Question need help with a very odd networking issue

[shadowzuziz]

Hey everyone

So I have encountered a very interesting anyone whos into networking. Keep in mind I didn't have this issue for over 2 years with this exact setup, but then it just happened one day so I'm leaning towards something I downloaded or a site I visted possibly, but I'm not sure how to go about finding this issue. I'm also a minimalist so I barely have any programs/files downloaded. I'm also very safe with everything I do as I work in the digital world. Basically, any time I open any program that uses internet outside of web browsers, I instantly drop from 1gb up and down to ~100 down but keeping the ~1gb up. I've tested on multiple different servers on speedtest as well as fast, but here's the curious thing. If I test while having the task manager active, the speeds will maintain ~1gb, but the second I close it it'll drop back down to ~100 almost instantly.

Specs:
Z390 AORUS PRO WIFI
i7-9700k
rtx 3070ti
32gb 4200mhz ram

Router:
ASUS RT-AX86U

not sure what else info to provide since I've never had a networking issue before so please let me know.

I have attempted:

• seeing how when I reset and it worked for a few months, I'm confident it is not the LAN port
• using a different cable/connecting this cable to another PC but those all had 1gb up and down with apps open so I know its not the wire
• connecting directly to the modem instead of router but same problem
• QoS is not on
• my router registers 1gb up and down coming in so the router isn't an issue either
• reset network settings which worked for about 5 minutes and then it dropped back down
• confirmed there are no speed throttle settings on in the router
• fresh install of windows 11 and it worked for about 2 months, but were back here now
• scanned for everything possible with so many different scanners (that I know to be legit)
• limited windows update background speed to a low number as well as turning off p2p
• turning receive window auto-tuning level off
• I do not have gigabyte app center so nothing there should be affecting it
• turned off power saving/throttling options for basically everything ik of
• changing DNS to google's and turning of ipv6

If anyone has any ideas of what is happening and how to fix this issue or at least begin diagnosing I'd be super grateful. I'm basically down to try anything at this point short of having to reset again and having it come back a few months later. Thanks in advance!

 

[Lutfij]

You've forgotten to list the make and model of your PSU and it's age. What BIOS version are you on for your motherboard? Do you have any firmware updates pending for your Asus router? Where did you source the installer for your OS?

 

[Ralston18]

You are aware of Task Manager.

Take a look at what is happening via Resource Monitor. (Just do not run them at the same time.)

First observe Resource Monitor without doing any downloads. Allow the computer to reach some static state.

Then launch a download as normal and watch for what (if anything) changes in Resource Monitor.

Another tool that can help is Process Explorer (Microsoft, free).

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/downloads/process-explorer

Objective being to identify some process that launches during the download and causes a bottleneck somewhere.

Also look in Task Scheduler. Could be some trigger in place: launches something else when a download is attempted.

Noted: "any time I open any program that uses internet outside of web browsers".

What programs?

 

[shadowzuziz]

You've forgotten to list the make and model of your PSU and it's age. What BIOS version are you on for your motherboard? Do you have any firmware updates pending for your Asus router? Where did you source the installer for your OS?

my PSU is less than 3 years old and is a corsair AX850 titanium cert. Bios is updated to the latest - F12. No firmware updates on my router and the installer was from the official Microsoft website.

 

[shadowzuziz]

You are aware of Task Manager.

Take a look at what is happening via Resource Monitor. (Just do not run them at the same time.)

First observe Resource Monitor without doing any downloads. Allow the computer to reach some static state.

Then launch a download as normal and watch for what (if anything) changes in Resource Monitor.

Another tool that can help is Process Explorer (Microsoft, free).

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/downloads/process-explorer

Objective being to identify some process that launches during the download and causes a bottleneck somewhere.

Also look in Task Scheduler. Could be some trigger in place: launches something else when a download is attempted.

Noted: "any time I open any program that uses internet outside of web browsers".

What programs?

maybe I don't know what to look for, but with both resource monitor and process explorer I didn't spot anything that seemed all that out of place, but I did notice that even though the highest bandwidth programs would use were about 0.1mbps but somehow that equated a consistent 64% in task manager on idle. When I start up a game it'll go down to 0% I'm not sure if that means anything. Regardless, the speeds will be 100% fine as long as task manager is opened and that is honestly the weirdest part.

