gigabit NIC only allowing 100mbps? Really frustrated

dr.stevil

dr.stevil

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So I have a Dell Precision M4600 laptop with an Intel Gigabit NIC (Intel 82579LM) . Also on the network is a newer desktop build w/a gigabit NIC, and both machines are connected to a NetGear Nighthawk R7000 with Cat5e cables.

Lately I've noticed a lot of latency when I need to connect remotely to my desktop with Splashtop from my laptop (and poorer than average streaming performance with Steam in Home Streaming). I used a LAN bandwidth testing utility and saw that it was giving me a max of 11MBps... which is a far cry from what I should be getting.

After a little digging, I found that the laptop is only connecting at 100mbps. The desktop, however, is running at the full 1000mbps. Under the device manager, I tried setting the "Speed and Duplex" to gigabit, (edited) (read below, I am able to enable it)

I know for a fact that these cables will handle it just fine as it worked OK with my old laptop (and I could of swore it worked fine on this machine at one point as well). And I KNOW that this NIC is capable of 1000mbps.

Can anyone point me in the right direction as to why this is happening? Or how to fix it? I had a USB3.0 gigabit nic around that I was going to try testing with but can't seem to find it, unfortunately.

thanks in advance

EDIT: OK, so I found the setting to enable full gigabit (I don't know how I missed it). When I try to force full gigabit, it doesn't even connect to the network. The network icon in the task manager shows a yellow triangle. As I said above though, I know for a fact that this cable worked at gigabit speeds with another computer just fine.
 
Last edited:
dr.stevil said:
So I have a Dell Precision M4600 laptop with an Intel Gigabit NIC (Intel 82579LM) . Also on the network is a newer desktop build w/a gigabit NIC, and both machines are connected to a NetGear Nighthawk R7000 with Cat5e cables.

Lately I've noticed a lot of latency when I need to connect remotely to my desktop with Splashtop from my laptop (and poorer than average streaming performance with Steam in Home Streaming). I used a LAN bandwidth testing utility and saw that it was giving me a max of 11MBps... which is a far cry from what I should be getting.

After a little digging, I found that the laptop is only connecting at 100mbps. The desktop, however, is running at the full 1000mbps. Under the device manager, I tried setting the "Speed and Duplex" to gigabit, (edited) (read below, I am able to enable it)

I know for a fact that these cables will handle it just fine as it worked OK with my old laptop (and I could of swore it worked fine on this machine at one point as well). And I KNOW that this NIC is capable of 1000mbps.

Can anyone point me in the right direction as to why this is happening? Or how to fix it? I had a USB3.0 gigabit nic around that I was going to try testing with but can't seem to find it, unfortunately.

thanks in advance

EDIT: OK, so I found the setting to enable full gigabit (I don't know how I missed it). When I try to force full gigabit, it doesn't even connect to the network. The network icon in the task manager shows a yellow triangle. As I said above though, I know for a fact that this cable worked at gigabit speeds with another computer just fine.
Click to expand...

Have you tried using a short patch cable that you know is good? Just move the laptop into the room with the computer that you are trying to connect to.
 
Newest Intel drivers installed? ProSet utility? Power management limiting Nic performance? Newest router firmware? Tried different ports or a switch? Crossover cable to desktop? Plenty of things to try before you can blame anything specifically.
 
My guess would be patch cable... also 100mbit wont likely cause any latency at all in 99.9999% of situations unless your copying files over your lan (not internet unless you got one of those fancy 100+mbit connections) saturating the connection at the same time as doing other things.
 
Yeah, after posting this I tried updating the drivers which were absolutely out of date. Also tried turning off power saver settings and unfortunately though that didn't help. I was able to find the USB NIC I mentioned in the OP and couldn't get more than 100mb either. I also double checked with my g/fs laptop and again, 100mbps. I tried a smaller cable I had laying around and sure as shit, 1000mbps.So it must be the cable. I know for a fact though that it did work just fine @ 1000mbps at one point (and it is a Cat5E)... not sure what the deal is. It is around 50'-75' long though, IIRC, so that may have something to do with it?
 
Intel NIC and drivers usually are never the problem. I'd tackle it from the easiest first with trying a different switch port, different cable, router firmware update then different switch (auto negotiate interoperability issue) as someone else also suggested.
 
Is the cabled coiled up? Loop resistance can be an issue on long cables that are coiled.
 
mi7chy said:
Intel NIC and drivers usually are never the problem.
Click to expand...

In recent years, I would agree. Hasn't always been the case, though. I worked in IT at a mid-sized university during college. We had lots of performance issues with Intel nics connected to Cisco switches unless we installed Intel's proset and drivers (instead of Windows default) and manually set speed/duplex. Once that was done, they were rock solid and fast. It's been on my troubleshooting checklist ever since.
 
This is usually caused by (as others have mentioned) bad cabling or broken hardware. Setting gigabit speeds without auto-neg brakes specs...
//Danne
 
This may be a dumb question, but have you checked to see what the router shows you as connected and if the ports are configured for GigE? When somethin' is broken, don't assume one end it gooder than the other. Verify it all, specially since you have tried with 3 devices and they are all having the same problem.

Edit - nvm....I should read all the letters in a post rather than skimming....
 
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