Spotty connection issues

[Joshkdmw]

Hey all,

finally got myself a PC to game with, after having run a mac exclusively since I was a teen. It's not a brand new PC, but so far it runs everything I need it to.

The problem I'm having is with my internet connection. The connection will be fine for a while, but every now and then, it'll "hiccup," as I call it. The speed drops to ludicrously slow, which will commonly cause my online games to freeze up for around 20 to 30 seconds before coming back.

I haven't experienced any such problems with my Mac, 360, PS3, Vita, 3DS, and tablet, and neither has my roommate complained of any similar problems. It's particularly odd as the PC is running off of a wired ethernet connection directly from the wall.

Through some googling and such, I've tried some of the more common fixes, such as:

-Bouncing the router and modem (didn't need google to tell me that)

-Assigning a static IP address to the PC

-Updating drivers for the network card

-Updating the router firmware

and nothing has really solved the problem thus far.

The network card I'm using is an Nvidia Nforce 10/100 Mbps, the router is a Vizio, and the modem is the standard Shaw unit.

Anybody have any thoughts? Maybe something with a firewall? Should I turn that off? Using a mac this long has largely insulated me from learning fixes to problems like this. It's not a HUGE deal, but damn if it isn't irritating.

[Dark Acre Jack]

Do you live in an apartment with the buzzer connected to the phone line? I've lived in a couple of places where people coming and going would interrupt my connection, particularly when I was right in the middle of healing an epic boss fight >.<

[Joshkdmw]

I am in a condo, but there's no buzzer.

[Ghostbear]

Do you have another computer you can use right now? Typically these problems are not the PC itself.

[Karak]

Originally Posted by Joshkdmw

Lots

Sounds like you have really trouble shot a great deal on your own. I personally believe it is something with the router/modem or the connection to the room you are in.

With comcast I had them come to my apartment, same issues as you, and they tested the signal strength and found that the wire in the wall and a splitter both needed replacing. Heat, cold various other issues would totally throw my downloads out of wack in very strange intervals.

[Joshkdmw]

Hmm. Well, at least the computer is fine. I'll see about running more tests this weekend.