Internet Bandwidth Help

I have Intel 3965 Wifi card. I just connected new internet service to my home. I am paying for 8 MBPS but when I check the speed and download files then its only 3-4 MBPS only. So, I am not getting for what I have been paying. Is there any way to increase the speed or bandwidth?
Any software or utilities or tweaks/

Thanks

 

What speed do you get from the ethernet connection?

 

Get a wireless N adapter. Usually, Wireless G can only go up to 5MBps at the most. Wireless N can go up to up to 20MBps depending on what kind of router and adapter you have.

BTW.. nice internet connection. My ISP doesn't even offer 64Mbps connection. My cable ISP is still using DOSIS2.0 .

 

Not sure if they fixed this in Vista SP2 but I noticed an increase when doing this:
type in Administator CMD - netsh interface tcp set global autotuninglevel=disabled

 

I tried using Wireless as well as connecting it directly to LAN. Its the same with slow MBPS. Isnt there any utility or software to fix this or some tweaks?

 

What's your rated internet connection speed?
Is the connection rated at 64Mbps internet connection?

If you're using DOSIS2.0 modem on this internet connection, your modem will be the limit here, you'll need to change to a DOSIS 3.0 modem.

If you're using a wireless G router or a wireless wireless Card (which you're using), the card or the router or both is the limit.

 

What kind of service do you have? Is it DSL? If it is, is the phone line only for the internet or you're using it also to make outside calls? If it's not, trace the phone line to the wall socket, check if there is a splitter, remove it, check the tension of the phone line. Make sure the line is not too stretched coz if it is, the plug is not properly connected to the socket and it's giving ground to the phone line.

 

I don't think any DSL service in United States can achieve 64Mbps connection speed. The fastest DSL in US is 50Mbps.

Even Fiber line can't achieve those figures.

For a 64Mbps connection to be possible, you'll need wireless N/GBe and a DOCIS3/VDSL connection and an ISP that offer those speed.

 

In the end, if you feel you are not getting what you are paying for, call your cable company. However, keep in mind that you will never see the entire promised bandwidth.

 

Just because you're CAPABLE of that speed or paying for it doesn't always mean you're going to attain it. It depends entirely on your networking setup and the devices you're using, how many devices overall are on your broadband network (not just computers - network devices, cable boxes, everything connected). The 3965 is an older card and from that I'd assume from the start that you're using a Wireless G network, which isn't that fast to begin with. Even if you're using a Wireless N Router, all networks are limited by the speed of the slowest device, which is your adapter.

Also, you need to understand that the internet is literally like a superhighway, subject to traffic jams, slowdowns, rush hour traffic, bottlenecks, accidents, etc. There are literally hundreds of servers between you and your downloadable content, and a problem at any point can cause a problem.

It first starts with your system's capability - Resource Management plays a big factor. If your CPU is being overly worked because your resource management isn't that great (you've got too much crap running and not enough available RAM) then your DL speeds get slower. Interference from local devices like cordless phones can interfere with your signal, as can just the building materials of the place you live in.

Signal strength can also contribute to your download speeds. If you have a weak signal to begin with coming into your house, or if you have more than 2 cable boxes connected, it drops the overall signal strength across your network (if you understand electronics, signal is voltage, and more devices on your broadband network means more voltage dropped - simple resistance theory) and you might need a line amplifier. Your ISP can determine signal strength at your boxes.

Even your system plays a factor - a badly fragged drive (or even partially fragmented one) can cause Whole Network Fragmentation, a concept that most users don't understand or know about. Even having other systems on your network will cause slowdowns in DL speed.

It's also important to make sure you're connected to YOUR network. If you've assigned a unique SSID name to your Router band you shouldn't have a problem, but if you're using the default SSID you run the risk of connecting to a neighboring network. With the advent of N Routers and their increased signal strength and range, it's easy for others to connect to another network if it's unsecured and using a default SSID as well. People tend to have the silly thought that they're the only ones in their area with their particular brand of router. As I have seen in many support calls, and we have seen here at NBR, it is not uncommon for someone to inadvertently connect to the wrong network, then bang their heads against a wall trying to figure out why their WPA key won't work or the signal strength is nothing when the device is next to the router.

Even if you have everything perfect - good system/resource management, good disk defragmentation, top network devices, Dual-Band to cover pesky kids downloading stuff when you need the speed, etc., even a simple setting mismatch between the router and the adapter can lower transfer speeds significantly. Adapter settings must match router settings in order to get the optimum performance, and most people don't bother to learn how to setup their router beyond the basic plugin and setup. I can only say that for those who don't learn, speed problems will always be there.

In the end, it depends on whether or not you need the top speed you're paying for, and if so, what you're willing to do and spend in order to achieve it.

Here are some links I keep for helping clients and others like you understand how things work with networking:

UNDERSTANDING THROUGHPUT

RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

WHOLE NETWORK FRAGMENTATION & DEFRAGMENTATION

BROADBAND NETWORKING FAQ'S


USEFUL PROGRAMS

MEMORY BOOST (32 BIT ONLY)

DISKEEPER

NETWORK MAGIC PRO (CISCO)

SPEEDMETER PRO (CISCO)

Broadband DSLReports.com (FAQ's link) is a site frequently used by Linksys to assist their customers with Router setup and network training. It is one of the best resources on the net for finding out the answers to questions you might have about all thing Broadband.

Depending on your Router, you should visit the manufacturer's site as they usually will have basic tutorials on networking. Also, most of them are more than willing to help their hardware owners with Router setup if you call. It helps if you register your hardware with them first through their site. I know from my experience with Linksys that they'll bend over backwards to help if you're a registered owner of their products.

Understanding how a network works and interfaces with the internet is the first step in knowing how to increase your speed. Anyone and everyone, even myself, can give you tons of advice, but everyone's network setup and location is different and unique - if you were a client I would actually be at the location and design a network based on the location and administering equipment and user's needs/requirements. In your case, even if I / we had all the information about your equipment, it's still not as good as actually being at the location. That means you're the best one to determine what you need, but you'll first need to learn how to determine WHAT you need, and if you want to do anything to begin with.

 

I know I cannot achieve full speed in Wireless but what about using it in LAN. Its 100/1000 MBPS LAN. At least I could figure out some differences while using Wireless and LAN, isnt it?

 

Connect via ethernet and see if you see a speed increase. If you do, then you'll have to upgrade your wireless. If you don't, then that's all you'll get.

 

All I get is 3-4 MBPS and no more than that. So any idea?

 

Remove your router and connect directly to the modem. If you don't get any more speed, contact your ISP. But don't be surprised if they tell you 3-4MBps is well within the agreement between you and them.