How do I turn off connection suggestions?

My internet connection only works when my brother's PC is on! Plus, its slow!?

• Hi. Before I begin let me just say that I am fairly knowledgeable when it comes to general electronics and computing - but NOT when it comes to routers, internet connections, etc. So, please keep that in mind when (or if ) you are trying to explain a solution to me. So, here goes. My PC's internet used to work fine - months ago. Over the last 3-4 months, though, there have been two problems. The first is that, for some unknown reason, my PC only gets a WORKING internet connection when my brothers PC is on. Just so you know, my brothers PC is on the same local network as mine, if that makes a difference. When his PC is off, my PC will CLAIM to be connected to the internet (it will say 'internet access') - but if I try to browse the internet (using Internet Explorer or Google Chrome) or if I try to download something, NOTHING will happen. However, as soon as I turn on my brothers PC, I can use the internet. Something to note: my Dad and Sister also have PCs on the same network - but they do not have the same problem. Additionally, their PC being on or off do NOT affect mine - only my brothers PC does. Here is a very quick (and simple - remember - I don't know much about this) description of how they are set up. We are [supposed] to have an internet speed of 2mbp/s. My PC, my brothers PC and my sisters PC are all connected DIRECTLY to our router (we all share one). My Dad's PC is connected to a kind of extension thing (I think it is called a switch?) - not to the router directly. We all use WIRED connections (Ethernet cables) - and we all use desktop PCs (no Laptops). We are all running Windows 7, if that makes a difference. All our PCs are relatively good and modern in terms of processing power, memory, etc. The second problem is - when my connection IS working (i.e. when my brothers PC is ON), it is very SLOW - I only get a fraction of the speed that I should be getting. This happens even when no one else is using the internet - so its not like someone is sucking up all the bandwidth. Our wireless is password protected, too, so no one else would be using it without us knowing. Just to let you know - my Dad's PC, (which always has a connection), also has slow speeds (unlike me he is not connected directly to the router, though). My brother and sister both get normal speeds. Here are some of the things I have tried: restart PC, take ethernet cable out and put it back in, turn router off and then back on, change the port in which my PC was connected, connected my PC to the switch rather than directly to the router, and had a quick look for abnormalities in the Network section of the Control Panel. None of these worked (at least not yet). I could really use any help you can give me. Please give suggestions (even if they are a little out there) as to what I could do - APART from buying a new router or a new PC, etc. Any help would be appreciated - and please, keep the language simple enough to understand (but not too simple that the explanation loses it's meaning).

• Answer:

  Verify that you are indeed connecting to the router and not your brothers PC (not physically, but through the network). It almost sounds as if you created a sub-network whereby you are actually seeing your brother's pc and using his pc to connect to the internet. That would explain why no matter what you do with your physical connection to the network, you still need his pc on to connect to the internet. That could also be the reason you have reduced speeds when you are connected. I would probably clear any network connections and settings that you have created. Power down. Reboot while connected to the router. And hope that fixes the problem. You could verify that the router is assigning the IP address to your machine.