10 replies to this topic

[GatoTuerto]

Hello all, thanks for the help this forum has provided me.

I come from the spyware forums after a trip there.

 

I wonder if you guys can guide me a little here.

For some time (I don't know how much, I just noticed it a year ago) the signal on my laptop (HP) goes straight down and overall speed of it is awful.

I thought it might have to do with virus but the problem still persist after a good cleaning.

 

Here's what I know so far:

-In wifi status the signal goes down completely and speed falls to 144Kbps (when it's full it says 72Mbps)

-This happens from time to time, at least 6 or 7 times in 10 minutes with no fixed intervals but lasts somewhere between a couple of seconds and 20 seconds.

-Sometimes it stays at 5.5Mbps with a good signal, this is fixed by disabling and reenabling the wifi device.

-Download speeds (tested on google drive) can go from 5Mbps to 60Kbps. Speedtest hit 30Mbps tops in a good day, in a bad one it's 5Mbps at most.

-This only happens on this computer. My partner computer (right beside mine) has a similar network card (Also a Broadcom but on an Asus laptop) but never had this problem (and it's the default driver); my sister has a newer laptop but her speed says 866,7Mbps.

-My computer and my partner's are at about 2-3 meters away from the modem/router; my sister's is at least 4 or 5 meters and 2 rooms away.

-I doubt my ISP or router has something to do with this since every other device works excelent (smartTV, phones and computers)

-I also doubt it has to do with how many device are connected since I tried flushing every device and just connecting this one.

-There are no obstacles between it and my computer (only a deodorant but it's free range otherwise, no electronics near it)

-Surfing the net looking for an answer I found that a lot of people had this problem (Broadcom BCM43142 802.11 bgn Wi-Fi M.2 Adapter) and several people fixed it by updating the drivers. Mine are updated, problem persist.

-I ran Xirrus analyzer sometime ago: Signal is excelent overall (between -35 and -55 all the time, except when it goes off at -85 -90), it's currently in channel 6 (the overall best) and I live in an area with few signals around me.

-I cleaned up dust a month and half ago, didn't saw a physical problem on it.

-Ethernet cable also works awful with the same periodic disconnections and slow speed (somewhere around 500Mbps, other computer shows 1Gbps)

 

 

Other than that I don't know what else to tell you.

 

What I'm wondering is if anyone knows if this can be fixed/knows anything or should I straight up get a usb adapter or something. There's no official support where I live so they ship it away for a couple of months and it's way too expensive.

And if so, what would you recommend for a 3rd world budget?

 

Thank you all once again for your time and help.

Sorry about the lengthy post

cheers

[Digerati]

Wow! I really don't know what else you could do here. You tried just about everything I can think of to suggest. Other computers right next to you work fine so I agree, that rules out your router, modem and WAP (wireless access point - often integrated with router). You tried Ethernet and got the same results so that rules out your wireless adapter. And you updated your drivers. 

 

You didn't tell us anything about this computer, however, except the adapter. Tell us about the computer and version of Windows. 

 

Are you sure it worked fine a year ago before this started? Any changes at that time? 

[GatoTuerto]

Hey, thanks for the answer.

 

The computer is a laptop (HP L9M11LA);

Windows 10 Home, updated to latest version available, 64 bits.

8gb physical ram, AMD A8-7410 (2.20 GHz) with AMD Radeon R5 Graphics.

500Gb HDD

BIOS Insyde F.1F (01/12/2015)

 

Most of the drivers are up-to-date except for the graphic card (can't do it because of a problem with AMD and their drivers) and I last updated Bios when I got the computer in 2017 I believe.

 

 

Are you sure it worked fine a year ago before this started? Any changes at that time?

I am not 100% sure about that.

I had some slowdowns before but every ISP on my country is awful (and the one I have is awful but it's the overall best) so it's fairly common to see the company name as trending topic haha so I just brushed it off since it wasn't that bad.

I only noticed the signal icon going on and off about a year ago AFTER my ISP sent a new modem (an Arris TG2492LG) because of an upgrade to the contract. Every other device was acting funny, I contacted my ISP and they sent a technician to check on cables outside, changed everything and supposedly fixed the cables on the node, afterwards everything worked fine except this particular computer, that made me more conscious of it and noticed the problem.

