Posted by: visuvius
Processes in Windows - 01/03/2007 00:35
I have two different laptops at home. When I test my cable speed (speakeasy.net) with each laptop, I consistenly get around 3 kbps down on one versus around 8 kbps down on the other.
What is the best way to find the process in Windows that is slowing me the hell down? I could have swore someone here posted a link to a program that did something of that sort. If not, does anyone have any recommendations for a program that does something like that?
thx.
Posted by: visuvius
Re: Processes in Windows - 01/03/2007 01:58
Hmm, I'm not sure if that was it. I tried it but couldn't find the culprit.
I don't understand it. I just finished running the most up to date AVG and got a no threats result. Windows Defender doesn't turn up anything either. Still, I get less than half the speed on one laptop versus the other.
What gives?
Posted by: drakino
Re: Processes in Windows - 01/03/2007 02:50
How are they connected to the internet? Do they show differing speeds on LAN file copies as well? Could just be a bad driver on the slower one, or a failing network card.
A good test to eliminate the OS and drivers would be to boot to a Knoppix or similar CD and try the speed tests on it.
Posted by: g_attrill
Re: Processes in Windows - 01/03/2007 11:19
The SysInternals tools will be able to tell you pretty much everything. Try Process Explorer and TCPView to start with:
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/sysinternals/default.mspx
Posted by: maczrool
Re: Processes in Windows - 01/03/2007 15:00
I once had a Netgear NIC on a desktop machine that behaved in a similarly slow fashion. It wasn't what was running on the PC, it was the card (or its driver). I replaced the card with a different brand and all was well.
I suppose these NICs are built in on your laptops correct? If so, it would probably take some doing to get at the mini-PCI or whatever card format they use to try replacing it.
Stu
Posted by: visuvius
Re: Processes in Windows - 02/03/2007 01:14
Thanks for the posts.
I'm such a dork. I should have questioned the hardware earlier. I didn't check till you guys questioned the NIC.
I'm using a wireless card on one of the laptops and it is what seems to be the problem. I connected to the router via ethernet and I got my full speed.
Now to find out what the heck is wrong with my wireless-g card. Its brand new; not the greatest brand but it shouldn't be this bad.
Posted by: tman
Re: Processes in Windows - 02/03/2007 05:28
Are you sure it is connecting at 802.11g speeds? Sounds like the AP is an 802.11b one?
Posted by: sein
Re: Processes in Windows - 02/03/2007 08:21
I assume the laptop you are using has a wired networking socket as well (every laptop has one, right?). To narrow it down properly you should try that and see whether it is still slow.
Posted by: mlord
Re: Processes in Windows - 02/03/2007 18:09
Screw that. Just knock the MTU down to 1460 and get it over with.
If it still fails, then you know that this was not the problem.
Cheers
Posted by: wfaulk
Re: Processes in Windows - 02/03/2007 18:13
There might be some weird configuration that would require an even lower MTU. And since Windows requires a reboot every time you change the MTU, my way would be faster while allowing you to get the most efficient MTU. Assuming you used some sort of intelligent search algorithm. Start at 1400: no response, go to 1300; response, go to 1450. Keep splitting the difference. You'll find it in, what, 15 iterations?
Posted by: wfaulk
Re: Processes in Windows - 02/03/2007 19:17
No, changing channels does not require a reboot.
Posted by: wfaulk
Re: Processes in Windows - 02/03/2007 20:06
In my experience, problems like this are caused by misconfigured routers much further up the internet than "anyone" is likely to have any control over that don't fragment and unfragment properly and/or don't pass ICMP fragmentation required packets.