Dsl Problems in relation to processes running

[master_bacarra 0]

so we've just had dsl connected a few days ago. i'm currently enjoying the fast connection and i have downloaded large files that i couldn't download using dial-up. but i noticed that whenever i turn on the router, other programs end up running slower. one very obvious observation was windows media player. i'm a music lover and i turn on wmp everytime i work on this pc. but whenever i turn on the router so i could connect using dsl, the sound become choppy and plays slow. at first i thought it was just about the "processes running" and the "cpu usage" since i know that wmp uses a lot of the cpu thus making running other applications seem unthinkable. so i downloaded a more lightweight application (or at least i think so) to play my mp3's - winamp. but it goes the same way as wmp. i don't know why it's happening, but one reason i think would be the cause of this is the processor (although i don't know what processor the computer has).do i have to configure some stuff in order to fix this problem?

[rvalkass 5]

Your router is a separate piece of hardware to your computer, totally unrelated, and so should have no effect on the RAM or processor of your PC. The only reason could be that you had to install some software onto your PC when you got the router, and when the router comes on the software also springs into life. If you are using Windows XP, there is a way to tell. Close all background programs, except any you need for the router, and then push Ctrl + Shift + Esc to bring up the Task Manager. Switch to the Processes tab, then click on the CPU heading twice. At the top you should have System Idle Process which shows how much free processor power you have. Fire up the router and see if any process leaps to the top of the list and uses a lot of CPU power. Then load WMP and see how much that uses.

 

Another option would be to check the router manufacturers website to see if there are any updates or firmware upgrades available for your router, which may help to solve the problem. Alternatively, check their support section and see if anyone has had a similar problem.

[master_bacarra 0]

no, i didn't install any software for the router, or at least the dsl guy who came here and connected the dsl.

[Mjay06 0]

I have exactly the same problem with mine. I've kinda decided its the price you have to pay for using dsl, & I havnt found any way around it. If anyone does know how to avoid it i'd be interested to hear.

[master_bacarra 0]

i've tried what you've advised and checked which process uses the cpu whenever i turned on the router. windows media player uses too much cpu so i switched to winamp. i tried turning off the router and played using winamp and looked at taskmanager. the player only uses around 8 percent while the rest is the system idle process. then i closed the player and turned on the router. taskmanager shows that the process which is running is "system" and the rest is system idle process. it doesn't take that much of the cpu and if i ran both the router and the player, it's just around 20-25%. so i'm wondering why the opening of the router affects the player that much.

[Mjay06 0]

You could try running itunes rather than winamp. Apart from it being better anyway, it seems not to bother the processor as much.

[Goth_Punk 0]

Hahahahahahahaha poor peoplr! my Dsl is 100% and it dosen't slow down my music

[rvalkass 5]

It's a long shot, but if you open WMP and click Tools > Options > Performance (Tab) and look at the settings. For me WMP runs fine behind the router, even streaming the music around a few PCs, with these settings:

Detect Connection Speed

Use Default Buffering

Full Video Acceleration

Try changing the settings. If they don't work then manually set your connection speed, but leave the other 2. The only other option I can see that involves the Internet would be on the Library tab, try unchecking the Retrieve Aditional Information From The Internet option and see if that helps.

 

Finally, try disabling every firewall and antivirus program you have and see if that helps, as they may be scanning information going to the players, making them slower or lock up.

 

I can't see how this could help, but a friend just recommended it: On the router, unplug the cable going to the phone line or separate modem if you have one, then turn the router on. This should give an idea as to whether it's the router or if it's accessing the Internet.

[savge17 0]

Thats weird, maybe since you were downloading so many diffrent things that you might have gotten a virus, thus slowing down the performance of your pc.

[master_bacarra 0]

the pc's perfectly fine, no viruses, spywares and all. i've ran scans and i'm free of that. i've also tried changing the settings (since i also have the same settings as yours so i don't know why i'm experiencing the problem) but to no avail. anyway, i'm currently downloading some updates. i hope there's no problem once the updates have been installed. i'll keep you posted.update: well, the windows media player update wasn't able to fix the problem. nor was downloading iTunes. tsk. maybe it is the processor. oh well.

Edited August 6, 2006 by mbacarra (see edit history)

[shadowx 0]

Have you tried as said disabling all firewalls and antivurises as i also think it could be due to the media player attemtping to download something such as song information, liscenses etcetera and as said the firewall and antivirus could be scannig it using up CPU power. Also if you havent already definately try dsconnecting the phoe line from the router as this will show you wether its the internet or the router and from there you could find a solution, ive never experiened anything like this from my usb adsl modem or my router, what make is the router? and do you connect using a network connection like ethernet or WLAN or by a usb or serial cable? Im thinking if its using a usb, serial or other similar cable it could use up more otherboard and cpu power possibly affecting the performance but if you connect using a network connection it shouldnt affect the pu or motherboard as much.

[kawasu 0]

i had the same problem but with bittorrent in place of winamp. i found out that it was my firewall which was screwing everything up. bt was being blocked but it kept trying to connect to peers anyway which resulted in a very slow pc. ;\ i had to unblock ports within the modem setup to fix the problem. hope this helps.

[kdr_98 0]

Maybe something stupid like 'automatic updates ' from windows XP.While they are downloading and installing it slows down the computer also.There maybe also update for windows Media player running.When the computer detects you have broadband it start updating nearly everything these days.

[master_bacarra 0]

i have an update on this one. i was trying to backup all my files by transferring it to another hard disk (our first hard disk when we bought the pc). i tried opening a video since i was kinda bored, when i realized that it's not choppy, unlike when the file was placed in this current hard drive. i turned on the router to access the internet so i could gather information on how to reinstall windows, when i realized that the router doesn't affect the playback if the files are stored and placed on a different hard disk other than what we're using right now. weird, but that's what's happening right now.

[master_bacarra 0]

and i have to put my last and final update on this one. it seems that the problem was not the router or any processes for that matter, it's the OS itself. i've reinstalled our windows xp in our computer and found out that i don't encounter this kind of problem in the newly installed OS. although i'm wondering how that happened, since both the old and the new OS are windows xp professional. hmmm... but just as the same, i'm happy that i don't encounter such anymore.