Internet speed

[JLH]

Firstly, I am no computer expert. I switch on and press the keys, click on and "hey presto", until about ten days ago. Now it is dead slow and stop. Even my log in to VM gets timed out and once I gain access to the internet, it takes around 20 seconds to elicit a response. Sometimes I get a message stating that "server is unreachable" or "no server available". As far as I can determine, I have a Hub 3 with a "D" link plugged in to my PC. I have carried out the usual reboots but to no avail. Our mobiles do not seem to affected and it seems to be only the PC. I know that I should contact VM but I am very hard of hearing and listening to a voice on the @phone can be a real trial. Hence my appeal to the community. Can you help me, please? I note that you usually ask for some tests to be carried out but I am not confident or patient enough to attempt this. If anyone has a 1,2,3 solution or possible solution, I should be most grateful to give it a try.

Thank you, J

[jbrennand]

As mobiles are fine - it looks like a PC/D-Link issue

What device/model of D-Link is plugged into the PC?

Or is it actually plugged into the Hub?

Unplug it - reboot the Hub and see if it improves.

Are the issues evident when the PC is connected directly to the Hub on ethernet cable - or just on wifi connections?

[JLH]

Many thanks J for your response. The D link is plugged in to the PC and not the Hub. I have followed your steps but, unfortunately, it still has the delay. I tried BBC website and had to click on "wait" while it tried to connect me. Once connected the usual delays occurred from section to section. Trying to access the internet did not work without the D link. As to the type of D link, there is a series of letters and numbers on the reverse but none specify a type. The nearest is DWA-140 P/N EWA 140 VM - 82 G

I am not sure if this helps but if you need other of the numbers, please let me know.

Like my PC, I am going to take a rest now and see if things have improved by morning. Thanks again, John

[Andrew-G · Accepted solution]

@JLH I note that you usually ask for some tests to be carried out but I am not confident or patient enough to attempt this.

Well, there's always VM's telephone support line, just don't expect too much in terms of either customer satisfaction or a lasting solution.  I had two crowns fitted the other week, and the experience was still genuinely more enjoyable than any telephone encounter I've had with VM.

But, if you'll bear with us, we'll talk you through the sort of tests we need.  

Connect to the hub by clicking on this link http://192.168.0.1/

That should pull up the log in page for the hub, but don't log in, just click on the link "Check router status"  

That should have brought up a window with five tabs titled Status, Downstream, Upstream, Configuration, Network log.  This may look scary, don't worry there's nothing here you can change, you can't mess anything up in error.

Open the Downstream tab.  Select all the text, which goes down below the initially visible stuff (scroll down or use Ctrl-A if using a keyboard), copy it (Ctrl-C), then paste it (Ctrl-V) into a reply here as TEXT not screenshots.  Post that first set of Downstream data

Now repeat the same process of select, copy, paste in new replies here for the Upstream and Network log.  We don't need the Status or Configuration tabs.  You'll get a confusing error message when you post the Network log, just click on "post" a second time.

Then we can check for any obvious problems with power, noise or error counts.  Give this a try, and if you hit problems we'll talk you through those. 

[JLH]

Dear Andrew,

Many thanks for your detailed and patient response. I shall copy and print this for reference as I go along. Last night, following the guidance given, when I detached the D Link and tried to access the internet via the hub alone, my VPN cur in and activated a kill switch. I have no idea what all that meant so did not fiddle with it. The PV has fired up (or perhaps I should say kindled) this morning and is working at 100% including my VPN. Am I likely to encounter anything like this following your route map? If so, how do I deal with it? Sorry to throw out further questions but I would rather do so now than later. In the meantime, a dark room and a bottle of headache tablets awaits. Kind regards, John

[Andrew-G]

Actually, you can probably hold off getting the hub status - re-reading your comments, you said mobiles were not affected, and if they work perfectly well then chances are the problem is not the hub and VM connection.

Do a test with the mobile, making sure it is connected to your wifi, open a browser and navigate to www.fast.com which should do a speed test for you.  Does that work, does it produce a reasonable speed?

If it does, then it sounds like there's a PC problem, or with the D-Link wifi adaptor, although again, you said it was working 100% last night? 

What sort of PC is this?  Is it anywhere near the hub?  

Sorry for all the questions.

[JLH]

Dear Andrew,

That suggestion was most helpful. Just had the results which, to me, seem abysmal, Internet speed 26 Mbps, Latency unloaded 16MS Loaded159MS Speed 6.6mBPS. . It seems to have located me correctly and knows that the supplier is VM.

To answer your other points:- the Hub has always sat on top of the tower facing the D-Link, so no change there. The PC is, like me, somewhat ancient but was installed with a much greater capacity, both memory and drive, than I was ever likely to need. Recent tests carried out by my software suggest that there is still a good capacity left. If I remember it suggested 20,000 + photographs plus films. However, like me, it may only be operating at 100% (for its age).

Hope this helps and that I am not needing to rush out and replace my PC.

John

[jbrennand]

That D-link is a wifi dongle. My considered opinion is .... its broken 🙂

Test it in another device to see.   Or perhaps the "driver" needs updating... in any case...

New ones are only ~£10. Get one that is dual 2.4 & 5 GHz and that has good throughput (1200mbps - if possible) - see if that solves it.

One with an external antenna may also help if he PC is a distance awy

[JLH]

Dear John,
I am so grateful to the Community for the responses I have received. As you state it is not a huge cost to eliminate the problem or, if not the problem, then look again at what I might do. You have probably seen my answer to Andrew on speeds and can determine whether the D Link is the cause.
Thanks for your continued interest, John

[jbrennand]

What speed package are you on?

Does your PC have old USB1.1 or USB2 ports where the dongle is plugged in? If so that will limit throughput to <10/100 (certainly for 1.1 - 2 is higher) so you need USB3 or USBc ports to get higher speeds