Upload Speed Issues

[joe@hio]

This may not be posted the the right forum

Internet speed issues.

Recently I noticed some issues on various sites. I decided to run some speed test using Googles test and discovered my upload speed was barely running. I ran some test from my desktop. I ran both the direct connection and the wireless with the following results.
Download Upload
Direct 714.8 mbps 0.06 mbps
Wireless 509.0 mbps 0.10 mbps

This test was on a Dell Desktop
Edition Windows 10 Home
Version 22H2
Installed on ‎7/‎27/‎2020
OS build 19045.3324
Experience Windows Feature Experience Pack 1000.19041.1000.0

I contacted Comcast and somehow reconfigured the modem the results were the same. They were going to send a service tech out the following day but I decided to run the same test on our HP laptop with the following results. (I did cancel the service call.)
Download Upload
Direct No Jack
Wireless 354.2 mbps 23.3 mbps

I have run windows defender. Is there a reliable online scanner that I can run?

Appreciate any suggestions you may have.

 

[PHolder]

Your Windows seems completely current, so this would appear to potentially be a hardware or driver issue. Try booting into Windows Safe mode with networking (search for "safe" in the settings, and it should find "Advanced Startup Options.") If the problem reproduces in safe mode, it's probably not Windows. Then you could go into the Device Manager (use Windows-X to bring up the quick menu) and look for devices related to your network hardware and try seeing if they can find new drivers. (Probably not, but you never know.)

Worse comes to worse, backup, and then use the Windows Reset option and see how that helps. If that doesn't help, it might be a hardware issue. Also, try a different cable on your wired network.

 

[rfrazier]

@joe@hio Based on what you said, it appears to be specific to the one computer. If your 2nd pc does 354 / 23 mbps, that would seem to say that your networking gear is working. Or it could have some intermittent failures. When comparing the two pc's, make sure that as many settings as possible are the same. Use the same LAN cable, the same wireless SSID, the same router port, etc. If running a VPN, run the same one on both systems with the same destination and the same settings. Test both at the same time of day. Look into the physical LAN port on the bad pc for debris and dirt, spiders, other bugs, bent pins, etc. Be aware that older pc's and networking hardware may not support the very highest transfer speeds. But, I would consider 354 / 23 to be pretty good numbers. I usually get 90 / 12. Also, be aware that some speed test destinations at certain times of day my not support high speeds. I have occasionally seen the low to no upload numbers but have never come up with a good reason. It appears to usually be on cell modem connections for me or when Comcast is having problems. If the 1st pc consistently has issues and the 2nd one does not, that strongly implies a problem with the 1st pc. If they're both having problems, that implies something in your networking gear. I just replaced my cable modem with a docsis 3.1 modem because they say the old docsis 3.0 one is no longer supported. It was working though. I also found a crummy old thin coax cable at one place in my data path. I replaced that piece of cable and my download speed went from 60 mbps to 90 mbps. 90 mbps is about the best I can expect with my gear. I've also replaced some cable splitters in my data path. But, again, problems with networking gear would tend to affect all your pc's unless you had one bad router port or something. Good luck.

May your bits be stable and your interfaces be fast. Ron

 

[joe@hio]

@joe@hio Based on what you said, it appears to be specific to the one computer. If your 2nd pc does 354 / 23 mbps, that would seem to say that your networking gear is working. Or it could have some intermittent failures. When comparing the two pc's, make sure that as many settings as possible are the same. Use the same LAN cable, the same wireless SSID, the same router port, etc. If running a VPN, run the same one on both systems with the same destination and the same settings. Test both at the same time of day. Look into the physical LAN port on the bad pc for debris and dirt, spiders, other bugs, bent pins, etc. Be aware that older pc's and networking hardware may not support the very highest transfer speeds. But, I would consider 354 / 23 to be pretty good numbers. I usually get 90 / 12. Also, be aware that some speed test destinations at certain times of day my not support high speeds. I have occasionally seen the low to no upload numbers but have never come up with a good reason. It appears to usually be on cell modem connections for me or when Comcast is having problems. If the 1st pc consistently has issues and the 2nd one does not, that strongly implies a problem with the 1st pc. If they're both having problems, that implies something in your networking gear. I just replaced my cable modem with a docsis 3.1 modem because they say the old docsis 3.0 one is no longer supported. It was working though. I also found a crummy old thin coax cable at one place in my data path. I replaced that piece of cable and my download speed went from 60 mbps to 90 mbps. 90 mbps is about the best I can expect with my gear. I've also replaced some cable splitters in my data path. But, again, problems with networking gear would tend to affect all your pc's unless you had one bad router port or something. Good luck.

