is USB faster? Please help!

nboy22

Diamond Member
Jul 18, 2002
3,304
1
81
Is USB faster than an ethernet card for cable??? I just got my cable connection, and i hooked it up to ethernet and it's way slow. Would USB make any difference????
 

rw120555

Golden Member
Jun 13, 2001
1,263
0
0
You don't want a USB modem, if that is what you mean. Ethernet is much better, at least if you ever want to add a router. The problem is probably somewhere else.
 

amdskip

Lifer
Jan 6, 2001
22,530
13
81
Yeah, usb internet hookup is usually SUCK!

Ethernet was made for hooking up to networks so why doesn't everyone use it?
 

Kingofcomputer

Diamond Member
Apr 6, 2000
4,917
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Back to the question, yes USB is faster. USB is 12Mbps, 10Base ethernet is 10Mbps. The WAN port on DSL or Cable modem is 10Base ethernet only. However, you don't even need that much bandwidth since you're probably just using 1.5Mbps DSL or Cable.

Cable modem has both usb and ethernet port.
If you're using Motorola's with 2 computers and you've 2 ip, you can connect one computer to usb, one to ethernet, no need to buy a switch.

 

rw120555

Golden Member
Jun 13, 2001
1,263
0
0
Both ethernet and USB can go way faster than your cable connection can. If your hookup is slow, I'd suggest calling your provider and complaining; it may be that they made a configuration error somewhere or can tell you how to tweak things. Or, maybe the modem is bad. Also, is it slow all the time? As I understand it, cable will slow down during peak usage times.

Also, what is your definition of slow? Slow, as in web pages take forever to load? Now, thats bad. But, if slow means it takes several minutes to download the latest Springsteen album, that may or may not be so bad.

If you want, you can try the speed tests at DSL Reports. I imagine they'll work with a cable modem setup, but I don't know since I've got DSL.
 

JackMDS

Elite Member
Super Moderator
Oct 25, 1999
29,516
408
126
USB, Eheternet, or any thing else means nothing form the point of view of Internet connection "speed"

The typical ?speed? provided by broadband ISPs s 1-2Mb/se. 3Mb/sec. if you are lucky.

Therefore hardware capable of 6Mb/sec. 10Mb/sec. or 12Mb/sec. is irrelevant as far as the Internet connection "speed". However, USB Internet connection is very bad for sharing.

From an Internal Network perspective Ethernet cards are more efficient and faster then the USB attachtments (it has to do with the nature of the technology).

Try to optimize your TCP/IP setting first

Download DrTCP: <a target=new class=ftalternatingbarlinklarge href="http://www.dslre
ports.com/front/DRTCP019.exe">http://www.dslreports.com/front/DRTCP019.exe</a>

Run the proggie and write down your current setting, you can always set back just in case.

The following is an Example of setting optimized for Cable Internet system.

Tcp Receive - 513920

Window Scaling - Yes

Time Stamping - No

Selective Acks - Yes

Path MTU Discovery - Yes.

Black Hole - NO

Max Duplicate - 3

TTL - 64

MaxMTU - 1500.