Check Your Ethernet Hardware and Driver Settings
Once you’ve made sure that your Ethernet cables and connectors are fine, you can proceed with checking your Ethernet hardware and driver settings. The hardware and drivers Ethernet are the parts that govern the communication between the Ethernet cable and your computer. Incompatible or out-of-date hardware and drivers Ethernet can cause connection speeds to drop or even not work at all.
To check your Ethernet hardware settings, you can follow these steps:
- Open the Control Panel on your computer.
- Select Network and Internet.
- Select Network and Sharing Center.
- Select Change adapter settings on the left side of the window.
- Right-click on the Ethernet icon you are using and select Properties.
- Click on the Configure under the Networking tab.
- Select the Advanced tab.
- Look for options named Speed & Duplex or Link Speed & Duplex or similar.
- Change the value of the option to 1.0 Gbps Full Duplex or 10.0 Gbps Full Duplex or similar, depending on the speed you want.
- Click OK to save the settings.
To check your Ethernet driver, you can follow these steps:
- Open Device Manager on your computer.
- Find and double-click on Network adapters.
- Find and right-click on the Ethernet device you are using and select Properties.
- Select the Driver tab.
- See the driver version listed under Driver Version.
- Compare that driver version with the latest driver version available on your Ethernet device manufacturer’s website.
- If your driver version is older than the latest driver version, you can download and install the latest driver version from your Ethernet device manufacturer’s website.
- If your driver version is the same or newer than the latest driver version, you can try removing and reinstalling your driver by selecting Uninstall device and then Scan for hardware changes in Device Manager.
Once you’ve done your Ethernet hardware and driver settings, you can try testing your Ethernet connection speed by using tools like Speedtest or Fast. If your Ethernet connection speed is what you want, then you have successfully solved this problem. If not, you can try the following methods.
Check Other Network Devices Connected to Your Ethernet Cable
In addition to your computer, you should also check other network devices that your Ethernet cable is connected to, such as routers, switches, or modems. These network devices must also support your desired Ethernet speed, otherwise, they could be a limiting factor for your Ethernet connection speed.
To check which other network devices your Ethernet cable is connected to, you can follow these steps:
- See the specifications of the network device you’re using, such as a router, switch, or modem. You can see these specifications in the manual, box, or website of the manufacturer of the network device.
- Find information about the Ethernet speeds supported by that network device. Usually, the information will be listed under the name or model of the network device, for example, Gigabit Router or 10/100/1000 Mbps Switch.
- Compare the Ethernet speed supported by that network device with the Ethernet speed you want. If the Ethernet speed supported by the network device is lower than the Ethernet speed you want, you can try replacing the network device with a better network device.
If you replace the network device connected to your Ethernet cable, you must also make sure that the settings of the network device are in accordance with the Ethernet speed you want. You can follow the instructions provided by the manufacturer of the network device to make these settings.