Ethernet Card

[Suzie]

We use DSL and have a Realtek RTL8139 (A/B/C8130) PCI fast ethernet Nic. Was wondering if this card could be bad? Just got it last year and everything was fine till a couple of months ago. Speeds where 800 to 1000+/kbps. I also upgraded to the new dsl software. Now speeds are 229 to 389/kbps :( I've contacted my service a couple of times and they keep telling me it's my Zonealarm but when the speeds where still up there I tried with it on and with it closed, it didn't make a difference. I've checked and all the drivers say they are working properly and they have no conflicts. Uninistalled/reinstalled the software and nic card, no difference. I called provider yesterday and they walked me through putting in the new software they sent me and it kept saying "couldn't load tap". So he said it was my nic card. Unininstalled once again and reinstalled the old software and now I am online, it's working, just slower speeds still.

Any ideas??

TIA
:)
S

[PolyPill]

First I'd try getting new drivers for that card, if it still doesn't work it's quite possible your card is bad. I've had 2 Realtek cards crap out on me, one started losing packets and the other just refused to work.

One thing you can do is ping a site repeatedly and see if you lose any packets. If you're losing packets then there's a good chance that card is toast.

It is possible your ISP is just incompetant, mine refuses to take the blame for any down time or lost packets, even though it's clearly their fault when everyone on my block is having the same problem.

If you change the card and still have the problem then I'd assume your ISP just lowered your speed.

[Suzie]

Thanks for your reply.

I did just get new drivers and there is no change. Not sure how to do the ping thing your talking about. I'll have to maybe give putting in a new card a try and see what happens.

:)
S

[PolyPill]

In a DOS prompt do ping -n 15 figz.com or something like that and wait for it to finish. Then it will say how many packets were recieved. A healthy network will have 100% if you get any thing else than 100% then something is losing packets.

If it says 100% then I think it'd be safe to say it's not hardware. It'd either drivers, some setting on your network, neighbors using their connection more, or something with your isp

[Suzie]

I gave that a try and I just got a list of options. I didn't see what I should pick from the list to give the % you specified.

Thanks
:)
S

[blebs99]

ping -n 10 www.yahoo.com

See closely the spaces between ping and such. If you need more info, let me know. It'll look like this below:

C:\WINDOWS>ping -n 10 www.yahoo.com

Pinging www.yahoo.akadns.net [64.58.76.177] with 32 bytes of data:

Reply from 64.58.76.177: bytes=32 time=29ms TTL=243
Reply from 64.58.76.177: bytes=32 time=29ms TTL=243
Reply from 64.58.76.177: bytes=32 time=30ms TTL=243
Reply from 64.58.76.177: bytes=32 time=29ms TTL=243
Reply from 64.58.76.177: bytes=32 time=27ms TTL=243
Reply from 64.58.76.177: bytes=32 time=30ms TTL=243
Reply from 64.58.76.177: bytes=32 time=30ms TTL=243
Reply from 64.58.76.177: bytes=32 time=29ms TTL=243
Reply from 64.58.76.177: bytes=32 time=29ms TTL=243
Reply from 64.58.76.177: bytes=32 time=28ms TTL=243

Ping statistics for 64.58.76.177:
Packets: Sent = 10, Received = 10, Lost = 0 (0% loss),
Approximate round trip times in milli-seconds:
Minimum = 27ms, Maximum = 30ms, Average = 29ms

[Suzie]

Thanks blebs99 :)

Kay I did both pings and this is what I got.

Yahoo
10 sent 10 recieved 0 loss
min 90 ms max 97 ms Average 93 ms

Figz.com
15 sent 15 recieved 0 loss
min 103 ms Max 224 ms Average 156 ms

So does this mean my ethernet card is okay??

Hey blebs99 get rid of your IP.

:)
S

[trey_w]

i know with my swbell dsl, i upgraded with their new and improved software,

only to have slower speeds also.

come to fid out, they set the MTU and RWIN in the software at low numbers, not allowing the maximum number of packets to be sent, which decreased speed

i got rid of all of that, i got a router

no more swbell internet300 software

good luck

[blebs99]

Originally posted by Suzie
Hey blebs99 get rid of your IP.

Tis not my IP, tis yahooski's!

[Suzie]

Originally posted by blebs99


Tis not my IP, tis yahooski's!

Lol, kay, sorry bout that. :)

Originally posted by trey_w

i know with my swbell dsl, i upgraded with their new and improved software,

only to have slower speeds also.

come to fid out, they set the MTU and RWIN in the software at low numbers, not allowing the maximum number of packets to be sent, which decreased speed

i got rid of all of that, i got a router

no more swbell internet300 software

good luck

Thanks trey_w, I was wondering that about the software myself. They just keep telling me it's my nic card which they don't support and if I buy a d-link ethernet card they will give me full support. It's only $19.00 but why should I buy it if it's not the problem?!

I have tweeked my MTU and RWIN to where it should be and I am going to see if I can't get my speeds back.

MTU 1492 max for dsl
RWIN is 4288, have to change that yet.

I'll see what happens.

Thanks
:)
S

[Suzie]

UPDATE!! and I'm happy!!

Tweeks all done and my speeds are now back using my old software. I now get 1018kbs just like I use too. Thanks to all that replied. I feel like calling my provider and telling them it wasn't my ethernet card at all but what they set the values at for the software. I wonder how many people they talk into buying hardware they don't need.:rolleyes:

Thanks once again!!
:)
S

[blebs99]

HeHe, told ya so! :D Gotta love those ISP people. Anything except the truth! :D

[trey_w]

glad to hear the problem is fixed