Programs such as games or music streamers like spotify or amazon music, but programs such as browsers, steam, and discord don't seem to have an effect. I can understand that games and music streamers take up bandwidth, but they never took up so much before and nothing really changed about them. Even the launchers of some games will drop the internet speed. Regardless though, the speeds will be 100% fine as long as task manager is opened and that is honestly the weirdest part.

 

[Ralston18]

What games and other music streamers?

Knowing the specifics is important.

Launchers?

Also: "so I'm leaning towards something I downloaded or a site I visted possibly " What was that download and what source website?

What is consuming 64% in Task Manager? Check the Processes tab. You can click the small arrow icon in the column header to sort the displayed results.

You have become aware of one immediate issue: "but with both resource monitor and process explorer I didn't spot anything that seemed all that out of place, "

Exactly: malware etc. may hide itself if other software is launched that could reveal the culprit. Or simply appear to be some legitimate process by using a name that could be a one letter difference from a legitimate process.

My general sense is that your computer is likely infected with something.

Not able to definitively prove that per se. I have no vested interest either way. Happy to be wrong about an infection.

Anything unusual in Task Manager > Startup? It will take some time and effort to determine what all is being launched therein.

 

[shadowzuziz]

What games and other music streamers?

Knowing the specifics is important.

Launchers?

Also: "so I'm leaning towards something I downloaded or a site I visted possibly " What was that download and what source website?

What is consuming 64% in Task Manager? Check the Processes tab. You can click the small arrow icon in the column header to sort the displayed results.

You have become aware of one immediate issue: "but with both resource monitor and process explorer I didn't spot anything that seemed all that out of place, "

Exactly: malware etc. may hide itself if other software is launched that could reveal the culprit. Or simply appear to be some legitimate process by using a name that could be a one letter difference from a legitimate process.

My general sense is that your computer is likely infected with something.

Not able to definitively prove that per se. I have no vested interest either way. Happy to be wrong about an infection.

Anything unusual in Task Manager > Startup? It will take some time and effort to determine what all is being launched therein.

Practically any multiplayer game and Spotify and Amazon Music

Launcher for League of Legends

My task manager seems to be very inaccurate and I'm not sure why it doesn't seem to update unless I open a new program

Do you have any malware scanners to recommend? I've used malwarebytes and sophos

I also seem to have some boot errors. Not sure if its related, but error is under system32\logfiles\srt\srttrail.txt and it infinite boot errors. I can bypass it by going to boot menu and selecting my boot drive though

I will continue to see if there are other processes causing problems

 

[Ralston18]

"I also seem to have some boot errors. Not sure if its related, but error is under system32\logfiles\srt\srttrail.txt and it infinite boot errors. I can bypass it by going to boot menu and selecting my boot drive though "

Are you able to open srttrail.txt and read the contents? Will that .txt file open with Notepad?

Do you have a dual boot system? If so, what OS's?

 

[shadowzuziz]

"I also seem to have some boot errors. Not sure if its related, but error is under system32\logfiles\srt\srttrail.txt and it infinite boot errors. I can bypass it by going to boot menu and selecting my boot drive though "

Are you able to open srttrail.txt and read the contents? Will that .txt file open with Notepad?

Do you have a dual boot system? If so, what OS's?

I'm not sure if I'm doing something wrong but just navigating to this folder, I can only get to system32\logfiles and then I only see Cloudfiles, HTTPERR, setupcln, and WMI

I do not have a dual boot system

 

[Ralston18]

Ensure that the folders are configured to show file types.

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us...-windows-97fbc472-c603-9d90-91d0-1166d1d9f4b5

Also: after reading back I will add the suggestion to install a new CMOS battery.

Just as a matter of elimination.

 

[shadowzuziz]

Ensure that the folders are configured to show file types.

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us...-windows-97fbc472-c603-9d90-91d0-1166d1d9f4b5

Also: after reading back I will add the suggestion to install a new CMOS battery.

Just as a matter of elimination.

Right, I already have hidden files showing

I will give the CMOS battery a try. What effect should that bring?

 

[Ralston18]

If the battery is weak the computer will not consistently retain (or maybe not at all) the configuration settings - including boot information.

And the default boot values do not match the hardware causing errors and failures.