May your bits be stable and your interfaces be fast. Ron

I picked up a tp-Link nano AC 600 and downloaded the latest drivers. Result are the same.

I think it is shown as Archer T2U Nano.

Joe

 

[rfrazier]

@joe@hio Sorry that didn't work. Still sounds like something unique to the one PC. Let us know if you discover more information.

May your bits be stable and your interfaces be fast. Ron

 

[joe@hio]

Things are back to normal. Prior to this issue, no upload speed, I had deleted McAfee following the normal uninstall procedures. Thinking about this change I decided to reinstall McAfee. I did a virus scan and nothing was found (I had did this a number of times with Windows virus utility with the same results). I ran the speed test with the following results.

Download 680.9 mbps
Upload 115.4 mbps

I have no idea what McAfee did but for the sake of speed I guess I will have to live with the annual subscription.

Joe

 

[PHolder]

following the normal uninstall procedures

If I recall correctly, they used to have a clean up utility that was separate from the system uninstall utility.

https://www.mcafee.com/support/?articleId=TS101331&page=shell&shell=article-view

Look for the link (below) in the section: "Option 2 — Remove using the McAfee Consumer Product Removal tool (MCPR)"

https://download.mcafee.com/molbin/iss-loc/SupportTools/MCPR/MCPR.exe

 

[rfrazier]

This is just a guess, but plausible. McAfee probably hooked the interrupt to the network driver to intercept the data stream and do analysis on it. I also have a faint memory of a mini scandal (as @PHolder said) years ago about uninstall problems with McAfee, but don't remember specifics. Hooking network traffic for an AV system MAY be useful but putting out a product that you cannot easily uninstall is pretty shady in my opinion. There should be a way to both eliminate McAfee, should you wish, and still have your network running. Good luck with it.

May your bits be stable and your interfaces be fast. Ron

 

[joe@hio]

If I recall correctly, they used to have a clean up utility that was separate from the system uninstall utility.

https://www.mcafee.com/support/?articleId=TS101331&page=shell&shell=article-view

Look for the link (below) in the section: "Option 2 — Remove using the McAfee Consumer Product Removal tool (MCPR)"

https://download.mcafee.com/molbin/iss-loc/SupportTools/MCPR/MCPR.exe

Well, I am back to slow speeds. I've uninstalled it and ran the MCPR tool but no luck. Wish I knew what it is and why it started running right only to fail days/weeks later.

 

[PHolder]

Well, I am back to slow speeds

I recommend you backup your data (always a good idea) and then try one of the various "Reset My PC" options that Windows supplies.

 

[AlanD]

Have you tried resetting your network?
At a Admin command prompt "netsh winsock reset" and then reboot.

 

[joe@hio]

Well it is official, I have a hardware problem. I took all the suggested steps with nothing working. Download speed fabulous but upload slower then dial up. I ran recovery three times with different variations without success.

Would a network card work? I'm fairly certain I have a slot to plug it into.

Thanks for all the suggestions.

 

[PHolder]

Would a network card work?

The risk is the problem could be at a deeper (software) level in Windows, in which case everything you try to do will be affected by the problem. If it's literally just failed hardware, then hopefully providing new hardware should help work around the problem.

New hardware seems a cheap solution to try: there are under $20 NICs (network card for wired networks) or I recently saw a quality USB network adapter for $14. I don't have a lot of experience with wireless add-on cards/USB devices, but I bet they exist and aren't much more expensive.

 

[Tazz]

You could give iPerf3 a shot. It would be testing over your LAN but you would see how much bandwidth your hardware can manage (unless software is limiting it). At the least it would be more information.
Here's how to use it.