Network problems detected, assistance needed.
Network problems detected, assistance needed.
Hey there, I noticed something going wrong with my network only on my computer. It’s connected straight into my Xfinity Arris modem using a Cat 6 cable. My Xbox One and TV are also hooked up, but I haven’t seen any network problems with them.
My PC specs: Intel Core i7 2700K, OC 4.4, Corsair H100i cooler, Asus Sabertooth z77 Corsair (4x4GB), 16 GB RAM, 1600MHz. It runs an XFX Radeon 295x2 with Mushkin Chronos and a 120 GB SSD. The power supply is a WD 3 TB green HD EVGA G2 1000W, and it’s running Windows 10 version 1903 (build 18936.1000).
A few weeks back my PC would struggle at startup—websites wouldn’t load, login checks timed out, and browsing Steam was a nightmare with endless error pages. Usually I think it’s Comcast’s modem acting up, but I replaced it and still faced issues. It took me an hour to get it working properly, even though it was new.
I have no problems with my Xbox, PS4, or smart TV—those all use Ethernet while my PS4 connects via Wi-Fi. I do have some devices on Wi-Fi, but everything runs fine there.
Now I’ve tried different Ethernet cables and even a USB Wi-Fi adapter, but the same issues persist. I ran a speed test using Speedtest.net: download speed was 118 Mbps, upload was a terrible 0.02 Mbps. On Xbox it matched, but upload was between 4–5 Mbps—still bad, though expected with Comcast.
I found a Wi-Fi USB adapter nearby and used it; it worked a bit better (upload ~2 Mbps), but download was only 50 Mbps. The modem is right next to it. I reinstalled network drivers, updated Windows, went to my mom’s house, and tested there too—still no fix. Windows troubleshooter gave nothing, the update tool said the port works, and the registry cleaned up with Malwarebytes and Windows Defender.
I’m not sure what else to do. Networking isn’t my strong suit, and I don’t want to jump to conclusions. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!
Use a Linux live USB to check if the problem is hardware-related. It appears to be a software issue based on your observation.
Yes, install Linux on a USB drive to determine whether the problem is hardware-related or software-based.
This might be the problem. My system uses an i5 3570K and has faced several challenges with Windows 10. Even with the latest drivers, I’ve experienced graphical glitches. There have been cases where my internal network card fails to connect after waking the PC from sleep. Often I have to put it back to sleep and restart it for it to function. It seems Windows 10 performs poorly on older hardware. I’m planning to try a Linux live CD to see if it resolves the issue. If that works, it would confirm Windows as the root cause. If the Live CD succeeds, reinstalling Windows might be a viable option. I’ve noticed with the latest updates, a fresh installation is frequently necessary for proper operation.
I executed a terminal command that identified speedtest.net usage. The results showed 116mbps download and 6mbps upload speeds. Performance dropped after an update, which I hadn’t installed yet. It appears to be an insider preview; however, it might have contributed to the problem. Microsoft should conduct more thorough testing before releasing updates to avoid such issues.
Sounds like a software issue then. Id do a reinstall of windows and that should fix your issue. Might be possible to check every little thing, but reinstall is probably easier.
The installation direction doesn't really affect the outcome. The warning indicates that most apps will be removed and need to be reinstalled, which applies regardless of whether you use USB or the fresh start option. Since these files are on a 3 TB drive rather than an SSD, the concern about data loss is minimal. You can likely ignore this warning.
I usually connect via a Windows USB, but it should work similarly. Make sure to disconnect any other external drives so nothing touches them during installation. The software on those drives may behave inconsistently because it doesn’t have the necessary registry entries.