I just bought a new gaming PC and everything is running smoothly, but I'm running into a frustrating issue with my Ethernet connection. It only stays stable when I set it to full duplex at 100 Mbps. If I try to use any speed below or above that, the connection drops completely. My internet plan offers speeds up to 500 Mbps, so I want to use it at full capacity. I've already switched out the cable and updated the drivers, but this wasn't a problem with my old computer. What's going on here and how can I fix it?
4 Answers
Honestly, your internet speed is a factor, but it's how you’re measuring it that matters. Just because your plan is 500 Mbps doesn’t mean you’ll get that every time due to network traffic. If your router is advanced enough, check its diagnostics to see what the cable is rated. A 100 Mbps reading often points to a bad cable or possible NIC issue.
Have you tried using a USB to Ethernet adapter? That’s a cheap alternative if you're starting to suspect there's an issue with your PC's Ethernet port. Just a heads-up, sometimes issues like this pop up due to bad wiring or a malfunctioning wall port.
Check to make sure your Ethernet cable is at least Cat5e or better. If you’re using Cat6, that should be good, but also double-check that your new network interface card (NIC) can actually handle more than 100 Mbps.
It sounds like a problematic Ethernet card if it's dropping the link completely. When you leave it on auto-negotiation, it should ideally link to gigabit speeds (1000 Mbps). If your old PC worked perfectly fine at gigabit on that same router port, then something's not right with the new setup.
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