I dont know where to post this, but please help I need some serious help please


I use a mobile broadband connection

a while ago, I started playing LFS online and all wasworking well, it ran an average of 1mbps, yes its slow but lag was ok and Ididnt get kick of servers for lagging......but, in the background something waseating my bandwidth, I had a struggle for a while, turn off every updater Icould find on my pc nothing helped, as soon as I go online I could see itseating away, about 250MB per hour.

I eventually ran the anti malware software and discovered myPC is very very very sick, removed all the threats and my bandwidth eatingproblem went away

....but, then a new problem started, my internet is now soslow, it's not worth it anymore, I get kicked of servers everywhere forlagging. It runs average 20 - 30kbps sometimes even under 1kbps!!

Anyone have any idea what could be wrong? I struggle to openwebsites, anytime day or night, downloading mails is a nightmare and worst ofall, I can barely play LFS!



I run windows7 ultimate 64bit

I use a 7.2mbps USB modem/dongle or what ever they callthis. The above speeds are all at 3G or HSPA according to the modem dashboard.



Please help me!!!

I'm guessing you ran the virus scan again and nothing popped up. The only thing I can really think of is call your internet company and see what they can do. Also, those USB dongles are horrible. It's probably burnt up. I've had the same problems with every one I've used. Either get a new one, or a router.

Reformat your hard drive. (Remember to back up data.)

Reinstall Windows and all the drivers.

Learn to use your PC carefully and stop clicking on those damn virus/torjan/malware-spreading links.

Or, if you will, spend 30 min to learn how to use a GNU/Linux distro for daily computing so you no longer get caught by those stuff.


If the above doesn't work, post again and we'll see if it's a hardware issue (very unlikely) or something.

BTW, do you run your dongle 24/7 ? If yes, try switching it off, wait for at least 20 min and test again.

Quote :

do you run your dongle 24/7

No, I only run it when I go online, its disconected most of the time

Quote :

those USB dongles are horrible. It's probably burnt up

Well, it gets realy hot when im online, could it be that it is broken?

If the network works normally at the beginning, but becomes laggy after getting hot, then it could be a hardware problem.

To separate hardware issues from software ones, try:

- Connect via the dongle using another computer.

- Boot from CD/DVD/USB and test the network.

Quote from jaco1981 :

I eventually ran the anti malware software and discovered myPC is very very very sick, removed all the threats and my bandwidth eatingproblem went away
....but, then a new problem started, my internet is now soslow, it's not worth it anymore, I get kicked of servers everywhere forlagging. It runs average 20 - 30kbps sometimes even under 1kbps!!Anyone have any idea what could be wrong? I struggle to openwebsites, anytime day or night, downloading mails is a nightmare and worst ofall, I can barely play LFS!

This sounds familiar, and I was asked to look a a friends PC for the same reasons. What transpired was that the anti malware/cleaning applications that were used to cure the original problem, left resident portions of themselves to prevent further infections. The problem here is that they tend to intercept all web traffic and disk access to prevent damage. Unless you have an uber machine, this will actually slow things down, and even more so if there are several different applications trying to do the same thing at the same time.

If you are confident that you are now clean. Remove/uninstall the cleaning products. Windows defender is pretty good and should help prevent further infections, and also appears to be non invasive. A good antivirus tool is worth researching, and will probably be less intrusive too.

Quote from Keling :

Reformat your hard drive. (Remember to back up data.)

Reinstall Windows and all the drivers.

This course of action was effective for XP and Vista, but Win7 is far more resilient, and doesn't need such drastic action to fix problems. I'd recommend against it unless your OS is fairly young where you'd have nothing to lose.

Quote :

BTW, do you run your dongle 24/7 ? If yes, try switching it off, wait for at least 20 min and test again.

This is a good point, and the 3G dongles do appear to be fragile and poor at managing heat. Try to see if your slow down is progressive ie. your web slows down as the dongle warms up.

Finally, speaking of the dongle. The anti malware/ cleaners can also be very aggressive, and on occasions clean more than they should. The app for your dongle might have been affected, so a reinstall of its software might help here.

Disclaimer!
Probably and might, are used to reflect the uncertainty of any recommendations on offer. There are just too many variables to consider, so while I don't recommend a reinstall of your OS, it might be the only remedy

Hi Jaco

I am probably running the same system as you are, mostly a 7.2mps Vodacom usb dongle, laterly 8ta (just because something seriously wrong with vodacom 3G here in Somerset-West at he moment). We are probably utilising the same vodacom server in cape town.

Also on windows 7 64 bit.

Best advice I can give you, remove all anti-virus, firewalls etc software. See how it goes.

What mobile service are you using? Vodacom sucks atm.

- Gerrit

Quote from Jettascuba :

Hi Jaco

I am probably running the same system as you are, mostly a 7.2mps Vodacom USBdongle, laterly 8ta (just because something seriously wrong with vodacom 3Ghere in Somerset-West at he moment). We are probably utilising the same vodacomserver in cape town.

