Download issues on brand new PC

[Sl00ver]

So I just built a brand new pc and here are my specs :

Mother Board : Asus PRIME H610M-E D4 Micro ATX LGA1700 Motherboard
Processor : Intel Core i3-12100 3.3 GHz Quad-Core Processor
Memory : TEAMGROUP T-Force Vulcan Z 16 GB (2 x 8 GB) DDR4-3200 CL16 Memory
Storage : Kingston A400 960 GB 2.5" Solid State Drive
GPU : MSI GAMING X Radeon RX 570 4 GB Video Card
Case : NZXT H510 Flow
Power Supply : Corsair CV650 650 W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply
Network Adapter : TP-Link TL-WN881ND

The Storage and GPU were already used but in pretty good condition they had no issues in the previous PCs.

So basically, I have a pretty low download speed compared to what it is supposed to be. I currently have a download speed of 80Mps (tested on speedtest and showed on task manager during downloads) which makes me download games at 10MB/s. When I do the same tests on my laptop while making sure it is in the exact same spot as my Desktop, I have a speed of around 320 Mps (which is what I pay for) and it makes me download games at 40MB/s.

So I first thought the issue would be the Network Adapter that I just bought so I tried the USB key that my roommate is using that is cheaper and my download speed was worse (around 50 Mbps). I also noticed that he never reaches the 40MB/s (more like 20-25 ish) on his downloads and I even tried that USB key on my laptop while disabeling the default Network Adapter and I was also downloading at around 20MB/s. With these tests I then supposed that the Adapter that I just bought was working pretty well and the issue was somewhere else on my PC.

Believing it was still a hardware issue, I then checked if it didn’t come frome my SSD that plays a part on downloads. However after some research and watching the performances on the task manager I figured that the 80Mbps that I was getting during a download was exclusive to the “Network” column, while the writing speed in the “Disk” column was just matching the network speed converted in Bytes instead of bits. I also never had any issues with this SSD on my previous PC.

Since I suppose the problem doesn’t come from either my Network Adapter or my SSD, I am kinda stuck and I have no clue on what it could be. I saw that the issue could be on the software side, so I made sure to do every windows 11 and driver updates (especially the Network Adapter driver). I even updated my BIOS to the latest version but still nothing seems to change. I also saw that some virus could cause a decrease of the download speed, but my PC is brand new and I had this issue since the very first downloads.

It’s a very strange issue cause the PC is really smooth and performs very well, I just have this random download problem that comes out of nowhere. I still can download games and 10MB/s can do the work, but with the constant increase of game sizes these days it’s kinda annoying especially since I should be able to reach 40MB/s which is 4 times faster.

I never do posts cause there is often the answer somewhere but this time I really don’t know what to do lol, hope someone can figure this out!

[Bruce]

g’day sl00ver and welcome to the forums.

when you put the old SSD into the new build, did you reinstall Windows?
what’s this network adapter you just brought - make/model?
how are you connecting to the modem/router - ethernet or wireless?
have you tried the network port on the motherboard?

[Sl00ver]

Hello,

Yes, I did a clean Install of Windows 11 on my SSD when I turned on my PC for the first time.
The model of my Network Adapter is indicated on my specs : TP-Link TL-WN881ND
It offers a wireless connection through WiFi.
Yes, I did use the CPL of a friend and plugged it in my motherboard throug ethernet and it was even worse.

[Bruce]

don’t know what “CPL of a friend” means?

but you have directly cabled your PC’s ethernet port to your modem?
what is make/model of the modem?

[Sl00ver]

A CPL is basically something that you plug on your wall’s electrical socket to increase the signal of your modem and you can also directly plug an ethernet cable in it so you don’t have to buy a gigantic ethernet cable or have the modem right next to your PC. So no I didn’t directly cabled my PC to the modem but it’s almost the same thing.

It’s a Helix modem from Videtron in Quebec, Canada. I don’t believe the issue comes from this though, cause it works perfectly fine on every other PC used in the appartment.

[Bruce]

sounds like ethernet over powerline, where it uses the house’s existing wiring rather then laying a dedicated ethernet cable.

sadly, it’s not the same, not as far as quality of signal goes.
the biggest downsides are; both powerline adapters need to be on the same circuit and the you get a much lower connection speed.

a real test is to get the PC and the modem in the same room and ethernet directly between the two.
only then are you taking every other potential cause out of the equation.

