upgrade for network adapter

[TB15]

My computer has an integrated 10/100 BASE-T Ethernet LAN Network Interface.

Can that network interface be upgraded to anything that will provide more than the 10/100 Mbps speed?

The computer is connected directly to the modem.  Not using its WIFI.

The internet speed coming into the computer has a maximum of 300 Mbps, and was just checked now a 174 Mbps, which would be great.  However, with the 10/100 interface, the speed check at the computer is always limited to ~75 to 80 Mbps.

The computer has a AMD A10-9600P RADEON R5, 10 COMPUTE CORES 4C+6G 2.40 GHz processor.

[Paul_Tikkanen · Accepted solution]

Hi:

Unfortunately, you can't do an internal upgrade as the ethernet adapter is an integral part of the motherboard.

But since your PC has USB 3 ports, you can purchase an external USB to RJ-45 gigabit ethernet adapter, and that should resolve the issue.

For example...

https://www.amazon.com/Ethernet-Adapter-Gigabit-Supporting-Driver/dp/B07T7LWRCT/ref=sr_1_3?hvadid=78...

[TB15]

Sounds like a great potential solution. I will give it a try and report back.

[TB15]

It worked. Using the USB 3.0 to gigabit adapter recommended in this post, the computers speed increased from ~72 Mbps to ~140 Mbps. That is great, but now my provider needs to explain why I'm not getting the 300 Mbps that I pay for.

[Paul_Tikkanen]

Hi:

That is good news.

Are you using a Cat 6 cable from the modem to your USB 3 ethernet adapter?

If so, check the actual connection speed of the USB ethernet adapter to make sure it is actually connecting at 1 GB/S.

Go to the windows control panel>Network and Internet>Network and Sharing Center.

Under the View your active networks, click on your ethernet connection, and it should show you the actual connection speed.

The connection speed is not the download speed.

[TB15]

The cable from the modem to USB 3 ethernet adapter at the laptop is a CAT 7.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01MFE52DQ/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I have a CAT 6 cable that I could use, if you think that would make a difference for the good.

The speed of the USB ethernet adapter does say 1.0 Gbps.

While typing this, I checked the download speed and got 220 Mbps.

[Paul_Tikkanen]

No, you are fine with the Cat 7.

The fact that windows reports a 1 GB connection speed means that part is working fine.

My cable company won't look into speed issues unless they are less than 70% of the advertised speed, and the PC, since I set up my own wireless router, they will only troubleshoot direct from the modem to a PC with an ethernet cable attached.

220 out of 300 isn't the best but it is not bad and sure beats 75 MBPS.

[TB15]

Any ideas why the computer keeps switching on its own from the USB 3.0 connection to its slower WIFI connection?  When it does that, then I found that briefly unplugging the USB 3.0 ethernet adapter and plugging back in, it switches back to using the faster USB 3.0 connection almost instantly. When it switches to the WIFI and then I turn off the WIFI, it does not switch back automatically as previously described; I still have to unplug and plug back in.

[Paul_Tikkanen]

Unfortunately I don't.

Perhaps you should go to the device manager, click to expand the Network Adapters device manager category.

Click on the Realtek Fast Ethernet (FE) adapter and select Disable.

It should remain in that state until you go back in there and enable it again.