Wireless internet really slow - computer's fault

the-mango

I have a fairly old Dell computer, 6+ years, which finds it hard to pick up wireless. While other computers are on 4 bars of signal my computer only has 2 and the internet is incredibly slow. I can speed it up infinitely by using Chrome rather than Firefox but it's by no means speedy or even tbh a decent speed.

Does anyone have any ideas of what I might be able to do?

Yorksboy

Hi
First thing to do is to connect to your router with an Ethernet cable. If browsing is still slow then try clearing out the history, cache etc. you'll probably find that Internet is OK with a wired connector. This points towards the wireless adaptor, try reinstalling drivers etc, try another adaptor.
Sometimes new drivers via auto update slow down or stop an old PC. I wold recommend turning auto update off, hen try any updates manually one t a time, his way it's easier to revert to old drivers etc.
Good luck.

macman

Does this computer (PC or laptop?) have built in wireless? If not, are you using a USB wireless adapter? If so, either replace it for a better one or try using it on an extender to get it away from the metal box of the PC.
Alternatively ditch the USB adapter and use a PCI wireless card instead.
But (as above) test with ethernet first to establish that it really is a wireless issue.

the-mango

It's a laptop with built in wireless. I've tried with wired and I get 28mb downloads (does that sound right?)

TonyMMM

Do you have the latest wireless driver installed ?

(check via the Dell support site).

grumpycrab

6+ year old laptop? what processor, how much memory, how much FREE disk space, which OS.
How far away is the wireless router? When you connect wirelessly are you connecting to the correct wireless router (sorry, obvious question).

the-mango

182/295gb free
OS = windows 7
the wireless router is about 3 m away and my netbook has 4 bars of signal and other devices work fine
i'm not sure how to find the processor unless its RAM 3gb
found it - Intel Core 2 Duo CPU T5550@1.83GHz

with the wireless router it is the correct one as I don't know the pssword for anyone elses around here!

closed

post a hijackthis log

if 2 bars gives a wireless connection speed faster than your internet connection, 2 bars shouldn't be an issue

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/2436849

bluesnake

Yorksboy wrote: »

Hi
First thing to do is to connect to your router with an Ethernet cable..

the-mango, seen this excellent advice above? 6 years is nothing for browsing the web, emails and streaming.

If it is vastly better on a network cable it will then mean it is something on the wifi path like drivers, but since it works, but works poorly, I would suspect signal blockage like someone's house or car alarm.

Firstly do a network speed test, however many isp limit bandwith but allow the speed test through. Then try a network cable + speed test, then try your laptop in a friends house (with a fast network) and if your network is so slow you could always test it out in a pub.

if wifi speed is the same as network cable speed then to the spyware stuff

the-mango

bluesnake wrote: »

the-mango, seen this excellent advice above? 6 years is nothing for browsing the web, emails and streaming.

If it is vastly better on a network cable it will then mean it is something on the wifi path like drivers, but since it works, but works poorly, I would suspect signal blockage like someone's house or car alarm.
i would assume that too and would work on changing the channels but all other devices work completely fine it's just this laptop
Firstly do a network speed test, however many isp limit bandwith but allow the speed test through. Then try a network cable + speed test, then try your laptop in a friends house (with a fast network) and if your network is so slow you could always test it out in a pub.i can't move this laptop that much because it's really delicate - it's so old it won't operate without being plugged in

if wifi speed is the same as network cable speed then to the spyware stuffnope, it's only a wifi issue, on the cable it's something like 28mb

shortbread

the-mango

closed wrote: »

if 2 bars gives a wireless connection speed faster than your internet connection, 2 bars shouldn't be an issue

i don't quite get this. essentially my laptop internet speed is really slow on wifi and it shows low number of bars like the signal is weak when it's not/it's not picking up much signal




Logfile of Trend Micro HijackThis v2.0.4
Scan saved at 22:34:10, on 03/11/2012
Platform: Windows 7 SP1 (WinNT 6.00.3505)
MSIE: Internet Explorer v9.00 (9.00.8112.16450)
Boot mode: Normal

