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Buck_W · Nov 16, 2005, 08:03 PM

I just got off the phone with a second level tech from adelphia. He said that I needed to talk to Apple and have them help me uninstall and then reinstall the drivers to my network card. (Web pages are taking forever to load and all the tests he ran checked out fine.)

Has anyone ever heard of this? If so, can anyone step me through it?

Thanks

ghporter · Nov 16, 2005, 08:39 PM

I doubt this will do anything for you. Uninstalling and reinstalling drivers is often useful in problems with a Windows computer, but not with Macs, which tells me that the "tech" is either working from a script (and second level techs should be working without scripts) or he's lost and is grasping at straws.

What is more likely to help you is properly configuring your network. What exact hardware (cable modem, router, etc.) do you have?

Buck_W · Nov 16, 2005, 08:51 PM

Originally Posted by ghporter

I doubt this will do anything for you. Uninstalling and reinstalling drivers is often useful in problems with a Windows computer, but not with Macs, which tells me that the "tech" is either working from a script (and second level techs should be working without scripts) or he's lost and is grasping at straws.

What is more likely to help you is properly configuring your network. What exact hardware (cable modem, router, etc.) do you have?

Thanks for the quick response. My hardware consists of a DI 614+ (D-Link) router and a Motorola SB4101 SURFboard modem from Adelphia. I've also added a VoIP adapter from Packet8 to my network. I have an eMac and mac mini hardwired to the router and a PowerBook connected wirelessly. Websurfing on all three computers has slowed down.

Buck_W · Nov 16, 2005, 08:58 PM

One more piece of information. . . I unhooked the router and connected one of the computers directly to the modem, but it did not improve anything. That's when the Adelphia tech said that it was probably my network card drivers.

chefpastry · Nov 16, 2005, 09:29 PM

Personally, I think that the problem lies on their end. While there are drivers for the built-in ethernet ports, I have not heard of any issues which may cause slow websurfing. Also, I have never heard of needing to uninstall built-in ethernet drivers. Try asking them to send a tech out to check out your cable connection and your cable modem.

Buck_W · Nov 16, 2005, 10:09 PM

Originally Posted by chefpastry

Personally, I think that the problem lies on their end. While there are drivers for the built-in ethernet ports, I have not heard of any issues which may cause slow websurfing. Also, I have never heard of needing to uninstall built-in ethernet drivers. Try asking them to send a tech out to check out your cable connection and your cable modem.

They did several checks and everything showed that it was working properly. I also did a speed test at: http://www.speakeasy.net/speedtest/

While the page took a while to load (and the test took over a minute to start), once it did begin, my speeds were over 3 MB.

chefpastry · Nov 16, 2005, 10:32 PM

Originally Posted by Buck_W

They did several checks and everything showed that it was working properly. I also did a speed test at: http://www.speakeasy.net/speedtest/

While the page took a while to load (and the test took over a minute to start), once it did begin, my speeds were over 3 MB.

Then maybe nothing is wrong...

Buck_W · Nov 17, 2005, 07:46 AM

Originally Posted by chefpastry

Then maybe nothing is wrong...

There's certainly nothing wrong with the speed (when it works)

The problem only seems manifest in the evenings, so I asked the tech if the problem could be related to the amount of people in our area who were using the cable system. He claimed that I have less than a 100 households on the "blade" I am on, so that wouldn't have anything to do with it. I find that interesting in light of the fact that I don't have slow downs and problems with web pages loading any other part of the day.

ghporter · Nov 17, 2005, 08:09 AM

I have "issues" with the way cable Internet service is set up, and particularly in the way it's marketed. I do not use it. I have DSL, so all I have to worry about is my phone line.

Since you have more than one computer handy, try connecting them together-a regular patch cord is all you'll need-and see how fast you can do things like transfer files. I bet that you'll be REALLY fast. And that would point to the cable modem as the problem. At this point, ask for a service call to test your cable drop and maybe replace your modem.