Troubleshooting an Abnormally Slow System

1. If your computer or network worked correctly until adding a new device, then do troubleshooting for that device.
2. If you have a wireless network, see Improving Wireless Range or Improving Range with RangeMax.
3. With exactly the same networking equipment, a faster computer has a noticeably faster network connection. Many issues with slow computers that otherwise work correctly can be fixed using Optimizing a Slow Computer.
4. If your problem is gaming performance, see Game Optimization.
5. Assess the traffic through the router. If many programs access the Internet, limit their use. Software such as Morpheus, Kazaa and BitTorrent open several connections to download files. This increases your download speed, but also increases the traffic through the router.
6. If you reset the MTU size, for example with a tool to "improve" network performance, see MTU, Partial Loss of Internet Connection, and Performance.
7. Viruses may flood the router with traffic. Update your anti-virus program, and run it on all computers. Note that free programs such as Spybot or Microsoft's Antispyware (which is available as a free beta) can detect problems that a virus checker cannot.
8. For wireless networks using Ad-Hoc mode, see 11 Mpbs Performance With Wireless Ad-Hoc Mode.

Check IRQ Conflicts

Later Windows operating systems such as Windows XP and Windows 2003 tend not to have IRQ conflicts. However, they are common in Windows 95 and Windows 98. An IRQ conflict may cause slowness, intermittent loss of connection, or complete loss of connection.

1. Right-click My Computer, and select Properties.
2. Click Hardware > Device Manager.
3. Double-click Computer, at the top of the list of devices.
4. Look through the list of IRQs and the hardware device that is on each IRQ. Find the NETGEAR adapter in the list and verify that it is the only device on the IRQ. If the IRQ is listed more than once then the NETGEAR card is sharing with another device (IRQ holder for PCI steering is not a hardware device and may be shared).
5. Scan through the list of settings, from 00 through 15. If a number is skipped then the IRQ is available; if all numbers are listed then you don't have an available IRQ and you must free up an IRQ by removing a device on your computer that you aren't using. Free NETGEAR Support will not assist in removing other devices from your computer. Contact the manufacturer of your computer or seek an on-site technician.

Note: Most motherboards reserve an IRQ in the BIOS for ISA cards by default. Check the BIOS to see if the IRQ is reserved for an ISA card, if there is an IRQ free, and if the Network card is not installing on that IRQ. If you find that the Network Adapter is sharing an IRQ with another device then remove the adapter from device manager, remove the card from computer and place it in a different PCI slot. It should install onto a different IRQ.

On Slower Computers, Set the Transmit Threshold

1. Right-click Network Neighborhood, and select Properties.
2. Select Configuration > File and Print Sharing > Properties.
3. Select Advanced > Browse Master. Set it to Enabled.
4. Select Configuration > the NETGEAR adapter > Properties.
5. On the Advanced tab, highlight Transit Threshold. At the Value field select Store and Forward in the drop down.
6. Restart the computer.

Note: When network adapters share the same IRQ as another PCI adapter then this can cause a loss in performance on the network.

Maximum wireless signal rate derived from IEEE Standard 802.11 specifications. Actual data throughput will vary.
Network conditions and environmental factors, including volume of network traffic, building materials and construction, and network overhead, lower actual data throughput rate.

Doc: N100056.asp March 11, 2005