Low connection speed

I guess this could be considered just a DSL problem, but since I'm on GW the most, its annoying the heck out of me.


My normal DSL speed is 200kbs (give or take 50kb). I reformatted my comp recently, installed GW, and during GW's installation, it went at the normal speed. Only things I've installed since then is Windows Live Messenger, AIM, Spybot - Search and Destroy, Ventrillo, my Logitech Webcam, and my Nortons Protection (yeah Nortons sucks, I know =P). Now my internet speed is only going at 1/10th of the normal connection, maxing out at 30kbs, but normally only going 20. I've tried all kinds of tests, I've used different wiring to my router, I've disabled my firewall and spyware protection, I've run both scans repeatedly, to no avail. I talked to another friend who lives right down the street, he said his net is going at normal speed, even a bit faster. I'm run all kinds of speedtests (speedtest.net and others Dell suggested) and they all show me at going normal speed, but wherever I download from, I get the slow connection. It's even making GW lag more than usual... I need to get this fixed. All the tests I've run suggests that my ISP is capping my line. I live in Indiana if that helps at all.

Can anyone help? No man should have to go through this to play GW =P

No one able to help?

I've done that. I've taken off anti-virus, spyware, and all other protections :| then tried playing GW or downloading something and I still get the same speed.

Unfortunately there could be a ton of things wrong here. There's just not enough information.

I would have stopped installing all that other stuff...cause that is a TON of stuff to have over a DSL line....and run just guildwars for a while to see if the applications were the issue.

sigh...well lets see what I would do

-Borrow a laptop or other computer and put it on the same exact connection that you have your computer connected to and see if it is getting the same lame speeds. If yes, then your computer is not the problem. If no(and it gets a much faster consistent speed) then its your PC...but that only narrows it down to PC hardware/software.

-if its not the system, take your computer to a friend's house with a cable connection and find out what the difference is in speed.

-if it is the system get rid of all the extra stuff. I can run guildwars just fine on a dialup line in a hotel(thats how good Anets network programming is despite people complaining). But...I don't have all the ventrillo, webcam, 3 messengers and spyware constantly running and trying to do updates at the same time. I use guildwars...and avast antivirus/malware(which btw is free for home use)

hmm...alright, I'm going to go through and uninstall everything but GW and 1 messenger, and turn off Nortons and Spybot, and see what I get. I'll post again when I'm done.

Well I wont have a friends line accessible for awhile...I uninstalled everything but GW and Windows Live Messenger, and yeah..still slow.

a Little more info that might help. My apologies for the triple post.

I'm running Windows Vista Home 32 Bit
When I plug my Ethernet line into the back of my comp, it automatically connects to the internet. No installation or anything, just automatically connects. It's been like that for about 9 months now.

and i thought my modem 56k dialup was bad taking 7 hrs to dl 20 mbs

No sarcasm needed here -.-

I'm living on minimum wage, garnished 25 percent. my DSL is 40 USD a month, and its the only service in my area. I cant stop it, because we have a contract with the company. I want my full use if I'm paying out that much for it.

I hope you can understand that.

Imori,

I'm sorry to hear that you're having financial issues. I'm really sorry to hear that DSL is the only service that you have there.

Have you tried bringing your computer over to your friends house to try his network connection?

You said that you ran speedtest.net and the results are fine. Is this still the case and is it a constant? The reason I am asking is because this is a test to see whether or not information is travelling up and down okay.

Do you have a router or switch?...or are you running directly from the DSL modem to the computer?

Is the internal wiring in your house via your phone line exposed in anyway?(self help wiring can cause line noise)

Have you added another phone line to the house?(if so make sure you are using the DSL filters on those phones)

Is there new development in your area?(A method known as piggybacking will have one regular set of copperwire(telephone) up to 12 times..while this may provide clear voice reception they're not supposed to be splitting any lines that have a high speed connection hooked up to it).

When I had DSL, I had to constantly hawk the line noise issues.

With Vista....did you upgrade it?...or has it always been vista? If it was just an upgrade you might want to check into drivers for your network card. Even so, I would look into borrowing a network card that was "made for Vista" and see if that is what the issue is. Unlike Windows XP, Vista is supposed to be new architecture. Windows XP was actually built on Windows 2000 architecture.

I'm sorry DSL is the only option there and that you're on a contract. Have you had them test the line? When they do line tests typically its directly to their modem...so they can diagnose, if they're honest, whatever issues they are having with the connection. Also, ask them to do an all port test...not just test port 80.

I hope this isn't too confusing. Hang in there.

Are you running on Windowed mode? That can be a massive resource hog.

Messenger programmes can cause lag, especially when someone is sending you a message.

Hey mate, thanks again for the detailed post.

I havent been able to try a friends line yet, as I've been stuck at home sick. I live in an apartment building, so I have no clue about the wiring issue. There hasnt been any new developments in the area that I know about.

I'm going to call them in the morning and see if it will cost me to test my line.

I'm running the line directly from the modem to my computer.

Vista came installed on this computer, its almost brand new.

Well, I am running GW in windowed mode and messenger, but I've never had any issues before :| I'm running 1gig of RAM 256 VRAM, and a Nvidia GEforce 7300 Vid card.

Sometime today the phone companys sending out someone with a laptop to check the speed of my connection. We'll see where that goes.

Well, after I called them, my internet went out for like 5 minutes, and then it came back on, going full speed. I can only guess this means they DID have it capped.. Anyways, all is good for now. Thanks to everyone who helped. just in time for the crap-green weekend

Unfortunately 70% of the time it is the DSL line. I'm glad everything is working.

Don't you just love it when people fix things and don't tell you what they did?



Crap Greens? I'm still trying to find one of those Guild Wars PC-Gamers with the destroyer minis!