Win10 uses a 1Mbps limit for Ethernet connections!
Win10 uses a 1Mbps limit for Ethernet connections!
Hello friends, I have a real mystery for you today! I have a win10 pc that has its ethernet connection intermittently and artificially(?) throttled to 1 Mbps. Here are the details: 5g(?) Wireless internet service to the residence. Connection speed is capable of 100 Mbps (task manager has displayed steady ~98 Mbps speeds before when connection is "healthy) The "modem" from the wireless receiver is plugged into a new 1Gbps switch, from there into the pc, wifi access points, etc. Here are the troubleshooting steps I've taken so far: I've tried multiple cables. I've tried a USB3 ethernet dongle. I've reinstalled network device drivers. I've tried different network configurations (i.e.: directly plugged into the modem). I've even tried turning it off and on again! The first time I tried the USB3 ethernet dongle, it seemed to work. I watched my network speeds in the Task Manager jump from 1Mbps to 90+Mbps instantly. I thought I just had a dying ethernet port on my mobo, but the issue returned. When I moved the ethernet cable from the dongle back to the port on the mobo, again the speed jumped from 1Mbps to 90+Mbps. The entire time, I've been running speed tests on other devices on the wifi and other ethernet connections on the same network, no issues with any other devices. I've even swapped the cable from the affected pc to another pc and had a successful speed test on that machine. The issue seems local to this pc. I've been through the settings to make sure "metered connection" settings are off. I'm not sure what else to check on the machine that might be throttling the connection. TL;DR: Ethernet speed throttled by PC to 1Mbps. If anyone has any ideas what might be causing my pc to artificially restrict my internet speed to 1Mbps, please let me know. I'm at the end of my cable. Thanks!
Count the additional USB devices on your desktop. Use the rear I/O panel for testing.
I have specifically been using the USB3 ports on the I/O panel. No, I have not reached any data cap, and my other network devices have fast stable speeds. Yesterday, after again switching all the cables around and trying everything again, I tried turning off all my firewalls and turned them back on. After "restarting" my firewalls my speed returned. It may be something to do with the firewalls, but as I don't know what is causing the issue, I am unable to force the error. Hopefully it will happen again and I can test the firewall reset a little more thoroughly to confirm. TL;DR: Possible firewall issue. Turning firewalls off and back on again may have fixed the issue. Hopefully this information helps someone in the future.
You may attempt accessing the control panel—Network and Sharing Center—then adjust adapter settings. Click right-click on the Ethernet connection, select Properties, search for the configure button. Check the speed and duplex options, set them to 100 Mbps full duplex, and retest. This could improve performance.
Regular windows firewalls are sufficient. My ISP advised prioritizing the wireless access point over the switch since it acts as the main router and enhances security. It was a quick decision driven by the desire for a faster connection, not much thought on the details. As mentioned, resetting my Windows firewalls resolved the 1Mbps speed cap, restoring full performance. I plan to adjust the network setup upon returning home to verify consistent speeds. Thanks for all the help—maybe my research skills haven’t faded completely. TL;DR: Confirm your network layout and reset the firewalls.