How can I fix my internet speed? Do I need new drivers?

[McDiddles]

Just yesterday I finished my first PC build, and everything is going smoothly. My only problem is that my internet speed in awful. Using an ethernet cable, my desktop is downloading at 2-10 Mbps. My laptop, on the other hand, has a download speed of 23 Mbps using a wireless connection. If I plug my ethernet cord into the laptop, the download speed shoots up to 100 Mbps.

So I know the problem has to do with my desktop itself, but any new internet drivers I install don't work for some reason, causing me to re-install the LAN driver that came with the MOBO setup disk. My MOBO is an ASUS Sabertooth Z97 Mark 1, running Windows 7. What can I do in order to fix my connection?

 

[tachybana]

If this is spanking new board, check with the manufacture about your complain (and see if they recommend and alternative to the drivers)

 

[McDiddles]

Alrighty. So I was really confused because after spending hours searching for possible drivers to no effect, I made the decision that I had the correct one. The Realtek PCIe GBE Family Connector. Now you can Google it and there are actually certain configuration issues about this driver that should be optimized, but that didn't help me. What solved the issue was uninstalling the driver INSIDE the Device Manager, not from my machine. Then I "scanned for hardware changes", again in the Device Manager, and the computer reinstalled the same driver. Now it works and my download speed is upwards of 600 Mbps. So there's my fix!

 

[Darkbreeze]

Which LAN port are you using on the board? I'd recommend using the Intel port. There is a Realtek AND an Intel Ethernet port on that board. You'll need to install both drivers. The motherboard manual should tell you which port is which.

Realtek driver: http://dlcdnet.asus.com/pub/ASUS/lan/Realtek_LAN_Win7-8-8-1_VER779_VER825.zip


Intel driver: http://dlcdnet.asus.com/pub/ASUS/lan/Intel_LAN_Win7-8-8-1_VER191510.zip

 

[McDiddles]

I was having troubles with both connections. So most likely if I perform the same operations for the Intel port it will also work now.

 

[McDiddles]

Alrighty. So I was really confused because after spending hours searching for possible drivers to no effect, I made the decision that I had the correct one. The Realtek PCIe GBE Family Connector. Now you can Google it and there are actually certain configuration issues about this driver that should be optimized, but that didn't help me. What solved the issue was uninstalling the driver INSIDE the Device Manager, not from my machine. Then I "scanned for hardware changes", again in the Device Manager, and the computer reinstalled the same driver. Now it works and my download speed is upwards of 600 Mbps. So there's my fix!

 

[Darkbreeze]

I'd still make sure I had both drivers installed from the link I sent you. The Realtek adapters are not as efficient as the Intel hardware and I'd use the Intel port if you want to get the most from your gigabit connection. Of course, 600Mbps is great in any situation, but it might perhaps be faster or more reliable, and use less CPU resources, with the Intel adapter.