They never had an answer and this is as far as my knowledge took me haha.

 

Thanks for the attention!

[Digerati]

 

every ISP on my country is awful (and the one I have is awful but it's the overall best)

But if it was your ISP, the other computers in the house would be experiencing the same issues at the same time.

 

My concern is you said the problem occurs with both wifi and Ethernet. The wifi adapter and the Ethernet adapter are two different hardware devices. So if there are problems with both, that could suggest a problem with Windows itself. 

 

You might try running sfc /scannow from an elevated (As administrator) command prompt and see (1) if there are any errors, and (2) if any, that they get fixed. 

 

***

 

By the way, what is a deodorant? I am going to assume something is lost in translation as here, deodorant is what you spray or roll on your armpits to control body odor. A deodorant is not a device or object that might block wireless RF signals. 

[GatoTuerto]

Hey

Just did that, everything went fine, no problems at all.

-

And no hahaha I meant that exact deodorant, the modem is in top of a cabinet and there's only a deodorant hahahah

-

 

I also ran farbar service scanner as someone suggested in the virus forums and the log says everything is fine. It's a real hair puller.

[Digerati]

I am at a loss here. Sorry. But the fact your roommates have no problems, and the fact you have problems with both Ethernet and wireless, that points to your computer itself, but I don't know what to suggest with the computer.

 

How much free disk space? 

 

How much RAM?

[GatoTuerto]

Wow I forgot to answer, sorry.

 

I have 8Gb physical ram (it was 4 originally, upgraded a little more than a year before) and about 14Gb virtual.

I also have somewhere around 200Gb free space.

 

And don't worry, I'm seriously considering an adapter. I guess I'll run a format c: to factory default and see if that helps, but if it doesn't I'll just get one and get over it.

[Digerati]

Well, I am never in favor of reformatting and reinstalling because it puts the system months or even years behind in security updates, it often does not work (especially with hardware issues), and when it does work, nothing is learned to prevent recurrence. So it is always a last resort option. But at this point, I'm out of ideas. Sorry. 

[Tomk]

GatoTuerto,

I'm not likely to say anything useful as Big D forgot more about computers last week than I've ever known... but a couple rambling thoughts...

 

I'm concerned that something really weird is going on.  Specifically because you say that there is no change when plugged in to ethernet.  I cannot think of any reason why you should get disconnected when plugged in - especially when other systems on the same router don't experience those disconnects.  That just doesn't make sense.

 

I've had a look at your logs over in the spyware forum and they are concerning.  I'm actually shocked that more malware wasn't found there.  You had a couple dozen cracked and pirated programs on your system.  That's just bad juju.  Those cracks and keygens are, typically, open highways to all kinds of nefarious stuff.  It is very rare that they don't invite a few "friends" in.

 

You are obviously a gamer.  That isn't bad in itself, but it appears to me that you have a boatload of games/programs ported through your firewall.  Digerati knows much more about that stuff, but I hate to see it.  That is just minimizing your security.  Again, not alot of malware was found so you appear to be very lucky... or something is very good at hiding.

 

While I agree with Digerati that reformatting and reinstalling is a last resort... for the above reasons, I feel this just might be the best choice for you.  However, I want to point out that even that will be a waste of time if you reinstall garbage (keygens, cracks, pirated programs).  If you think you can get away with it again... then my advice is that you unplug that machine and use it for a doorstop and make things safer for everybody in your house.  There is no excuse to let "friends" install "things" on your system that you don't know what are.

 

As I said... not extremely helpful, but I hope that you consider what I have said as you move forward.

[Digerati]

 

 

Big D forgot more about computers last week than I've ever known... 

Ha! Not likely. Well, me forgetting stuff, yes. But Tom not offering useful advice? Never!

 

With cracked and pirated programs, that could for sure, explain a lot. While there may not be any malware currently on the system, it is possible it was there, did its damage, then purged itself. After all, developers of malware typically code it to do malicious things while remaining undetected. 

[Gary R]

Might be worth trying a Repair Install ... https://www.tenforum...ce-upgrade.html... if you don't have a W10 install disk, then follow the directions for using a W10 ISO file ... https://www.tenforum...-upgrade.html#4