My PC's Ethernet speed is lower compared to other devices, while Wi-Fi remains stable on all systems.
My PC's Ethernet speed is lower compared to other devices, while Wi-Fi remains stable on all systems.
I have a mobile connection via 5G home internet and on my PC with Ethernet I experience roughly 20-25 Mbps. Over Wi-Fi on my phone or laptop I get 60-70 Mbps. I changed the Ethernet cable to a cheaper flat cat7, then switched to a cat5e with the adapter set for 1Gbps full duplex – results are identical. Using a cat5e cable on my laptop gave me 70 Mbps. After plugging in that cable into my PC, it reached 25 Mbps. I reinstalled the network driver (Realtek Gaming 1Gbit 8118) and reset Windows network settings, but nothing resolves the issue. TIA
At those velocities the wire type won't matter unless it's longer than 300 feet. Other factors to evaluate are: what tool are you running for a speed check? Is the operating system updating? Are other programs consuming data? Are there additional devices or users on your connection? Is Quality of Service configured on your modem? Does your wired cable connect straight from your computer to the router or do you use switches and adapters? Edit: Also, how does connecting your laptop via Ethernet affect performance?
It's not the cable. The Windows update issue seems like a likely culprit. Nice spot.
I've tested speedtest.net and fast.com, but noticed my PC runs slower on this device compared to others. It's been this way for a while now across all Windows versions. After closing background apps, only the speed test remained open. Last night I was the sole internet user; the router UI is poor and lacks QoS controls. I tried connecting directly to the router via network switch. My LAN has 1Gbps, but the WAN is limited to about 25 Mbps. Plugging in my laptop via Ethernet gives around 70 Mbps.
We've eliminated most network and hardware problems. Next, we focus on background applications consuming bandwidth. Two simple checks help: 1. Use Task Manager, navigate to the Performance tab, choose Ethernet, and observe the data usage. Compare it with your speed test results—high usage suggests a background process. 2. Connect via Wi-Fi (if available) and repeat the test. Persistent low speeds point to a background app or weak signal. Also consider: if Wi-Fi is active, ensure it's disabled; mixing Ethernet and Wi-Fi can cause Windows to prioritize one over the other.
Reviewed Ethernet performance under the "Performance" section, which indicated a slight increase of around .2 Mbps compared to the speedtest results. Moved to the "Processes" tab and sorted by network. The only process exceeding 0% usage was "Barrier" (mouse sharing software) at .1 Mbps. Disabled the barrier and re-running the speedtest showed no improvement. Edit: My computer doesn't support Wi-Fi.
I just started a live Ubuntu USB and tested the speed, getting around 70 Mbps. That confirms the issue is likely on Windows.
Well, I'm running low on ideas now. If I were you, I'd start with an older driver version for the nic and then reinstall Windows, or simply move to Ubuntu. If you share your Windows vs. Ubuntu experience along with what you've tried, someone else might have a better solution. I'm also interested in seeing if you manage to figure it out.
I plan to share more results in a few days. After additional testing, it appears to be an issue limited to specific applications. In Steam I was seeing around 70, yet regardless of browser I never reached 35. I also tested with other programs like jdownloader and they consistently stayed below 35. Using a USB to Ethernet adapter at the same speeds didn’t help, and my phone’s hotspot matched those speeds. It’s an unusual problem. It seems to originate from Windows and impacts all network connections only within certain apps. Appreciate any assistance you can provide.