I'm frustrated by my own ignorance & need help. I don't know how/what to do to identify & rectify an annoying Internet connection issue I've been experiencing.
I have two desktop computers connected directly to LAN ports on my router via Cat6 Ethernet cable. All Ethernet ports involved are 1000/1000 Mbps.
While on the Internet on either of these two computers (using Google Chrome on both), everything "freezes": Sometimes for 15-20 seconds, other times for 2-3 minutes. (I don't really know whether there's a similar issue with WiFi, as that is used mostly really just by cellphones & I think those jump to cell service when WiFi isn't working well).
I would like to know what software tools &/or testing device(s) I need (& how & in what order to use them) to figure out what's causing these intermittent "freezes" & how to remedy them.
It seems like these problems could be arising from different "places" on my network, including:
1. Poor signal into the ONT (provider signal issue);
2. Something IN the ONT;
3. Bad CAT6 cable between the ONT & the router;
4. A problem in my router (maybe I've screwed up some setting?);
5. Bad CAT6 cables between the router & the computers;
6. A hardware issue inside both computers (two @ once seems unlikely); or
7. A software issue in both computers (bad drivers, software interference, possible malware, etc.).
FWIW - I ck'd & my 64bit Windows 10 OS is up to date. No malware reported by Hitman Pro & Malwarebytes scans.
After having ck'd the above, I just don't know where/how to begin tracking down this issue & I don't even know the tools to use. Maybe the router has tools that can help? But, if so, I don't know which they are or how to employ them.
Offhand, it seems like I might need some sort of hardware "thing" to "plug in" between the RJ45 cable plug and the RJ45 port at each "place" along the route to evaluate the signal & detect where it's first occurring? But I don't know what that would be called & it's just a guess, too.
So I'd appreciate any recommendations, suggestions, etc.
SETUP: Frontier FiOS 500/500 service:
- The FiOS fiberoptic cable is connected to the ONT (outdoors);
- 100' run of CAT 6 Ethernet cable between the ONT's Gigabit RJ45 port and the Gigabit RJ45 (WAN) port of my ASUS RT-AC87U router;
- a CAT 6 Ethernet cable is connected to each of 3 of the router's RJ45 LAN ports, with one running to each of 2 desktop computers & the 3rd running to a Gigabit switch providing Ethernet connections to media components (ROKU, Onkyo receiver, Oppo Blu-Ray player, SONOS system; etc.).
Thanks in advance!
I have two desktop computers connected directly to LAN ports on my router via Cat6 Ethernet cable. All Ethernet ports involved are 1000/1000 Mbps.
While on the Internet on either of these two computers (using Google Chrome on both), everything "freezes": Sometimes for 15-20 seconds, other times for 2-3 minutes. (I don't really know whether there's a similar issue with WiFi, as that is used mostly really just by cellphones & I think those jump to cell service when WiFi isn't working well).
I would like to know what software tools &/or testing device(s) I need (& how & in what order to use them) to figure out what's causing these intermittent "freezes" & how to remedy them.
It seems like these problems could be arising from different "places" on my network, including:
1. Poor signal into the ONT (provider signal issue);
2. Something IN the ONT;
3. Bad CAT6 cable between the ONT & the router;
4. A problem in my router (maybe I've screwed up some setting?);
5. Bad CAT6 cables between the router & the computers;
6. A hardware issue inside both computers (two @ once seems unlikely); or
7. A software issue in both computers (bad drivers, software interference, possible malware, etc.).
FWIW - I ck'd & my 64bit Windows 10 OS is up to date. No malware reported by Hitman Pro & Malwarebytes scans.
After having ck'd the above, I just don't know where/how to begin tracking down this issue & I don't even know the tools to use. Maybe the router has tools that can help? But, if so, I don't know which they are or how to employ them.
Offhand, it seems like I might need some sort of hardware "thing" to "plug in" between the RJ45 cable plug and the RJ45 port at each "place" along the route to evaluate the signal & detect where it's first occurring? But I don't know what that would be called & it's just a guess, too.
So I'd appreciate any recommendations, suggestions, etc.
SETUP: Frontier FiOS 500/500 service:
- The FiOS fiberoptic cable is connected to the ONT (outdoors);
- 100' run of CAT 6 Ethernet cable between the ONT's Gigabit RJ45 port and the Gigabit RJ45 (WAN) port of my ASUS RT-AC87U router;
- a CAT 6 Ethernet cable is connected to each of 3 of the router's RJ45 LAN ports, with one running to each of 2 desktop computers & the 3rd running to a Gigabit switch providing Ethernet connections to media components (ROKU, Onkyo receiver, Oppo Blu-Ray player, SONOS system; etc.).
Thanks in advance!