Also on windows 7 64 bit.

Best advice I can give you, remove all anti-virus, firewalls etc software.See how it goes.

What mobile service are you using? Vodacom sucks atm.

- Gerrit

Hi Gerrit

I am actually just around the corner from you; I stay in Gordon'sbay.

I pick up my signal from Little foot farm, If you can remember,a few weeks back we had a few days of hectic wind, especially here in GB, well,my problem started the same time more or less, but I'm not sure if its my pc or isp

Yes, I am also using Vodacom, and like I said, it was good,but it's bad now.

I had someone over this afternoon also with a vodacom stickand a laptop and the speeds was more or less the same as I get here now a days

A friend of mine claims that the get 4.x mbps with 8ta in Kuilsriver and a friend of his 1MBps in town!

I am only 4 months into my 2 year contract so there's no turning around if it is vodacom. Hope I can get this resolved

Quote from Squelch :

This sounds familiar, and I was asked to look a afriends PC for the same reasons. What transpired was that the antimalware/cleaning applications that were used to cure the original problem, leftresident portions of themselves to prevent further infections. The problem hereis that they tend to intercept all web traffic and disk access to preventdamage. Unless you have an uber machine, this will actually slow things down,and even more so if there are several different applications trying to do thesame thing at the same time.

If you are confident that you are now clean. Remove/uninstall the cleaningproducts. Windows defender is pretty good and should help prevent furtherinfections, and also appears to be non invasive. A good antivirus tool is worthresearching, and will probably be less intrusive too.

Yes, I have removed the anti Malware, Netlimiter and some other stuff I downloaded completely from my system. I start to get the feeling that its the ISP, only thing I can do is call them tomorrow and find out if there is a problem, but with the service levels around here I won't hold my breath!

Jaco

Vodacom customer care is a joke.

Somehow, 2 days ago my Vodacom 3G started working again. From Firgrove towards Kuils River it seems like 8ta is good, here it is slightly worse than vodacom at its best.

Yeah, my issues also started after that terrible wind.

Hopefully we will get LTE soon.

Good to hear you have probably tracked the problem down.

I hope you get it sorted soon guys.

Quote from Jettascuba :

Jaco

Vodacom customer care is a joke.

You tell me, I spoke to them yesterday and the guy tells methat my area is not 3G covered. I tell him bull. When I was playing LFS with 15cars on track with almost no lag and was watching youtube vids like mad, I wasdraining my 2gb cap like nothing and I had to govern myself from running out ofcap half way thru the month, I am pretty sure that was not GPRS, now sinceNovember I am sitting with 1,5gb at the end of the month, any way, so heinstructs me to uninstall device and re-install and set it up for GPRS only,well then it did not work at all, and he tells me to take it to a repaircentre! Any way, re-installed it on my own and its working slow again. At leastI can go online from 1am!!!



During the day, the only way to check my mail, is to takethe tab and drive out to the tower, check mail and go back home, lol

Quote from Squelch :

Good to hear you have probably tracked the problem down.

I hope you get it sorted soon guys.

Ja me hope so to

Quote from jaco1981 :

Well, it gets realy hot when im online, could it be that it is broken?

Well, no. They're just always not made for long periods of time. (or not made very good at all )

Will I get better speed using my phone as a modem?

Quote from jaco1981 :

Will I get better speed using my phone as a modem?

hmm....try and error?

Quote from jaco1981 :

Will I get better speed using my phone as a modem?

Either the same or slower.

Quote from jaco1981 :

Will I get better speed using my phone as a modem?

Probably not, but you might be able to use your phone to "sniff" the best signal position where you live. If your dongle is plugged directly into your tower - say at the back - it might not be picking up the best signal when it's marginal anyway.

Give it a go, and see if you can find a USB extension cable to place the dongle in a better position once found.

Quote from Squelch :

Probably not, but you might be able to use your phone to "sniff" the best signal position where you live. If your dongle is plugged directly into your tower - say at the back - it might not be picking up the best signal when it's marginal anyway.

Give it a go, and see if you can find a USB extension cable to place the dongle in a better position once found.

I have a 1 meter USB extension cable, I had it out thewindow, the tower is that side, I can actually see the tower from my house, butnothing helps.

Strange thing is, atnight (1am) I can play any server regardless of number of connections, no prob,I can watch youtube vids, uninterrupted, surf forum after forum after pictureblah blah, but during the day, I cant even launch google.com, I cant even downloadtext based mails.

Now, I get the whole thing with cell connections and speeddepends on amount of people per cell using bandwidth and blah blah blah, butreally, I cant even go online during the day, come on, that's not fair. I'm sure there must be something in place togive everyone a piece of the pie?



What I have learned from this is that, there is nothingwrong with my PC or dongle, there is a problem with my ISP and they don't givea ..........