USB 3.0-to-Gigabit Ethernet Adapter

[mikehowse]

I have Qualcomm Atheros AR956x 400 mbps modem and a Satellite C55-B5298 laptop with a Realtek PCIe FE Family Controller 10/100. I am only getting around 44 mbps speed wireless and with ethernet cable. My question is if I go to a USB 3.0-to-Gigabit Ethernet Adapter, will I get improved speed or am I still restricted by the Realtek PCIe FE Family Controller 10/100 speed?
Any comments will be greatly appreciated.
Mike

 

[USAFRet]

Performance is dictated by the slowest device in the chain.

If something in there is only 100mbps...that's the best you can hope for.
If you bypass that Realtek with a USB device, then presumably that would take over.

But...what speed are you paying the ISP for?
That is probably your 'slowest device'.

 

[mikehowse]

You asked what mbps I have, it's Spectrum 400 mbps, that's why I have Qualcomm Atheros AR956x 400 mbps modem.
If I disabled the Realtek PCIe FE Family Controller 10/100, would the USB 3.0-to-Gigabit Ethernet Adapter give me speeds close to 400 mbps? Or would I not be able to connect to the modem?

 

[failboat]

Are you downloads 44MB/s or Mb/s there is a large difference. 400Mb/s = 50MB/s

Double check your paid speed. The modem's top speed doesn't mean that's what you are getting. 44Mb/s is an odd number to get bottlenecked at.

 

[mikehowse]

It's Mbps, I actually hit 52.79 today. I would attach the screen shot but I'm a newbe here and don't see the option.

 

[USAFRet]

It's Mbps, I actually hit 52.79 today. I would attach the screen shot but I'm a newbe here and don't see the option.

And reading this from where?
What tool are you using to test this speed?

 

[mikehowse]

From where is Orlando, FL with my Laptop and Ethernet to the modem.
I'm using http://www.speedtest.net/. Spectrum wanted me to use http://www.speedtest.bhn.net/ but it fails the Latency test every time and won't provide a speed test. Spectrum Techs just scratch their heads and don't know why.

 

[USAFRet]

If you're paying Spectrum for 400mbps download, and only getting ~52mbps...there are possible multiple issues.

1. Your current 10/100 LAN interface.
Yes, try a USB 10/100/1000 interface.

2. But, absent any other issues, that 10/100 should get more than ~52mbps. It should, in theory, be close to 100mbps.
So the actual issue may lie with Spectrum.

Of course, wired only. WiFi performance does not count.

 

[mikehowse]

Well I pulled my old Acer laptop running windows 7 and a Broadcom Net Link Gigabit Ethernet controller, if that tells you anything about how old it is, lol, out of the attic.
I ran the same speed test and got 361.56 Mbps. So as soon as I can afford to it's good bye Toshiba and hello to a new laptop that does not have a Realtek PCIe FE Family Controller. I just dread installing all the software and configuring my multiple email addresses in Outlook on a new computer.
Thanks for all the input.
Mike

 

[USAFRet]

"Realtek" is not the issue.
That particular "10/100" is the issue.

 

[failboat]

Are you using the ethernet connection on your laptop? If you are using wifi then the ethernet NIC isn't being used. Wireless G caps at 55Mb/s which seems to be where you are stuck at. With a USB adapter for Wireless AC and a wireless AC access point would put your max speeds at 300Mb/s-450Mb/s.

Retest your wired connection, make sure you are connected and not just using the wifi. Your laptop may not have USB 3.0. The USB ethernet NIC would would if the USB port is full speed 3.0.