Ethernet connections are famed for their speed and stability. However, sometimes issues can arise, such as a speed cap at 100Mbps, even when using a Gigabit Ethernet connection on your Windows 11 machine. Here are seven ways to overcome this restriction and enjoy the full potential of your Ethernet connection:

1. Check Your Ethernet Cable: Ensure that you’re using a Cat5e cable or higher, as older cables like Cat5 cannot support speeds beyond 100Mbps. Replace any outdated cables with Cat6 or Cat7 cables if necessary to achieve gigabit speeds.

2. Update Network Adapter Drivers: Out-of-date drivers can limit connection speeds. Visit the manufacturer’s website to download the latest drivers for your network card and follow the instructions to install them, or use Windows Update to check for driver updates.

3. Configure Speed & Duplex Settings: Access ‘Network and Sharing Center,’ go to ‘Change adapter settings,’ right-click your Ethernet connection, and select ‘Properties.’ Click ‘Configure,’ go to the ‘Advanced’ tab, select ‘Speed & Duplex,’ and change the value to ‘1.0 Gbps Full Duplex’ if it’s available.

4. Check Network Configuration: Use Command Prompt to run ‘netsh interface tcp show global’ and ensure that none of the offload options are set to disabled. These settings manage various aspects of network data processing; altering them can affect speed.

5. Disable Power Saving Mode: Go into Network Adapter Properties again, under the ‘Power Management’ tab, uncheck all options that allow the computer to turn off the device to save power.

6. Test Different Ports on Your Router: Sometimes physical ports on routers malfunction or limit speed because of internal errors. Try plugging your Ethernet cable into a different port on your router or switch.

7. Contact Your ISP: If none of these solutions work, the issue might lie outside your control, such as with your Internet Service Provider (ISP). Confirm with them the plan you are subscribed to and ask for assistance if they have capped the internet speed in any way.

By methodically applying these suggestions, users should be able to unclog their Ethernet bottleneck and enjoy faster internet speeds on their Windows 11 system.