Running processes:
C:\Windows\system32\taskhost.exe
C:\Windows\system32\Dwm.exe
C:\Windows\Explorer.EXE
C:\Program Files\F-Secure\common\FSM32.EXE
C:\Program Files\dvd43\DVD43_Tray.exe
C:\Windows\System32\igfxtray.exe
C:\Windows\System32\hkcmd.exe
C:\Windows\system32\igfxsrvc.exe
C:\Windows\System32\igfxpers.exe
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Research In Motion\USB Drivers\RIMBBLaunchAgent.exe
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Java\Java Update\jusched.exe
C:\Program Files\Microsoft IntelliPoint\ipoint.exe
C:\Program Files\iTunes\iTunesHelper.exe
C:\Program Files\Virgin Media\Service Manager\ServiceManager.exe
C:\Program Files\Windows Sidebar\sidebar.exe
C:\Windows\System32\StikyNot.exe
C:\Program Files\TouchFreeze\TouchFreeze.exe
C:\Program Files\Skype\Phone\Skype.exe
C:\Users\Ruth\AppData\Roaming\Spotify\Data\SpotifyWebHelper.exe
C:\Program Files\Codebox\BitMeter\BitMeter2.exe
C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office12\WINWORD.EXE
C:\Program Files\Evernote\Evernote\Evernote.exe
C:\Program Files\Evernote\Evernote\EvernoteTray.exe
C:\Program Files\Evernote\Evernote\EvernoteClipper.exe
C:\Program Files\Windows Live\Mail\wlmail.exe
C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\firefox.exe
C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\plugin-container.exe
C:\Windows\system32\Macromed\Flash\FlashPlayerPlugin_11_4_402_287.exe
C:\Windows\system32\Macromed\Flash\FlashPlayerPlugin_11_4_402_287.exe
C:\Program Files\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe
C:\Program Files\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe
C:\Program Files\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe
C:\Program Files\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe
C:\Program Files\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe
C:\Program Files\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe
C:\Program Files\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe
C:\Program Files\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe
C:\Program Files\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe
C:\Program Files\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe
C:\Program Files\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe
C:\Program Files\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe
C:\Program Files\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe
C:\Users\Ruth\Downloads\HijackThis.exe

