Internet Is Very Erratic - Can You Help With This?

[Interista]

The figures on speedfan are as follows

CPU usage goes at something like 10% (average, this is a very rough average though, it goes between 4% and 21%)

Fan 1: 0 RPM Fan 2: 1444 RPM Fan 3: 0 RPM Fan 4: 0 RPM

Temperatures:
Local 42 degrees
Temp 1: 54 degrees
Temp 2: 39 degrees
HD0: 36 degrees
Core0: 35 degrees
Core 1: 66 degrees
Ambient: 0 degrees



I really appreciate what you are doing for me, I know that this forum isn't strictly for this kind of problem.

[Interista]

My CPU usage is about 12-14% when I'm not doing too much, there are 52 processes and the commit charge is 647M/3938M - I have no idea whatsoever all this means sorry.

[essexboy]

Temperatures look reasonable

Memory should not be an overriding problem

[Interista]

I'm starting to think its a problem with the ISP, for about half an hour it was going like an absolute bomb but its now awful again. I can't see how, if its an error with my computer, that my computer would be capable of sustaining high speeds for a period of time. Maybe its that I don't know anything about computers but it seems unlikely to me.

[essexboy]

I feel that it is highly likely a line problem as opposed to the computer

[Interista]

The ISP serviceman came and within a few minutes he said it was Avast that is causing the problem. He said that because Avast scans everything as it comes in it slows down the speed as it can't keep up with the highspeed ISPs.

Now, I have to say I believe him, as I have tried without avast for a few minutes and my connection is MUCH MUCH faster and more stable. However, there is a BIG but...

1. I like Avast, I believe its very reliable (in perhaps four years it has let me down once, only once, and you could possibly put that down to my not scanning often enough).

2. I like the fact its always scanning in the background - makes me feel safe.

3. I find it very user friendly.

4. I like the way people are so helpful on this forum.

So, is there a way around this problem without changing Antivirus?

[essexboy]

It must be a trade off really a nice high speed or good protection...  Myself I do not believe Avast causes a slow down that is at all noticeable, and I am running at about 12Mbs

[essexboy]

Just done a test 10.37 with all shields, 10.48 with no shields 

[Interista]

I am testing out his theory a little more. I do wonder whether he is right, but I wonder whether he's attacking the wrong culprit. I've noticed even though it is faster, and a little more reliable, its still erratic. However, its set me thinking, I use BitMeter, and though I've used it for a long time, could it possibly be that giving me problems? Or FastVideoDownloader, or Firefox Adblocker?

[essexboy]

Fast video would be one that I would initially disable and then bitmeter