Thanks Jake. I'll look into that for sure. Because I had to move the modem from its usual spot to do the direct connect test. Actually it was closer to the router for the test, but much further from a couple of other things. Maybe they're it.

Cheers

>I found an interesting post about router speed drop due to electrical interference here. http://www.speedguide.net/read_articles.php?id=1885
>
>If that doesn't help maybe poking around the forum will.
>
>Good luck!
>
>>I have a home network connected through a router (SMC brand, wire only) and I usually have 3 PCs connected with rarely more than 2 in use. The 2 systems I use regularly do have a hub between the router and the PCs. It is a cheapo hub supporting 10/100.
>>
>>On all systems the network icon in the Systray reports that the connection is 100.0 Mbps. This suggests to me that the hub is not an issue.
>>
>>When I D/L from a (certain) site I get speeds reported between 60Kbps-45Kbps. Every now and then I will see as much as 100Kbps but that has become rarer and rarer.
>>
>>I called my provider today as my annual payment is due, to learn what's up with it and how I can get what I'm paying for (3 Mbps (translating to approx 2.1 Mbps with overhead)).
>>
>>He pointed me to a speed test site (their own) and I ran the test. I got 1.3Mbps. Same on both regular systems.
>>Then, as they are wont to do, he insisted that I hook up directly to the modem and try again.
>>I did so and the speed test reported 2.4Mbps!!!
>>
>>So it looks convincingly like it is something at my end.
>>
>>Anyone have a clue where I should look? The cabling is all CAT5 and I'd guess I'd see other symptoms if it was cables.
>>
>>Any iideas appreciated.