Internet connection slow on new computer

[Syt]

My new computer has arrived, huzzah!

However, for reasons I can't determine, the internet connection is ridiculously slow. I have a 15MBit line, computer directly hooked to modem. I've given the new computer the same mac address as the prvious one (and the one before that).

Opening web pages is painfully slow if they open at all, and download speeds of 100-200kB are good at the moment. There's the occasional speed burst, but then it's back to very slow or unresponsive. I've had a 700kB download cut out. A 75 MB download has progressed by 2 percent in the past two minutes.

I've already switched network cables, and installed the latest network card drivers.

Anything else I may want to check on?

[Vricklund]

My first suspicion would be that your ip-settings are somehow incorrect. If you cloned your mac-address you probably didn't get a new DHCP lease (provided you do not have a static IP) and possibly you're missing a DNS-server or something like that.
Secondly I'd recheck my drivers.
If I were to investigate further I would hook up the old and new laptop with a network cable and static ip's, share a drive or folder, start copying some files and see if your problems persist.

[Syt]

Thanks - it seems the modem needed to "warm up" to the computer first. Things are fine now, downloading with 11.5MB/s on Steam.

[Vricklund]

Probably got a new DHCP lease from your ISP that corrected your settings. Unless your ISP for some strange reason requires you to have the same mac-address there's really no reason to clone it. Had you plugged it in with a unique mac-address you would've gotten the new settings that instant.

[Syt]

Probably got a new DHCP lease from your ISP that corrected your settings. Unless your ISP for some strange reason requires you to have the same mac-address there's really no reason to clone it.

My ISP requires me to register my mac with them - that's how they try to keep people from hooking up ten PCs to the same line. Of course in the days of routers that's moot, but still. Anyways, I find it easier to make the change on my side than going through their customer service.

[Grey Fox]

Why do they have a problem with how many machines are connected to their line?

[Liep]

Why do they have a problem with how many machines are connected to their line?

No problem, but they can make more money if they can charge more for hooking up two computers.

[Syt]

Why do they have a problem with how many machines are connected to their line?

They want you to pay extra for a second computer. TBH, I need to check if they still enforce that.

[derspiess]

Wow, I've never heard of that.  I probably have at least 20 internet-connected devices in my house.

[Vricklund]

I swapped ISP this month to Bahnhof and lo' and behold - only one mac-address per line! 

I had to call customer service and ask them about it since I saw absolutely nothing about it in the fine print. Turns out that in the open net I'm in this is the only way they have to keep me from plugging in a switch and getting x number of 10/10Mbit lines. They had a pretty hazzle free web interface to add/remove devices and I got a 50% rebate the first three months so I didn't cancel the purchase.

[DontSayBanana]

Wow, I've never heard of that.  I probably have at least 20 internet-connected devices in my house.

Routers are fine, since they're (theoretically) secured to your household, though I have heard of ISPs making it part of their TOS that the home network HAS to be secured.  Switches are another story.