The internet going into my PC specifically, is unreasonably slow.

Hey gang,

So, like many of you, I'm housebound. Not through choice, but down to working from home/1 day a week. Now, in this downtime, I'd like to play some games, and do some general internetting. Who wouldn't? However, I've been running into some real problems with my internet. The internet going into my PC, specifically.

Now, I've ran speedtests on my devices. On my phone/ipad/switch I'm getting between 45-55mb. They're all wireless. Now, on my computer, which is on a wired connection, I'm maybe getting 8mb at a push. And that's the middle of the night when nobody is on. Now, I've tried to change almost everything to fix it, and I've had no real results.

I'm on a powerline adapter setup, which, for the last...year and a half (?) has been absolutely grand. Top speeds, all the time. Recently, however, I'm getting a red light on my adapter, which indicates I'm getting below 30mb speeds. I've swapped adapters around, I've changed the ethernet cable, heck, I've even changed the power strip that my plugs go into. And I've had NO solution. When I've looked up the problem online, people say "Well just plus the PC directly into the router", which I feel is a completely redundant statement, as people would clearly do that if it was possible. My flat is a converted set of offices, so there's only one phone line in the entire place, and it's in my bedroom. Even if I wanted to, I couldn't physically get my computer and setup to the router.

So, I mean, what's going on? Is my ISP shaping traffic without informing me? Is something inside my computer itself busted? Man, I really hope someone can help me out here

Plugging your PC directly into the router may not be a long-term solution, but it may be necessary as a troubleshooting step. If you are getting good speeds there using the same ethernet cable as you use on your powerline adapter, then you can reasonably conclude there is some issue between the router and the powerline adapter, the ethernet cable (though you said you've already changed this), or the adapter itself. If you're getting the same poor speeds directly from the router, I would suggest trying a new ethernet cable to be sure. If it continues with the new cable, then you have isolated the problem to the PC. I don't know enough about networking to say what the problem might be if it is indeed your PC.

Make sure you don't have any phones or other usb charge devices (or any devices) pluged into the same outlet as this will destroy your signal. this goes for both ends of the adapter setup. When I used a powerline adapter I found that phones plugged into adjacent outlets affected speeds as well.

If you have recently moved or changed locations then it could also just be the powerline in that specific location isn't as good. In that case, wireless will be better.

Huh, I would have NEVER considered that USB device. I'll plug it so it's ONLY my PC and two monitors in the same strip and get back

Are the powerline adapters plugged into the power strips? I've used different ones over the years and I've never had much luck speed wise when plugging them into a power strip.

My wifi flatout failed earlier in the month, leading me to switch my one ethernet cable whenever I needed to download something on my PS4. It's working now but I often wondered if something happened with the supply line when the lockdown was put in place.