I've noticed that whenever I turn on my PC, my network adapter is usually limited to a speed of 100 Mbps, even though I have a 1 Gbps connection available. The strange part is, if I restart the network adapter, it goes back to the expected speed. This issue isn't critical, but it is quite annoying to have to reset the adapter every time I start my PC. I've checked the cable for faults and even changed the outlet recently due to unrelated issues. Any advice on what might be causing this or how to fix it?
1 Answer
It sounds like there might be a physical issue somewhere that's causing your network adapter to only negotiate a 100 Mbps connection at startup. Here are a few things to check: 1) Ensure your cables are Cat 5e or better since standard Cat 5 cables only support 100 Mbps. 2) Inspect all the ports and plugs to make sure none of the 8 pins are damaged because losing even one can default you to that lower speed.
The cable is Cat 5e, and I replaced the pins before changing the outlet. What confuses me is that I can get the full 1 Gbps speed after resetting the adapter, which seems to suggest there's no fault, right?