BleepingComputer.com: Slow Internet - High Packet Loss (Hardware Issue?)

Here's the basics:

Running Windows XP SP2
ASUS motherboard - AMD Sempron 2200 1.49ghz and 512mb RAM
VIA Rhine II ethernet adapter
Time Warner broadband

2 weeks ago internet speed dropped to about 1/8 the level that it had been running. Speed when D/L a file went from 180 kb/s to 25 kb/s. Time Warner came out and actually repaired some external issues, but it had no effect. They plugged into the Motorola modem with another computer, and the connection was running full speed. The TW tech ran a test through the CMD prompt, and informed me that I was losing about 40% of the data packets.

So, I ran the XP netwrok diagnostic tool after he left. It showed some failures on the ethernet adapter. I went to the ASUS website and downloaded the most recent drivers for the ethernet adapter, and I've still had no luck.

I just want to know if there is anything I can fix software wise before I replace the ethernet adapter or the entire PC.

Any help will be greatly appreciated.

It certainly looks like ethernet card itself going bad.
Is it desktop?

Here is specifically what the XP Network Diagnostic results said in reference to the ethernet adapter:

Caption = [00000001] VIA Rhine II Fast Ethernet Adapter
DatabasePath = %SystemRoot%\System32\drivers\etc
DefaultIPGateway = 72.181.176.1(Same Subnet) (PASSED)
Pinging 72.181.176.1 with 32 bytes of data:
Reply from 72.181.176.1: bytes=32 time=20ms TTL=20
Reply from 72.181.176.1: bytes=32 time=30ms TTL=30
Reply from 72.181.176.1: bytes=32 time=8ms TTL=8
Reply from 72.181.176.1: bytes=32 time=9ms TTL=9
Ping statistics for 72.181.176.1:
Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 4, Lost = 0 (0% loss)
Approximate round trip times in milli-seconds:
Minimum = 8ms, Maximum = 30ms, Average = 16ms
DefaultTTL = 64
Description = VIA Compatable Fast Ethernet Adapter - Packet Scheduler Miniport
DHCPEnabled = TRUE
DHCPLeaseExpires = 8:52:14 AM 3/23/2010
DHCPLeaseObtained = 3:06:32 PM 3/22/2010
DHCPServer = 10.15.151.1 (FAILED)
Pinging 10.15.151.1 with 32 bytes of data:
Reply from 10.15.151.1: bytes=32 time=9ms TTL=9
Request timed out.
Reply from 10.15.151.1: bytes=32 time=16ms TTL=16
Reply from 10.15.151.1: bytes=32 time=12ms TTL=12
Ping statistics for 10.15.151.1:
Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 3, Lost = 1 (25% loss)
Approximate round trip times in milli-seconds:
Minimum = 9ms, Maximum = 16ms, Average = 12ms
DNSDomain = tx.rr.com
DNSEnabledForWINSResolution = FALSE
DNSHostName = carol-a60be9eab
DNSServerSearchOrder (FAILED)
209.18.47.61 (PASSED)
Pinging 209.18.47.61 with 32 bytes of data:
Reply from 209.18.47.61: bytes=32 time=35ms TTL=35
Reply from 209.18.47.61: bytes=32 time=26ms TTL=26
Reply from 209.18.47.61: bytes=32 time=316ms TTL=316
Reply from 209.18.47.61: bytes=32 time=22ms TTL=22
Ping statistics for 209.18.47.61:
Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 4, Lost = 0 (0% loss)
Approximate round trip times in milli-seconds:
Minimum = 22ms, Maximum = 316ms, Average = 99ms
209.18.47.62 (FAILED)
Pinging 209.18.47.62 with 32 bytes of data:
Reply from 209.18.47.62: bytes=32 time=39ms TTL=39
Request timed out.
Request timed out.
Request timed out.
Ping statistics for 209.18.47.62:
Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 1, Lost = 3 (75% loss)
Approximate round trip times in milli-seconds:
Minimum = 39ms, Maximum = 39ms, Average = 39ms
DomainDNSRegistrationEnabled = FALSE
FullDNSRegistrationEnabled = TRUE
GatewayCostMetric = 20
Index = 1
IPAddress = 72.181.179.232 (PASSED)
Pinging 72.181.179.232 with 32 bytes of data:
Reply from 72.181.179.232: bytes=32 time<1ms TTL=0
Reply from 72.181.179.232: bytes=32 time<1ms TTL=0
Reply from 72.181.179.232: bytes=32 time<1ms TTL=0
Reply from 72.181.179.232: bytes=32 time<1ms TTL=0
Ping statistics for 72.181.179.232:
Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 4, Lost = 0 (0% loss)
Approximate round trip times in milli-seconds:
Minimum = 0ms, Maximum = 0ms, Average = 0ms
IPConnectionMetric = 20
IPEnabled = TRUE
IPFilterSecurityEnabled = FALSE
IPSecPermitIPProtocols = 0
IPSecPermitTCPPorts = 0
IPSecPermitUDPPorts = 0
IPSubnet = 255.255.240.0
IPXEnabled = FALSE
MACAddress = 00:11:D8:2B:3F:95
PMTUBHDetectEnabled = FALSE
PMTUDiscoveryEnabled = TRUE
ServiceName = FETNDISB
SettingID = {2DCFC0B5-A0AD-4B9E-902B-CCB5F3865B4A}
TcpipNetbiosOptions = 0
TcpMaxDataRetransmissions = 5
TcpNumConnections = 100
TcpWindowSize = 65340
WINSEnableLMHostsLookup = TRUE

DHCPServer = 10.15.151.1 (FAILED) error would, most likely, indicate, winsock is damaged.

Download, install, and run WinSockFix: http://www.softpedia.com/get/Tweak/Network...inSockFix.shtml (doesn't work in Vista)
Restart computer, and check again.