, dilapidated piece of crap desktop plugged into a wired connection downstairs. I decided to venture to the basement and check out the speed.
0.04 mBps. Same as upstairs. “Very interesting,” I though.
As the final control in the experiment, I turned off the wireless connection on my netbook (which was purring at 6.2 megabits, give or take), and plugged it into the router through a wired connection.
0.04 Megabits.
So now I have a router that seems to give wireless internet a carte blanche, while categorically shutting down any connection that tries to access it with a cable. At least I don’t have to worry about replacing the tower, right?
Anyone care to take a crack at how to fix the router, or should I just unleash the mighty hammer of Thor on it and make a trip to Best Buy tomorrow?
Router repairs… I’d suggest checking around the interwebs for guides on how to perform a hard reset on the router, and consider flashing it to the latest firmware level.