R0 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Start Page = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=69157
R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Default_Page_URL = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=69157
R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Default_Search_URL = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=54896
R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Search Page = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=54896
R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Start Page = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=69157
R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Search,SearchAssistant =
R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Search,CustomizeSearch =
R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings,AutoConfigURL = http://wwwcache.bris.ac.uk/cgi-bin/proxy-version3only.pl
R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings,ProxyServer = http://wwwcache.bris.ac.uk:8080
R0 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Toolbar,LinksFolderName =
O2 - BHO: AcroIEHelperStub - {18DF081C-E8AD-4283-A596-FA578C2EBDC3} - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Adobe\Acrobat\ActiveX\AcroIEHelperShim.dll
O2 - BHO: Windows Live ID Sign-in Helper - {9030D464-4C02-4ABF-8ECC-5164760863C6} - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\Windows Live\WindowsLiveLogin.dll
O2 - BHO: SkypeIEPluginBHO - {AE805869-2E5C-4ED4-8F7B-F1F7851A4497} - C:\Program Files\Skype\Toolbars\Internet Explorer\skypeieplugin.dll
O2 - BHO: Google Toolbar Notifier BHO - {AF69DE43-7D58-4638-B6FA-CE66B5AD205D} - C:\Program Files\Google\GoogleToolbarNotifier\5.2.4204.1700\swg.dll
O2 - BHO: LitmusBHO - {C6867EB7-8350-4856-877F-93CF8AE3DC9C} - C:\Program Files\F-Secure\NRS\iescript\baselitmus.dll
O2 - BHO: Java(tm) Plug-In 2 SSV Helper - {DBC80044-A445-435b-BC74-9C25C1C588A9} - C:\Program Files\Java\jre6\bin\jp2ssv.dll
O3 - Toolbar: Browsing Protection Toolbar - {265EEE8E-3228-44D3-AEA5-F7FDF5860049} - C:\Program Files\F-Secure\NRS\iescript\baselitmus.dll
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [F-Secure Manager] "C:\Program Files\F-Secure\Common\FSM32.EXE" /splash
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [F-Secure TNB] "C:\Program Files\F-Secure\FSGUI\TNBUtil.exe" /CHECKALL /WAITFORSW
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [dvd43] C:\Program Files\dvd43\dvd43_tray.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [IgfxTray] C:\Windows\system32\igfxtray.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [HotKeysCmds] C:\Windows\system32\hkcmd.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Persistence] C:\Windows\system32\igfxpers.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [googletalk] C:\Program Files\Google\Google Talk\googletalk.exe /autostart
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [RIMBBLaunchAgent.exe] C:\Program Files\Common Files\Research In Motion\USB Drivers\RIMBBLaunchAgent.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [AppleSyncNotifier] C:\Program Files\Common Files\Apple\Mobile Device Support\AppleSyncNotifier.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [SunJavaUpdateSched] "C:\Program Files\Common Files\Java\Java Update\jusched.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [APSDaemon] "C:\Program Files\Common Files\Apple\Apple Application Support\APSDaemon.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [QuickTime Task] "C:\Program Files\QuickTime\QTTask.exe" -atboottime
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Adobe Reader Speed Launcher] "C:\Program Files\Adobe\Reader 9.0\Reader\Reader_sl.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Adobe ARM] "C:\Program Files\Common Files\Adobe\ARM\1.0\AdobeARM.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [IntelliPoint] "c:\Program Files\Microsoft IntelliPoint\ipoint.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [iTunesHelper] "C:\Program Files\iTunes\iTunesHelper.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [ServiceManager.exe] "C:\Program Files\Virgin Media\Service Manager\ServiceManager.exe" /AUTORUN
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [BrStsMon00] C:\Program Files\Browny02\Brother\BrStMonW.exe /AUTORUN
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [Sidebar] C:\Program Files\Windows Sidebar\sidebar.exe /autoRun
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [RESTART_STICKY_NOTES] C:\Windows\System32\StikyNot.exe
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [TouchFreeze] C:\Program Files\TouchFreeze\TouchFreeze.exe
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [MobileDocuments] C:\Program Files\Common Files\Apple\Internet Services\ubd.exe