FYI:

https://www.makeuseof.com/computer-battery-dead-how-fix-replace-cmos/

Generally easy and inexpensive to replace. You may need to do some re-configuring: time and date for example.

And possibly a restart or two for everything to get back to the original working state.

 

[shadowzuziz]

If the battery is weak the computer will not consistently retain (or maybe not at all) the configuration settings - including boot information.

And the default boot values do not match the hardware causing errors and failures.

FYI:

https://www.makeuseof.com/computer-battery-dead-how-fix-replace-cmos/

Generally easy and inexpensive to replace. You may need to do some re-configuring: time and date for example.

And possibly a restart or two for everything to get back to the original working state.

Gave this a try, but can't say I spotted any differences

 

[Ralston18]

"My task manager seems to be very inaccurate and I'm not sure why it doesn't seem to update unless I open a new program "

And:

"Regardless, the speeds will be 100% fine as long as task manager is opened and that is honestly the weirdest part. "

Run "sfc /scannow" and "dism". Could be some corrupted Windows files and that corruption is impacting Task Manager in some manner.

https://www.lifewire.com/how-to-use-sfc-scannow-to-repair-windows-system-files-2626161

https://www.windowscentral.com/how-use-dism-command-line-utility-repair-windows-10-image

Continue watching Task Manager, Resource Monitor, and Process Explorer - just use one at time.

Again you are looking for some change, any change, that corresponds with the loss of network performance.

As you use the tools more, you will get better at navigating around them and learn more about the information being provided.

Follow-up question:

You posted "Basically, any time I open any program that uses internet outside of web browsers, "

What specific programs?

 

[shadowzuziz]

"My task manager seems to be very inaccurate and I'm not sure why it doesn't seem to update unless I open a new program "

And:

"Regardless, the speeds will be 100% fine as long as task manager is opened and that is honestly the weirdest part. "

Run "sfc /scannow" and "dism". Could be some corrupted Windows files and that corruption is impacting Task Manager in some manner.

https://www.lifewire.com/how-to-use-sfc-scannow-to-repair-windows-system-files-2626161

https://www.windowscentral.com/how-use-dism-command-line-utility-repair-windows-10-image

Continue watching Task Manager, Resource Monitor, and Process Explorer - just use one at time.

Again you are looking for some change, any change, that corresponds with the loss of network performance.

As you use the tools more, you will get better at navigating around them and learn more about the information being provided.

Follow-up question:

You posted "Basically, any time I open any program that uses internet outside of web browsers, "

What specific programs?

I've ran both those scans several times both in present and past, but they always yield no corruption and this goes the same for chkdsk.

Lately the programs I've run are league of legends, insurgency sandstorm, amazon music that seem to affect it; I don't run many programs in general and browsers have no effect.

 

[Ralston18]

Uninstall all programs (games and apps) that suffer slow download speeds.

Manually download each program directly from the manufacturer's website. Reinstall and reconfigure.

No third party installers or tools.

Reinstall only one program at a time and wait a day or two between each program.

Tedious in a sense but if you only have a few programs then not too tedious. Start with the program most important to you.

The objective being to determine if the problem continues to occur with the first program reinstalled. If not, again after waiting a day or so, then install program #2.

So on and so forth.

You may discover that one particular program causes the performance loss. Waiting between program reinstalls allows time for any interim updates to the program.

Could be some buggy or corrupted program update that gets installed and a previously well running program and everything else slows.

 

[shadowzuziz]

Uninstall all programs (games and apps) that suffer slow download speeds.

Manually download each program directly from the manufacturer's website. Reinstall and reconfigure.

No third party installers or tools.

Reinstall only one program at a time and wait a day or two between each program.

Tedious in a sense but if you only have a few programs then not too tedious. Start with the program most important to you.

The objective being to determine if the problem continues to occur with the first program reinstalled. If not, again after waiting a day or so, then install program #2.

So on and so forth.

You may discover that one particular program causes the performance loss. Waiting between program reinstalls allows time for any interim updates to the program.

Could be some buggy or corrupted program update that gets installed and a previously well running program and everything else slows.

tried this for a bit and didn't spot anything. One day my pc decided to just not boot no matter what I tried and kept cycling through errors so I had to reset everything and of course now the speeds are fine again. Thanks for trying to figure things out regardless though, it was much appreciated.