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How can I check the internet access priority settings of the computers on my home network?

WindowsMillennial 20 Reputation points
2025-08-15T00:05:55.53+00:00

I have four computers hooked up to my Ethernet router. I do not use all four at the same time, mainly just one at a time, on occasion two at the same time. The computer OS are Windows 10 32 bit, Windows 10 64 bit, Windows 7 32 bit, Windows 11. I have noticed that when certain computers are on at the same time and connected to the internet to browse articles or watch videos, the internet speeds of the computers immediately slow down.

When the Windows 10 64 bit computer is on and the Windows 7 32 bit computer is on, both browsing the internet, the connection speeds of the Windows 7 computer slows down to very slow while the Windows 10 computer can still browse just fine.

When the Windows 10 64 bit computer is on and the Windows 10 32 bit computer is on, both browsing the internet, the connection speeds of the Windows 10 32 bit computer slows down to very slow while the Windows 10 64 bit computer can still browse just fine.

When the Windows 11 computer is on and the Windows 7 32 bit computer is on, both browsing the internet, the connection speeds of the Windows 7 computer slows down to very slow while the Windows 11 is also slow.

Each computer can browse the internet just fine when they are the only computer that is on. The Windows 11 has slow internet speeds even when no other computers are on.

The Ethernet cables are all purchased within the last year and the router is new.

How can I check the internet priority access settings of my computers? Why do certain computers slow down other computers internet access speeds? Can I change the settings so that my computers can browse the internet at the same time without the connections prioritizing one computer over another?

Windows for home | Other | Internet and connectivity
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  1. AceRobertT 13,710 Reputation points Independent Advisor
    2025-08-15T01:08:22.7466667+00:00

    Hello WindowsMillenial. If you've noticed any internet slowdown all over your home network, this is most probably as a result of non-uniform bandwidth distribution. Some of your newest or most capable systems may have a few very, very good network adapters making them act as traffic hogs, followed by older systems. I would also look into background processes on your windows systems since I have seen many people use various types of software at once on regular windows installations. The problem with all of this is that Windows OS's themselves do not assign Internet Access priorities, so it is quite simply a matter of your router not being able to manage its traffic. In your case, you’ll want to gain access to the router’s admin-interface.

    You can most likely do this by going to your web browser and entering 192.168.0.1 or 192.168.1.1 into the address bar. Once you’ve accessed your routers admin-interface, you will want to enable Quality of Service (QoS). The QoS function allows you to set limits of bandwidth or setting priority levels for each device based on mac address or host name. This will ensure fair access to all computers within the network. You may find on computers running older Windows OS, such as Windows 7 and Windows 10 32-bit, benefits from updating the network drivers for performance and compatibility improvements.

    Best regards,

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