Helpwith slow internet downoad speed

[Bluepete]

I'm with Sky 8mb broadband, but about a wek ago, the connection slowed right down. The Gadget show speed checker shows as low as 0.2mbps download, the highest recently is 1.2mbps. Previously, it was aroung the 5 to 5.5mbps area.

I've contacted Sky who checked the connction, apparently it's fine, around 6.0mbps. The Sky bloke gave me the IP address for my router and I can see that the download to the router of plenty fast. He suggested the computer may be infected with a virus.

I've got Norton netbook edition, and have done a full system scan, windows update, HP healthcheck, un-instaled and re-installed the wi-fi card in the laptop, cleaned the disks, de-fragged and given it a buff-up with Mr Sheen, but it's still slow. For example, the Ken Block Ford Fiesta vid on You-Tube at only 360p quality has so far taken five minutes to stream about 75%.

I'm not running any other software apart from Windows 7 Starter and Norton.

So,

What's wrong and how do I sort it out.

Thanks in advance,

Pete

[Dave20046]

Connected to router via wireless or wired connection?
If you want to check for malware go to google and download (free) malwarebytes or maybe superantispyware.

Is it consistently slow or are different times of the day fast/slower?

[Dave20046]

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/w...CP-IP-settings
Follow the instructions to change ipv4 settings in the link above and specify a static DNS address of 208.67.222.222 or 208.67.220.220
any betterer?

In the browser type: http://192.168.1.1/

This should access your router. Through this you will be able to see the exact speed you are receiving (downstream) in kbps e.g. mine is currently 14932kbps which is 14.932mb. I dont mean to be patronising but if I explain it properly now, then there shouldn't be any questions ha!

If you haven't ever changed any usernames or passwords for it then it will be:

Username: Admin

Password: Admin

P.s. Dont change any settings...!

[Luckypants]

A) Not all routers use the same IP address for their admin panel.

B) The value you show is the SYNCH speed for the ADSL connection, not throughput. Sky 'engineer' has already told Pete it's synch'd at 6Mbps. the sky blokey also gave Pete the IP for the router and Pete confirmed this. (see OP).

Pete, you need to answer the wired / wireless question. My bet is you are wireless based on 'un-instaled and re-installed the wi-fi card in the laptop', so do things improve if you plug your PC into an Ethernet port and disable the wireless on your PC? If they do, then you have a problem with the wireless bit, if not the problem is likely to be on your PC.

If it is wireless a common fault could be that you and a close neighbour are on the same wireless channel. In the wireless config of my BT HomeHub I have this.

"If you are experiencing problems with poor wireless range or speed, first set Channel Selection to Manual, then try another channel starting with 11. Click Apply to make your selection, then wait for 1 min for your devices to automatically pick the new channel."

a few steps to diagnose this;
1 - Connect your laptop/netbook to the ethernet port on your sky router and see if its any better - this will establish if its a wireless problem or not

2 - try http://www.speedtest.net for a more accurate speed guide. - it may be handy to try this at differant times of the day

3 - is your internet slow at peak times 6:00pm until 10pm (ish), if so this is likely due to sky over subscribing in your areas (ive had this with btinternet myself) - this is very likely!!!

4 - Check you do not have any kind of anti virus / firewall / spyware removal tools installed on you netbook / laptop as this can cause a massive slowdown (especially with norton) also check that windows firewall is turned off as ive seen it in the past that it doesnt disable itself when you itstall a new secuirty suit such as norton

[Bluepete]

Thanks for the replies, it's a wireless problem as when connected on a wire, it's quick. I'll try to change channel.

Pete

[Bluepete]

Channel change seems to have helped, but during the test, the download shoots up to 5.0ish, then drops to 0.0 for a second, then back up, then down, almost as if the wireless is dropping out or turning off for a second. Normal?

Pete

[Geodude]

Dont know if this helps but i had slow down issues similar to yours and i changed the adsl filter and connection worked perfectly again.