What Can Be Slowing Down My Laptop?

[237SJ]

When I go onto a site I see (in the bottom left hand corner) all of the what I presume to be platforms that are gone through to get to a site. For example, it will say waiting for facebook, performing TLS handshake with facebook, transferring data from facebook etc. At least I am presuming that they are platforms that need to be gone through... The process isn't instant and my computer is running really slowly as a result. I have run a Norton scan and a Malwarebytes scan. Have done system restore and tested broadband speed and no issues have come up. I know it's not the router because when other people are sharing the router, they have no problems and it's not their sharing that is slowing mine down either. What could have happened?

[Buenchico]

>>> I have run a Norton scan

You might have just answered your own question! Norton security products (just like Windows Defender) have a nasty habit of getting stuck in a loop, slowing web browsing down dramatically.

Try temporarily disabling Norton and then visiting a few safe sites to see if there's a difference.

[237SJ]

Thanks Chris. Just tried it but it doesn't make any difference. I don't think it's anything to do with the new Firefox because I have tried using IE and it's still doing it. I did stay with relatives the week before last and I got onto their wifi without having to use their password so it was obviously unsecured - I`m not sure I could have got a virus from that though

[dannyk13]

Could it be that you are running two antivirus programmes?

[237SJ]

I don't think so - I have always run both although as far as I know, Malwarebytes only does a scan when I want it to. It's not working all of the time as I have the free version.

[Buenchico]

I'm not sure whether disabling the working part of Norton also disables the 'updating' part. (It's often that bit which is constantly trying to download data, even when it shouldn't be). So I wouldn't rule out Norton entirely as a possible cause of your problem.

It's time to investigate further . . .

Right-click on the taskbar at the foot of your screen.
Select 'Start Task Manager'.
Click the 'Processes' tab.
Click 'Show Processes from All Users'.
Click to maximise the window (just to make it easier to see things).

Click the 'CPU' column heading to place the largest CPU figures at the top.
'System Idle Process' should be massive (the bigger, the better) but anything else much above '02' should be suspect.

Then click on the 'Working Set (Memory)' column header, to place those figures in order. Assuming that you've got it open, the largest figures should be for Firefox. (Don't worry that it's shown four times. It's meant to happen!) Anything else showing large figures should be regarded with deep suspicion.

Note: 'svchost.exe' will probably be listed lots of times. That's normal but if there's a high CPU figure next to one instance of it, look down the 'Working Set (Memory)' column to see if you can spot a figure which keeps changing (even though the figures you see might actually be very small). That process is likely to be the one making a call on 'svchost.exe'

So, does anything look suspicious to you?

[237SJ]

Thanks Chris. I have investigated everything that I can see on Task Manager. The only other thing I can think of is to disable wifi and connect the laptop to the router with an ethernet cable. If that doesn't work then I will have to find someone to fix it.

[Buenchico]

If things improve when you use an Ethernet cable then, obviously, there's a problem with your wifi connection. As you've ruled out any problem with your router, the most likely solution to the problem would be to reset your laptop's TCP/IP stack. (It's dead easy. If you need instructions, please tell us which version of Windows you're using).

[237SJ]

When I ran a speedtest the other day I got 15Mb/s upload but last night and today I have run a couple of tests (from Which and elsewhere) and I`m only getting between 1 and 1.4 Mb/s and upload anything from 2.5 to 4.6 Mb/s which is ridiculously slow. That is wifi (haven't done an ethernet one yet) but I am only sitting about 8 ft from the router.

[237SJ]

With ethernet (from 2 different tests) 29.7 Mb/s download, 6.2 Mb/s upload. Do definitely something to do with the wifi.

[Buenchico]

3 things to do:

1. Rest the TCP/IP stack on the laptop ;

2. Look for any possible sources of RF interference near to the laptop. (For example, even when an inkjet printer is nominally 'off' it can still emit loads of RF energy. Simply put a portable radio next to one to hear it! Similarly, TV sets can generate plenty of RF interference. Remember that your next door neighbour's devices could be to blame!)

3. Change the channel your router is using.