DSL Speed Cut in Half

Initial Setup: Running a Win 2000 machine (550mhz) and an XP Laptop thru a Linksys Hub to a Westell 2200 DSL Modem. Both machines were connecting fine at around 3Mbs (2.6 to 3.2 typically).

Attempted Change: I decided to go wireless with my XP and leave the 2000 machine wired, so I got a Linksys Wireless B router, and PCMIA card. Replaced the Hub with the wireless router.

The Story: I had some difficulty with the connection from both machines, so I got on the phone with both Verizon (my ISP) and Linksys tech support. I spent about 10 hours between both over a period of 5 weeks trying to get this thing working properly. I've made many changes in settings on both the 2000 machine, the router, and the modem. So many, that I tried putting everything back the way it was before I started.

The problem (s): In the wireless configuration my XP connection speed max's at around 1.3Mbs (less than half of what it is wired). Now, my 2000 machine will only run at 1.2-1.3 Mbs regardless of whether I've got the router in place or the hub.

Linksys thinks that there's interference in my house slowing down the XP connection (I do have 2.4Ghz phones and 2.4Ghz remote extenders for my TV network). Neither Verizon or Linksys can figure out what's now wrong with my 2000 machine that I can't get the full 3 Mbs.

What I've Done: Per Tim @ majorgeeks I ran a complete malware removal program on my 2000 machine, and I must say it's the best ever!! Fantastic step by step instructions...and they work!!

I had Verizon connect to my 2000 machine and check some settings. The only thing that bothered them was that my "available" memory was running around 30% of my equipped memory. However, I've checked it at 50 -60% and my connect speed is still 1.3 ish on the 2000 machine. (Wired, my XP is doing the full 3Mbs most of the time).

A "friend" of mine sent me this MTU program....fooled with it, now I don't know what my MTU is set for.

I apologize for this lengthy post, but the issue seems so complicated to me that I didn't know how else to summarize it.

Questions: (finally) Does the interference thing with the wireless make sense to anyone, and if so, what's the suggested fix?

Can anyone determine what settings I should look at, or set in order to get my 2000 machine back to 3Mbs?

Thanks for any and all input!! dondd

 

Sorry if I didn't get this right but: The problem is that after you replaced the router with the new wireless router, the win2000 machine ran at 1.3 MBs instead of 3MBs?

 

Ok I'll try one more time : You replaced the router, and now both machines run at a slower connection rate .. .. Is this correct so far?

Maybe you could give us some information about the PCMCIA Card and your connection setup!

 

Dear rainmak3r & D3m3nt3d,

Thanks for your questions....I'll try to clarify.

My 2000 machine will now only connect at 1.3Mbs since I attempted to go wireless on my home network. It connected at 3Mbs along with my XP machine when both were hard wired to my DSL Modem thru a hub. I'm now back to the hard wired configuration but the 2000 machine won't do more than 1.3. I'm pretty sure some of the settings Verizon or Linksys had me make in the 2000 machine is the basic cause. The XP machine connects at 3Mbs hard wired, and only 1.3 in the wireless config.

Both the wireless router and the PCMCIA card are Linksys "B" versions. The configuration when using the wireless router is: hub is gone; 2000 machine hard wired to the wireless router which is hard wired to the DSL modem. The XP machine has the PCMCIA card. The speed at Verizons modem is around 3MBs, so I know everything is good up to the modem.

As I'm back to the hard wired config, I'm trying to get the 2000 machine back to 3Mbs first.....trying to get back to square 1, so to speak.

I hope this helps. Again, thanks for your questions and interest.

Don

 

Unfortunately win2000 is just the one OS that I'm not running at the moment! ... I'm not really aware of the LAN settings that can be made! Maybe you should simply try to delete your LAN Connection on the win2000 and start right of from the beginning! - Or maybe win2000's IP Routing has crashed - or is deactivated ...

 

Gentlemen,

Part of my problem has been solved. Hopefully, my solution will benefit someone else who has reduced DSL speed. My 2000 machine which is hard wired to my DSL modem (currently thru a hub) was only connecting at 1.1, 1.3mbs. At one time I was connecting at 3mbs and higher.

On this web site (majorgeeks), I found a program called "TCP Optimizer" which I downloaded (only about 600K big) and ran according to very explicit instructions. This program checks ALL necessary settings in your PC and interface (NIC card, etc.) and optimizes them. It took all of about 45 seconds. You need to reboot, and that takes longer! But, I'm back to 3mbs on my 2000 hard wired machine.

I also have tentative fix for my wireless XP machine. My wireless B router operates at 2.4Ghz (transmission frequency). So does a G router, by the way. We have concluded that my inhouse 2.4Ghz telephone systems (2 of them) and my 2.4Ghz remote extender network are causing the retransmission of packets between router and adaptor card. This reduces the throughput pretty much in half, in my case.

Their recommendation is that I go with a dualband "A" - "G" wireless router (Linksys). The "A" band operates at 5Ghz and should not be interfered with by my telephone or remote systems. So, that's my next step. If anyone cares to know anything further, just post a reply.

Thanks, dondd