[Sl00ver]

Okay so I did as you suggested and I get a fairly good download speed (450 Mbps on speedtest). I don’t really understand why it did not work with the CPL cause even if the quality would of course be less than directly to the modem, it’s still an ethernet connection so that’s kinda weird.

It still doesn’t explain why I don’t have good results with the WiFi though, and plugging my PC directly to the modem is not a solution cause it’s not in the same room.

So I guess the fact that it worked while directly plugging my PC to the modem with ethernet shows there is no issues with the motherboard. Like I explained on the post, the issue doesn’t seem to come directly form my Network Adapter or my SSD. I really have no clue what it could be haha

[Bruce]

it’s still an ethernet connection so that’s kinda weird

no it’s not, that’s the point - at least if I have in my brain what I think you refer to as CPL.

with CPL, you have ethernet in the equation but not the only thing, you are introducing big thick solid copper cable that is your house’s power circuit - a medium never intended to run data through.
it has an unclean sine wave, powers high voltage appliances, pumps out EMP interference, and you have no idea how the cable has been laid in the cavity spaces.

as a next test, it would be good to get your hands on USB wifi adapter, just to see if your TP-link model is faulty.

[Sl00ver]

Oh yeah I completely agree that plugging to the CPL is way different than plugging directly to the modem. What I meant by saying it’s still an ethernet connection is that the way that the computer receive the network data is through Ethernet which is different from the WiFi type. So I thought it was weird cause I thought there was also an issue with ethernet since it didn’t work very well with the CPL while it works perfectly fine on my roommate’s PC.

Like I said in my first post : “So I first thought the issue would be the Network Adapter that I just bought so I tried the USB key that my roommate is using that is cheaper and my download speed was worse (around 50 Mbps). I also noticed that he never reaches the 40MB/s (more like 20-25 ish) on his downloads and I even tried that USB key on my laptop while disabeling the default Network Adapter and I was also downloading at around 20MB/s. With these tests I then supposed that the Adapter that I just bought was working pretty well and the issue was somewhere else on my PC.”

I really don’t think the issue comes from my Network Adapter and I even made sure to update its drivers.

[Bruce]

agree, the issue is yours and yours alone - as you say, other PC’s are fine.
as yours was when it did get directly connected via an ethernet cable from the modem to the PC.
to me, this proves the fault is with the combo of your wifi adapter in your motherboard.

let’s assemble the posse and get more eyes on this.
@Bastet @Pyro @PeterOz @georgeks @Malnutrition @TwitchisMental

[Sl00ver]

Yeah I thought about that but that would mean that any wifi stuff wouldn’t work very well on my motherboard ? Since I tried both my PCIe adapter and USB adapter of my friend (even if statistically it’s biaised because I just tried 2 adapters but it would be a huge coincidence that these 2 in particular don’t work lol).

I hope it’s not that cause I would be kinda screwed since I won’t buy another motherboard just for a faster download speed haha

[Bruce]

with everything located where you want, how far away is the modem/router to your PC?

[Sl00ver]

It’s like 2 rooms away. I could install a long ethernet cable like that

https://www.amazon.ca/Ethernet-BUSOHE-Computer-Internet-Network/dp/B07BH3CP9L/ref=asc_df_B07BH3CP9L/?tag=googleshopc0c-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=292982079026&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=1366487886699788178&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1002612&hvtargid=pla-558354353189&psc=1

but not sure if I have the motivation and it might not look good it the appartment.

[Bruce]

I always like to lay the cable myself in the roof or wall cavity.
I always have a 300m roll of cat6 cable handy and have the crimping tool to make the RJ45 plugs and the pushdown tool to do the wall sockets.
always been one of those abilities that comes in very handy every once in a while.

yep, bit time consuming and fiddly but once done, ethernet is set-and-forget.

other than that, I’m out of ideas.
hoping the others will chime in with some advice.

[Bastet]

Have you checked for any newer drivers for the Wi-Fi adapter?
Yes, a CPL/power line adapter isn’t a great way to connect via Ethernet.
The reviews for the TP Link suggest it gives slow speeds for those people.
Driver: Download for TL-WN881ND | TP-Link United Kingdom