download speeds OK, but pages load slow?

it seems that lately (past month or two) that webpages take increasingly long times to load. however i usually download around 250kbps-300kbps from a good server, so it can't be a bandwidth problem?

i have cable through a local ISP here, and other than the occasional (once a week or two) - loss of signal forcing me to reboot everythig, its been satisfactory for the $40 i pay a month, and loads better than dial-suck.

my question is could something have happened to slow down webpages from loading? i use IE6 fully patched, and WinXP Pro, also fully patched. i have no viruses or anything of that sort. i'm also behind a linksys firewall.

there are 6 other computers connected throughout the house, through the router and a switch, but i dont think thats affecting it because they still seem slow with all those other machines off.

any help would be much appreciated!

[edit]

suppose i should add that i have cable internet, motorola modem, web pages are slow on ALL machines, not just mine here in my room...

Could it be your ping time ? Have you checked your ping at a few sites to see how it does ?


Microsoft Windows XP [Version 5.1.2600]
(C) Copyright 1985-2001 Microsoft Corp.

C:\Documents and Settings\Chris>ping yahoo.com

Pinging yahoo.com [66.218.71.198] with 32 bytes of data:

Reply from 66.218.71.198: bytes=32 time=114ms TTL=234
Reply from 66.218.71.198: bytes=32 time=113ms TTL=234
Reply from 66.218.71.198: bytes=32 time=111ms TTL=234
Reply from 66.218.71.198: bytes=32 time=113ms TTL=234

Ping statistics for 66.218.71.198:
Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 4, Lost = 0 (0% loss),
Approximate round trip times in milli-seconds:
Minimum = 111ms, Maximum = 114ms, Average = 112ms

C:\Documents and Settings\Chris>ping www.overclockers.com

Pinging www.overclockers.com [208.249.124.215] with 32 bytes of data:

Reply from 208.249.124.215: bytes=32 time=50ms TTL=111
Reply from 208.249.124.215: bytes=32 time=74ms TTL=111
Reply from 208.249.124.215: bytes=32 time=51ms TTL=111
Reply from 208.249.124.215: bytes=32 time=51ms TTL=111

Ping statistics for 208.249.124.215:
Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 4, Lost = 0 (0% loss),
Approximate round trip times in milli-seconds:
Minimum = 50ms, Maximum = 74ms, Average = 56ms

C:\Documents and Settings\Chris>


See if yours are higher or lower to sites you are and aren't having problems with.

hkgonra said:

Could it be your ping time ? Have you checked your ping at a few sites to see how it does ?

Click to expand...

hm.. just type "ping www.google.com" or something like that at a command prompt you mean? or is there some other way to check it?

[edit]

ping my providers website and here's what i get:

pinging raid.omnitelcom.com [207.177.49.23] with 32 bytes of data:

reply from 207.177.49.23: time=9ms TTL=252
reply from 207.177.49.23: time=10ms TTL=253
reply from 207.177.49.23: time=11ms TTL=253
reply from 207.177.49.23: time=17ms TTL=253

Ping statistics for 207.177.49.23:
Min=8ms Max=11ms Average=9ms
------------------------------------------------------------------------
pinging www.overclockers.com and i get:

reply from 208.249.124.215: time=64ms TTL=114
reply from 208.249.124.215: time=95ms TTL=112
reply from 208.249.124.215: time=60ms TTL=114
reply from 208.249.124.215: time=64ms TTL=114

min=60ms max=95ms average=70ms


are those pings ok?

I just edited my post I think the command prompt is the best way. If you do have high pings I would try taking your computer loose fro mthe router and hooking it directly to the cable modem. If thy are still high the problem is with your provider if not try to isolate whether it is the switch or the router.

Did you run a scan with Ad Aware or something similar? You just may have a buildup of adware or spyware.

ptwearnhardtfan said:

Did you run a scan with Ad Aware or something similar? You just may have a buildup of adware or spyware.

Click to expand...

good suggestion, but not likely i'm a clean freak, i format often, dont install crap i dont need, tweak system settings, turn off un-needed XP services, stay virus free, and run adaware and spybot weekly.. so i dont think thats it.. although you're right, most of the systems i work on people just have cluttered up with that junk!

Those pings look pretty good. I am at a loss. Have you tried hooking directly to the modem yet ?

I would look for a worm or trojn horse on that box...

diehrd said:

I would look for a worm or trojn horse on that box...

Click to expand...

no viruses all boxes run up-to-date AV, spybot/adaware, regcleaner, winXP with all the latest patches... dont open attatchments, only open things after scanning with AV...

i haven't tried running only from the modem to this system, although if that *WOULD* fix it, what would that mean? that my linksys is crap or what? the rest of the PC's need to have 'net access...

You said you have a router and a switch , so either of those could be bad or you could have problems with the cables. I would try the modem and a couple different cables.

hkgonra said:

You said you have a router and a switch , so either of those could be bad or you could have problems with the cables. I would try the modem and a couple different cables.

Click to expand...

roger, i will disconnect everything, and try going straight from my modem to my system here in the room. i'll post back with the results.

I think I am packing it in early tonight. I will check back in tomorrow. I hope you can find the problem, sometimes these things are very hard to pinpoint.

Have you tied updating the firmware on that router? just a thougt


Hex

The firewall on the router shouldnt affect you.. Cause port 80 needs to be open for Http use.

Are you on wireless?

tried going straight from modem to my system here, didnt make any difference. no, i'm not on wireless, and i have the latest firmware.

i'm beginning to think i'm just out of luck or something. i just remember when we *first* got this cable, pages loaded with the snap of a finger. now they take newegg takes over 10 seconds to load fully for example. usually longer. www.oc-forums.com takes around 8 seconds or so. some of you on dial up are cussing at me now but i *do* remember that they used to load i kid you not, with the snap of a finger. who knows.. maybe just crappy service.. with my local isp here it wouldnt surprise me..

I will keep thinking on it maybe we can figure something out.

you checked your dl speed but did you check your upload speed?
i've noticed that when i'm uploading files webpages take incredibly long to load.

very good point , try checking your bandwidth at

wdc.speakeasy.net

I remember my Mom having problems at one time because her download was a 2000 and her upload was at 15 . That just might be your problem.

Have you tried the tweak test at DSLReports?
http://www.dslreports.com/tweaks

Is this happening to all of the computers on your network, or just one computer in particular? If it's all the computers, then it's most likely the modem, the signal, or the ISP (since you have tried bypassing the rest of the network). If it's just on that one PC, then we can concentrate on where the problem is.

tried again today after school, just going from the cable modem to my computer, and it seemed *alittle* faster than usual. however upon running dslreports speed test multiple times, the speeds were horrendous:

http://s87617913.onlinehome.us/speed1.jpg
http://s87617913.onlinehome.us/speed2.jpg
http://s87617913.onlinehome.us/speed3.jpg

i also ran that tweak test like you suggested su root, and got this:

http://s87617913.onlinehome.us/speed2.jpg

i lag in battlefield more often than i used to also (never used to), i dont know if that makes a difference.

i'd try leaving the router/switch unplugged longer to test things out, but the rest of the family members would be up in arms...