Really slow speeds

Hello all.
Recently I got a new laptop. A Dell - Inspiron Laptop / AMD Athlon™ II X2 Processor / 3GB Memory / 320GB Hard Drive w/ Windows 7
I also have 2 other computers running at the same time.
But ever since I got the new laptop my download speeds have become extremly slow for some downloads... and extremly quick for others...
When I wanted to download itunes it kept telling me that the download would take about 22 hours. While it is a very small file. But programs like wow took only a few hours for it to download all 9 gbs.

Same thing happened to my ps3. I downloaded a demo that was 1 gb big in only 20~30 minutes... Whereas an update that is 170mb says it will take 5400 minutes...

Any idea why some downloads seem to take such long time to download.. whereas other ones take little to no time?
Anything you guys can suggest me to do?

Edit - All of the connections I have are wireless. And my internet provider is At&t u-verse.
Problem is my internet wasn't like this before I got the new laptop

Second edit - Ok I just tested a download.. I downloaded a playstation iso and it downloaded at 500 kb/s
But I tried to download Avast and it downloaded at 10~12 kb/s.... Seriously what the hell?

Third edit - Including an image x_x Please help.

Edited by Kerveruz, 12 February 2011 - 02:48 AM.

Thanks for all the help.

That really does sound more like a server side issue\the location you are downloading from.

Due to all the variables when it comes to the Internet. Load on a given server at a given time. The physical condition of the lines the data is traveling over. The distance\route\number of hops the connection is making form your PC to the server and back. The overall traffic on the Internet at any given time. Peak usage hours of course being slower for everyone.

you`r welcome.

I noticed the same thing, my laptop and desktop are still fine, but my PS3 takes forever to dl a demo something like 4 hours where my xbox360 did it in half an hour its baffling no doubt lol

Well I compared my ps3 to my ps3... in 2 dif items.. Demo and update. Demo was way bigger (1 gb) where as the update was only about 170 megabytes. The update took 3 hours whereas the demo took only 20 minutes.

thanks for the answer ThunderZ and I belive that this is the issue. Maybe downloading during a non busy time might help.. Like during the night wether than in the middle of the day.

When possible I always try to limit any large d\l`ing to late night. Have noticed a considerable speed increase doing it this way most times.

Many do not like leaving there PC on if unattended. With a properly maintained and secured PC you should have no problems and face little risk when using a trusted site as the source of the d\l.

Well I compared my ps3 to my ps3... in 2 dif items.. Demo and update. Demo was way bigger (1 gb) where as the update was only about 170 megabytes. The update took 3 hours whereas the demo took only 20 minutes.

thanks for the answer ThunderZ and I belive that this is the issue. Maybe downloading during a non busy time might help.. Like during the night wether than in the middle of the day.

You have two different PS3's? WHOA you must be loaded all i could afford is one but now that I think of it thats all i really need hehe

Well I compared my ps3 to my ps3... in 2 dif items.. Demo and update. Demo was way bigger (1 gb) where as the update was only about 170 megabytes. The update took 3 hours whereas the demo took only 20 minutes.

thanks for the answer ThunderZ and I belive that this is the issue. Maybe downloading during a non busy time might help.. Like during the night wether than in the middle of the day.

You have two different PS3's? WHOA you must be loaded all i could afford is one but now that I think of it thats all i really need hehe

No I posted it that way to show you that I used the same console. Didn't compare one console (ps3) with another console (360) Like you did.

Anyways back to the topic. Is there a way for me to control how my bandwhith is controlled between all my electronics?

Edited by Kerveruz, 14 February 2011 - 03:12 AM.

Anyways back to the topic. Is there a way for me to control how my bandwhith is controlled between all my electronics?

I believe there are some devices\routers that may have the ability.

Unaware of a particular manufacturer right off the top of my head. But, they are usually geared at Business`s and can be a bit cost prohibitive.
Even if you were to get one it would have little to no effect on the speed fluctuations that was the original reason for you posting. That is outside of your control and in some cases outside of your ISP`s control as well.

Never did ask, or I missed it somewhere in this thread. Are you on DSL or cable? DSL is over the phone line. Keeping in mind that phone lines were never intended to carry the Internet as well as the age of many phone lines, there are known hic-ups. One being extreme fluctuations in speed.

You can control the Bandwidth to an extent with a Dual band router. It broadcasts the wireless signal on 2.4ghz AND 5ghz. You can seperate which devices use which signal, so you can do two things at once, at the same speed. BUT it does not improve the current allocation of bandwidth that AT&T is giving your house.

2.4ghz AND 5ghz.

2.4GHz being G. 2.4 & 5GHz being the newer N wireless protocol.

More info then you probably really care to know.

Well I compared my ps3 to my ps3... in 2 dif items.. Demo and update. Demo was way bigger (1 gb) where as the update was only about 170 megabytes. The update took 3 hours whereas the demo took only 20 minutes.

You have two different PS3's? WHOA you must be loaded all i could afford is one but now that I think of it thats all i really need hehe

No I posted it that way to show you that I used the same console. Didn't compare one console (ps3) with another console (360) Like you did.

ummmmm i thought the topic was how slow your PS3 is downloading, im lost

i still dont know how you would compare a PS to a PS if its the same machine, maybe you can compare the demo and update but not the PS's

2.4ghz AND 5ghz.

2.4GHz being G. 2.4 & 5GHz being the newer N wireless protocol.

More info then you probably really care to know.

to break it down:

802.11a is 5ghz at 54mbps
802.11b is 2.4ghz at 11mbps
802.11g is 2.4ghz at 54mbps
802.11n is both 2.4 and 5ghz at up to 300mbps

802.11n is both 2.4 and 5ghz at up to 300mbps

Theoretically speaking I believe it is up to 3000MBps

I would say it's a server side issue

Edited by slare, 14 February 2011 - 08:49 PM.