Downloads in browser/youtube keeps randomly hanging

[rejwan]

Hey everyone,
I've searched the web for hours now without any proper help to my issue, I was hoping someone could help me out.

I have Windows 7 64bit SP1, and for a long while now every download I make out of my browser (FF/Chrome, doesn't matter) will randomly hang (drop to 0kbps) and never complete.

This also happens when I watch YouTube movies, they will hang (completely stop) and I will have to skip ahead to restart the connection and then it will work again.

Downloads using a download manager (jDownloader) work fine and rarely need restarting, I'm assuming this is also due to the fact that it opens up 10 connections instead of 1.

And the most important issue - when I use my laptop (mac) over wireless, downloads work like a charm and never hang.

Steps I've already taken attempting to fix this issue:
1. Restart in safe mode + networking - still happens
2. Resetted the tcp/ip network stack
3. Ran Malware search and cleaned all malware
4. Disabled Windows firewall
5. No antiviruses running

Please help me out I'm running out of ideas....

 

[TrainableMan]

Is your laptop wirelessly connecting to the same modem where your desktop is wired? Because I would blame your ISP but not if they both are using the same ISP connection. I have a similar issue with my DSL provider and am shopping around to switch but unlike you my issue occurs on my desktop and a wireless laptop.

As for the download manager working, it is because it is smart enough to detect and issue a "resume" when a download connection drops. You can do this yourself by doing Pause and then Retry. However, many download sites do not support resume for free users, so in that case they get denied and the download returns "unsuccessful".

 

[rejwan]

Both wireless and wired connections are connected to the same router/ISP.

Yes it's a good work-around to do as you said, however single threaded downloads (Chrome, etc) usually won't complete and it's pretty annoying...

 

[TrainableMan]

What type internet connection do you have, cable, ADSL, etc?

Is it strictly downloads? I have been dealing with a similar issue but for me it also affects online games like internet spades and when it happens I get a message "an internal error has occurred, quit or connect to new opponents".

The difference with mine is that I can get the error on my wired desktop AND a wireless laptop. I blame the ISP and they say it isn't on their end. I'm at a point where I'm considering switching from ADSL to cable.

I have searched on this issue and I have found problems listed but never a solution. One does mention error build-up on the line if you have ADSL that is set too high, but in my case the ISP has ruled that out with lines tests and since for you, one connection is fine and one not it would definitely point to the machine rather than the line.

So I don't have a solution but I would love to hear ideas from others just because it might help me too. And if you find anything please report back.