Network Connection

[Old_Geezer]

Was considering my PC to be getting too slow so I did the usual things and even closed all the browser windows (I tend to leave a load open as I constantly return to the same ones.) But there was little actual difference.

I checked my broadband speed in case that was an issue but I'm unsure what it should be (BT). It was coming in at fractionally less than 6.5 Mbps. I see from a comparison website BT seems to suggest up to 17M so that seems a bit off.

But the thing that really is puzzling me, and I may just be misreading things, is that if I hover over the icon bottom right it seems to be tells me the internet access is via the name on one of my WiFi connections; but I have a cable from the PC to the modem/router so it ought not be loading the wireless connection. As a fall back if I unplug the cable it'd be fine, but not first choice.

I may be clutching at straws thinking this is relevant, but can anyone shed any light on that WiFi reference rather than something that seems to be a cable ?

Cheers.

[pinkyboyid]

If you have both a wired cable connection and a wireless network configured as active on your Computer, with both using the same network Gateway address, e.g. your ISP router IP address, then Windows will auto prioritise network traffic based on the speed of connection via auto assigning each a 'Metric' value.

When more than one network connection is available, Windows uses the one with the lowest metric value. For further explanation of the Automatic Metric feature for Internet Protocol routes see:-

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/299540

If you feel it necessary to force Windows to use a specific network connection, then assign a metric value to each one (giving the lowest value to the desired connection), setting as follows:-

- Right-Click the Wireless Icon
- Select 'Open Network and Sharing Centre'
- Select 'Change adapter settings' (listed on lefthand side of Window
- Right click the desired connection.
- Click Properties > Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4).
- Click Properties > Advanced.
- Uncheck "Automatic metric".
- Enter a number between 1 and 9999 for the "Interface metric" (lowest being the priority)
- Click 'OK'

[Old_Geezer]

Thanks. I'll check the link you gave.

(Bit confusing at present as the Network Connections page only shows one icon for Local Area Connection and that is the first WiFi. I would have thought there would have been a refence to both WiFi and the cable somewhere.)

Meanwhile the PC response seems to have speeded up anyway. Maybe freed resource doesn't kick in for a bit.