I'm not very comfortable troubleshooting technology and could use some guidance. My older Acer PC started having internet problems after a system update that also reported a CMOS issue. Some websites, such as Facebook and YouTube, worked normally, while Netflix and Yahoo would frequently hang or take a long time to load. World of Warcraft had similar problems: sometimes it worked, but often I experienced severe lag or disconnections. The affected services seemed to fail together.
I replaced the Acer with a new SkyTech running Windows 11 Home, a Ryzen 5 8400F, Radeon RX 9060, 16GB of DDR5 memory, and a 1TB NVMe SSD. After setting it up, the new computer developed exactly the same symptoms. I transferred some personal files from the old computer using an external drive, so I ran both a full Microsoft Defender scan and an offline scan, but neither found anything.
My internet connection appears to report no problems, and other family members can stream Netflix through an Xbox without interruption. That makes me suspect the network equipment. The router is about six years old, gets very hot, and was previously located outside the air-conditioned part of the house. I moved it into a cooler room and placed a fan on it, but my latency became even worse. What should I test next, and is the router or internet service the most likely cause?
2 Answers
Try the new computer with a direct Ethernet connection to the router, using a different cable if possible. You can also temporarily change the DNS servers to 1.1.1.1 or 8.8.8.8. While the problem is happening, run `ping 1.1.1.1 -t`. If the response times spike or time out, the issue is probably with the router, connection, or ISP rather than the PC. A bad Ethernet cable is another simple possibility worth ruling out.
Since two completely different PCs show the same behavior, the computers themselves are very unlikely to be the cause. The router, modem, ISP connection, or DNS settings are the common factors. A six-year-old router that runs hot is a strong suspect, so replacing it—or asking the internet provider for a replacement modem/router—is a sensible first step.
That makes sense. We're going to replace the router and see whether the problems disappear.