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [Skype] "C:\Program Files\Skype\Phone\Skype.exe" /minimized /regrun
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [Spotify Web Helper] "C:\Users\Ruth\AppData\Roaming\Spotify\Data\SpotifyWebHelper.exe"
O4 - Startup: EvernoteClipper.lnk = C:\Program Files\Evernote\Evernote\EvernoteClipper.exe
O4 - Global Startup: Bitmeter2.lnk = C:\Program Files\Codebox\BitMeter\BitMeter2.exe
O8 - Extra context menu item: Add to Evernote 4.0 - res://C:\Program Files\Evernote\Evernote\EvernoteIE.dll/204
O8 - Extra context menu item: Add to Google Photos Screensa&ver - res://C:\Windows\system32\GPhotos.scr/200
O8 - Extra context menu item: E&xport to Microsoft Excel - res://C:\PROGRA~1\MICROS~4\Office12\EXCEL.EXE/3000
O9 - Extra button: Skype Click to Call - {898EA8C8-E7FF-479B-8935-AEC46303B9E5} - C:\Program Files\Skype\Toolbars\Internet Explorer\skypeieplugin.dll
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Skype Click to Call - {898EA8C8-E7FF-479B-8935-AEC46303B9E5} - C:\Program Files\Skype\Toolbars\Internet Explorer\skypeieplugin.dll
O9 - Extra button: Research - {92780B25-18CC-41C8-B9BE-3C9C571A8263} - C:\PROGRA~1\MICROS~4\Office12\REFIEBAR.DLL
O9 - Extra button: @C:\Program Files\Evernote\Evernote\Resource.dll,-101 - {A95fe080-8f5d-11d2-a20b-00aa003c157a} - res://C:\Program Files\Evernote\Evernote\EvernoteIE.dll/204 (file missing)
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: @C:\Program Files\Evernote\Evernote\Resource.dll,-101 - {A95fe080-8f5d-11d2-a20b-00aa003c157a} - res://C:\Program Files\Evernote\Evernote\EvernoteIE.dll/204 (file missing)
O10 - Unknown file in Winsock LSP: c:\program files\common files\microsoft shared\windows live\wlidnsp.dll
O10 - Unknown file in Winsock LSP: c:\program files\common files\microsoft shared\windows live\wlidnsp.dll
O11 - Options group: [ACCELERATED_GRAPHICS] Accelerated graphics
O16 - DPF: {A9CF3378-D60E-40A8-927D-7EA0D5B0AA98} (Bonusprint Image Uploader Version 6.x Control) - http://webalbum.bonusprint.com/ukipc01/downloads//ImageUploader6.cab
O16 - DPF: {EBB176D2-AF75-4706-832F-4C8448F72757} (TNSClickerc.Clicker) - http://www.shopandscan.com/TNSClickrc.CAB
O18 - Protocol: skype-ie-addon-data - {91774881-D725-4E58-B298-07617B9B86A8} - C:\Program Files\Skype\Toolbars\Internet Explorer\skypeieplugin.dll
O18 - Protocol: skype4com - {FFC8B962-9B40-4DFF-9458-1830C7DD7F5D} - C:\PROGRA~1\COMMON~1\Skype\SKYPE4~1.DLL
O18 - Protocol: wlpg - {E43EF6CD-A37A-4A9B-9E6F-83F89B8E6324} - C:\Program Files\Windows Live\Photo Gallery\AlbumDownloadProtocolHandler.dll
O23 - Service: Adobe Flash Player Update Service (AdobeFlashPlayerUpdateSvc) - Adobe Systems Incorporated - C:\Windows\system32\Macromed\Flash\FlashPlayerUpdateService.exe
O23 - Service: Apple Mobile Device - Apple Inc. - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Apple\Mobile Device Support\AppleMobileDeviceService.exe
O23 - Service: Bonjour Service - Apple Inc. - C:\Program Files\Bonjour\mDNSResponder.exe
O23 - Service: BrYNSvc - Brother Industries, Ltd. - C:\Program Files\Browny02\BrYNSvc.exe
O23 - Service: FSGKHS (F-Secure Gatekeeper Handler Starter) - Unknown owner - C:\Program Files\F-Secure\Anti-Virus\fsgk32st.exe
O23 - Service: F-Secure Network Request Broker - F-Secure Corporation - C:\Program Files\F-Secure\Common\FNRB32.EXE
O23 - Service: F-Secure Anti-Virus Firewall Daemon (FSDFWD) - F-Secure Corporation - C:\Program Files\F-Secure\FWES\Program\fsdfwd.exe
O23 - Service: FSMA - F-Secure Corporation - C:\Program Files\F-Secure\Common\FSMA32.EXE
O23 - Service: F-Secure ORSP Client (FSORSPClient) - F-Secure Corporation - C:\Program Files\F-Secure\ORSP Client\fsorsp.exe
O23 - Service: Google Update Service (gupdate) (gupdate) - Google Inc. - C:\Program Files\Google\Update\GoogleUpdate.exe
O23 - Service: Google Update Service (gupdatem) (gupdatem) - Google Inc. - C:\Program Files\Google\Update\GoogleUpdate.exe
O23 - Service: Google Software Updater (gusvc) - Google - C:\Program Files\Google\Common\Google Updater\GoogleUpdaterService.exe
O23 - Service: iPod Service - Apple Inc. - C:\Program Files\iPod\bin\iPodService.exe
O23 - Service: Mozilla Maintenance Service (MozillaMaintenance) - Mozilla Foundation - C:\Program Files\Mozilla Maintenance Service\maintenanceservice.exe
O23 - Service: Rapport Management Service (RapportMgmtService) - Trusteer Ltd. - C:\Program Files\Trusteer\Rapport\bin\RapportMgmtService.exe
O23 - Service: ServicepointService - Radialpoint Inc. - C:\Program Files\Virgin Media\Service Manager\ServicepointService.exe
O23 - Service: Skype Updater (SkypeUpdate) - Skype Technologies - C:\Program Files\Skype\Updater\Updater.exe

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End of file - 10995 bytes