This tweak is for
broad band cable connections on stand alone machines with WinXP
professional version - might work on Home version also. It will
probably work with networked machines as well but I haven't tried it
in that configuration. This is for Windows XP only, it does not work
on Win2000.
I use 3 Com cards so I don't know how it works on others at this
point.
It does not involve editing the
registry.
This tweak assumes that you have let WinXP create a connection on
install for your cable modem/NIC combination and that your
connection has TCP/IP - QoS - file and print sharing - and client
for Microsoft networks, only, installed. It also assumes that Windows XP
will detect your NIC and has in-box drivers for it.
If it doesn't do
not try this.
In the "My Network Places" properties (right click on the desktop
icon and choose properties), highlight the connection then at the
menu bar choose "Advanced" then "Advanced Settings". Uncheck the two
boxes in the lower half for the bindings for File and Printer
sharing and Client for MS networks. Click OK
From the windows XP
cd in the support directory from the support cab, extract the file
netcap.exe and place it in a directory on your hard drive or even in
the root of your C:\ drive.
Next, open up a
command prompt window and change directories to where you put
netcap.exe. then type "netcap/?". It will list some commands that
are available for netcap and a netmon driver will be installed. At
the bottom you will see your adapters. You should see two of them if
using a 3Com card. One will be for LAN and the other will be for WAN
something or other.
Next type
"netcap/Remove". This will remove the netmon driver.
Open up control
panel / system / dev man and look at your network adapters. You
should now see two of them and one will have a yellow ! on it. Right
click on the one without the yellow ! and choose uninstall. YES! you
are uninstalling your network adapter, continue with the uninstall.
Do not restart yet.
Check your
connection properties to make sure that no connection exists. If you
get a wizard just cancel out of it.
Now re-start the
machine.
After re-start go
to your connection properties again and you should have a new
connection called "Local area connection 2". highlight the
connection then at the menu bar choose "Advanced" then "Advanced
Settings". Uncheck the two boxes in the lower half for the bindings
for File and Printer sharing and Client for MS networks. Click OK.
Choose connection
properties and uncheck the "QOS" box
Re-start the
machine, after restart enjoy the increased responsiveness of IE,
faster page loading, and a connection speed boost.
Why it works
It seems that
windows XP, in its zeal to make sure every base is covered installs
two separate versions of the NIC card. One you do not normally see
in any properties. Remember the "netcap/?" command above showing two
different adapters? The LAN one is the one you see. The invisible
one loads everything down and its like your running two separate
cards together, sharing a connection among two cards, this method
breaks this "bond" and allows the NIC to run un-hindered.