Windows 7: slow download and internet browsing

Hi

I seem to have joined the many that are having problems with slow download speeds using Windows 7. I recently bought a well speced HP Pavillion with Windows 7 64-bit. Since I turned it on for the first time I have painfully slow download speeds. A broadband speed test showed download speed of 144 kbps and upload speed of 371 kbps. In reality, downloads speed are about 15kpps when I download programs ( as I had to do due to lots of compliancy issues with printer, cameras etc). We also have 2 laptops in the house, one with XP and one with Visa. All use the same Netgear DG834GT router to connect to the internet. Both laptops internet speeds are normal and unaffected (XP download speed 6280 kbps and upload 377 kbps). My broadband line speed is 8mpbs. I have tried all the suggestions I could find (and understand) such as starting in safe mode, disabling internet security (Norton), deselecting IPv6 and QoS, deselecting all options under LAN settings on internet options etc without any change in the speed. I use a Belkin wireless G USB network adaptor. I have downloaded an up to date driver. I dont believe it is the wirelss connection though as not only do the other 2 laptops work fine but I have connected my new PC to the router via a data cable and the speed is exactly the same, slow!

Help, anyone, please. I am also not that techie so appreciate I may not have given all the info required but any help or advice appreciated.

First thing is first....
Lets narrow down the problem...

Lets take the wireless and the router away from the problem...

I need for you the connect your laptop/desktop directly to your cable modem and hardwire it through the 10/100.
Do your speed tests! copy that down....

then hook up your router to your cable modem and connect your computer to your router hardwire and do the speed test. do your peed tests and copy that down

and then do the speed tests with the wireless lan...
lets see what is going on here.

also something I would like for you to do too

With each hook up

PING www.yahoo.com
and i want to see the ms that it pings back to see if the router causes any problems as well

we got your router's model number in the initial question you sent... could we get the router's version and the firmware's version of the router as well. that would help out as well.

Hi

Thank you for replying.

I was going to try what you suggested but it was easier to use an extension and bring the router to the PC rather than the other way round. When I first bought the PC and connected it using the data cable, I set it up next to the router in the hall but now it is at my desk in the next room. So using an extension, I brought the router to the PC, connected via cable and just to check, ran speed test in normal mode and suddenly, the speed was >6mpbs, so the same as laptop that is on the same desk. So I disconnected the cable and tried using wireless, same result, speed > 6mpbs. Great. Problem solved. Thought it may have something to do with windows update that was installed last night. Put the router back in enterance hall and slow speed returned, about 130 kpbs. Thought it may be interefernce from wireless phone (even though both laptops work fine off same router) so disconnected phone and tried again, still slow speed. Gradually moved router towards the room where the PC is and once over threshold, speed shot up. A foot either way makes a massive difference in speed to PC but not laptops. The difference is repeatable. I can almost draw a line where the signal changes.
So, the problem cant be with the OS. Also as mentioned, both laptops do not suffer from slower speeds when the router is in the hall. I used the same wireless device on my previous PC with XP and that was fine too. Not sure if there are any router settings that need to change but at least I am getting closer to the source of the problem.

In view of what I have found, do you have any suggestions?

Thanks again

You will want to update the firmware for your router which should fix the problem.
This new firmware came out on 3/16/10 so will most likely work with Windows 7.

http://kb.netgear.com/app/products/model/a_id/2328

I updated my router firmware and there was no improvement. I contacted my ISP who confirmed there was no problems with my broadband connection. I bought a new USB adapter. Originally I had a Belkin G network adapter F5D7050 so upgraded to a Belkin N adapter F5D8053 V6 and downloaded the latest and Windows 7 64 bit compatible driver off their website. The download speed is better, up to 1mbps but it seems to fluctuate a lot. I can still get about 6mbps if I use a data cable or bring the router closer to the wireless adapter. Distance from PC to router in hall way is only about 6 meters and almost within sight of each other.