Slow internet speed.

[Zorro]

I am having a frustrating problem with my W10 laptop. For the last couple of days, it is extremely slow to access any web site, although it seems to be normal in other respects. About half the time, I get a message that the web site cannot be accessed, because it was too slow to respond. Sometimes, after this message appears, the site comes up anyway. I have run a virus finder which found no problems. Speed check gives me a reading of 5mb for downloads, which is the best I can get in my location.

At about the same time as this started, I had installed a vpn, ipvanish, and I thought that this had probably caused the problem. However the problem persisted when I disabled the program, and also when I totally uninstalled it.

I would greatly appreciate any suggestions as to what the problem might be and how I might go about trying to correct it.

 

[Fishy]

A VPN can definitely adversely impact your download speed. Make sure that you are not connecting through the VPN’s servers.

And then....

Do you have another computer or phone that you can run a speed test on?

Go to fast.com and run a speed test on your connection. (Fast.com is maintained by Netflix to help customers test their connection speed.) If it’s problematic on the other device as well, it’s either your network or the ISP.

Unplug your modem and your router for a minute. Plug in the modem and then a minute later, plug in the router.

Check fast.com again.

If there’s still an issue, call your ISP. There may be something amiss with the connections from their equipment to your home network. Something as minor as a failing splitter can make a huge difference.

 

[Zorro]

Fishy; Thanks. Tried that, second computer works fine. Could maybe the vpn, even though it is uninstalled, have left files behind that would be adversely affecting the ability of computer 1 to access websites? Or can you suggest any other diagnostics I might try before giving up and taking it in to the tech? If it was not the vpn, it must have been something that I did to cause the problem. I had just replaced my hard drive with a solid state and it was really whizzing along.

 

[Fishy]

Fishy; Thanks. Tried that, second computer works fine. Could maybe the vpn, even though it is uninstalled, have left files behind that would be adversely affecting the ability of computer 1 to access websites? Or can you suggest any other diagnostics I might try before giving up and taking it in to the tech? If it was not the vpn, it must have been something that I did to cause the problem. I had just replaced my hard drive with a solid state and it was really whizzing along.

I’m thinking it’s the VPN.

Let me ponder on it for a bit.

 

[Zorro]

I am going to download the MIcrocoft Support system diagnosis tools and try to slog through them. Will let you know what happens. Thanks again.

 

[Fishy]

I am going to download the MIcrocoft Support system diagnosis tools and try to slog through them. Will let you know what happens. Thanks again.

I don’t think that will help.

First, if you haven’t, check add/remove programs for the VPN software. I suspect it has not removed all of its files.

Remove anything associated with the VPN. If that does not help, try to remove the setting manually...

1. Go to “Network and Sharing Center”.
2. Click “Change adapter settings” in the left pane.
3. Here you will see the adapters and the VPN connection. Right-click on the VPN connection that you want to remove and select Delete.

 

[Zorro]

Turned out to be an infection of some sort. C0mputer shop found and fixed it for $25. Thanks for the help anyway.