Quick back ground on the computer. It is about 6 to 8 year old, I run XP Pro, mother board is a D850EMV2, Pentium 2.4 and 512 SD Ram.
OK, computer is moving quite well as far as opening files and such. But I still don’t have the modem speed I should or may I should say I could have. I have the Charter 16 gig services but down load is only 5.7 and and up load is 2.11
The sharpest Tech so far from Charter came out today and said the problem is I am using a USB for the internet, and I should be using a Ethernet net card. He told me the USB card was never designed to carry all the information that a high speed cable has. OK they are cheap, $10 to $15 range. He all so hooked up his lap top to my modem using a Ethernet cable and got 16.8 down load speed.
Now for part one of the question and please read carefully.
I first got the 16 gig cable a few years ago and was getting 12.8 down load using the USB port. Then I went to a slower speed to save a few bucks. Few months ago I went back to the high speed. Now i can only get 5.7 down load speed. Could I have wore out the USB card? And that is why I am getting slower speeds?
Second part.
OK, I am a smoker and computer is in the smoking room. I have 4 open slots in the mother board for the Ethernet card. But I feel I be better off to clean the slot first. If you agree what can I use to clean the slot with. (Yes I will unplug the computer first! [(-D]
No you cannot wear out the USB port. I agree that you should be using the Ethernet port vs. USB. As far as cleaning your computer… Compressed air is the best solution. Assuming you have an air compressor, take the computer out in your garage, take off the side cover and blast away. You will be amazed how quickly that dusty smoky old computer looks like brand new inside again.
On a side note, your best bet for speeding up your computer would be to upgrade from 512Mb to 1GB RAM. Are you sure you have SD RAM in there? I looked up your mobo and as feared it looks like you have the old RAM Bus RAM which is expensive and hard to come by these days.
What the heck is a mobo? Far as it being SD or RD it been a while. I know they cost me a round $500 for the pair, and last time I looked they where still $235.00 each. But I am fine with out quick the computer moves off line.
Mobo is motherboard. I’m sure that model is RDRAM, dead end and expensive. Not much option there. As we said in the other thread, because of the age of the rest of it, it is a total waste of moeny to buy more RDRAM. That price you mentioned is a good bit of the way to a new computer that would be significantly faster and more upgradeable. I spent about that much ($500) building a new system for my ex in-laws, which while not nearly as capable when it comes to games as mu system, is more than adequate for what they do AND would totally blow away that Pentium 2.4GHz system. And no cheating - $100 of that price includes a legal copy of Window 7. It has ethernet built in for their cable modem, and sound, and is quite capable fo playing movies on DVD. About the only thing I did not get new was the DVD player, since it was recently repalced before the whole computer decided to finally pack it in, and they already had an LCD monitor and mouse. Their keyboard was old and a PS/2 type not a USB so they got a new one of those. I reused their old case but had to get a new power supply. And since it was so cheap, they got a 1TB hard drive which is WAY more than they’ll ever use - the old one only had 80GB and was 3/4 empty.
Folks, back up regroup and reread my original statement please!
I am fine with the with the computer speed! Unless I where to find the matching Ram for $2.00 each I have no intention on buying more memory for it!
Question is why is the computer slower using the USB for the modem now than it was last year?
Then there is the cleaning question.
I do thank you all for the answers, but I am only trying to increase my internet speed nothing more! I would spend $10 to $40.00 on the old girl but that is it.I all so have a newer computer, just don’t want to load all the drivers that are in the old one into the newer one.
All that are going to answer, please reread the original question again, then answer. I don’t want you to waste your effort and time.
I don’t know what to tell you. There could be multiple reasons why the internet was fast before. Are you absoutley sure?
Just get the ethernet card and call it a day.
Why don’t you use the new computer? What drivers do you need to install?
Using the old computer, you’re just going to keep having problems with it. 6-8 years in computer technology is considered OLD, very OLD, it’s like having a 1982 Pontiac Fiero LOL yes, rembember the old Fieros!!! hehehehe.
Sounds like it may be running on USB 1.1 speed instead of USB 2.0. Just get the ethernet card. I gotta say, i can’t think of anyone I know who hooks up to their cable modem with a USB port, even though many of them, including mine, have one.
ANd overall computer speed WILL affect how well that 16mb connection actually works It’s likely capable of downloading faster than the computer can render the web pages. Web browsing at 5-6mb should still be lightning fast unless you are hitting very photo intensive sites that directly present high resolution versions of the images instead of lower res thumbnails first. ANd some sites are slow no matter how fast your connection or computer.
Hi Ken, USB shouldn’t “wear out”. What can and sometimes does is your cable (or DSL) modem. If your provider REALLY set your speed back up (it’s just a setting on their end), then the modem may be a problem. That should be owned and serviced by them so it’s a no cost check to have them replace it with a new one. I have seen several of them die slow deaths - going slower and slower over time. Also ethernet to the modem is far faster than USB. Ethernet will also let you share data among multiple computers when the time comes, if you add in a “switch/firewall router” with the added benefit of the router making your network nearly hack proof. Karl
Remember last year when I got my PR 3 and using Decoder Pro I could not read sound engines? Simon 1966 came by and changed the cord, and used the front USB ports, where I had been trying to use one that was in the back. Seems he said the ones in the front where faster (2.0) so I am guessing ones in the rear are 1.1 USB ports. I have the internet hooked to the rear now, not the front like I did before I got the PR 3. Now that makes scene to me.
I will pick up a Ethernet card, that’s cheap and will free up a USB port.
Reason I have not hooked up the Newer (it not new, spelling error) is I am saving it for a rainy day and this one die’s. Plus, I have to track down all the CD’s for my few games I play, DVD burner, camera and such.
Far as the Ferio I would love a nice GT. They make a kit where you can drop in 4.5 Cadillac engine! [swg]
You know, you should feel lucky that YOU’RE allowed to post off topic questions without getting badgered by the moderators and then having your thread locked. If anyone takes the time to reply to your post, even if the info is not what you’re looking for, you shouldn’t scold them. If you want straight answers to your computer problems take them to computer related forums and not here. My [2c].
Ken: Get the ethernet card. A cable modem on USB will be slower. I use my cable modem on a USB 2.0 port but my connection is not high speed, just a paltry 1.5 mbps download speed so it doesn’t bother me. The higher you go on speed you’ll start going over the capabilities of the USB. It can only do so much.