ASUS Network iControl Software causing reduced upload speeds

Ran into an interesting problem yesterday. Noticed that I couldn't log into certain https: websites and started troubleshooting.

This happened after I upgraded my motherboard to an ASUS Sabertooth Z77 and Intel i5 3570K about 2 weeks ago.
Speedtests of my connection was saying I had normal download speeds but was only getting 25% of my full upload speed.

After over an hour on the phone with AT&T UVerse trying to convince me it was normal, trying different cables, numerous modem resets, re-installing LAN drivers , and my laptop connecting at 100% on both wireless and wired connections, I was beginning to think my motherboard was faulty and decided to see if this was known problem.

It was. Part of the AI Suite II software, that allows users to overclock various components on the motherboard, has a module called Network iControl. It is supposed to monitor network activity and allocate bandwidth based on priority programs.

You can uninstall just the iControl module by going to your Control Panel's Uninstall Software Program and select AI Suite II. This starts the program's uninstaller which will let you uninstall certain tools in the software. Select to uninstall Network iControl and the problems disappeared.

If you still want to use iControl, I read that the updated version has fixed this problem. I have no use for that particular tool, so off it stays.

Hope this helps anyone with network issues.

 

I agree with Tungsten. And to add my experience of motherboard system booster applications. Same thing with AsRock, though I guess if you follow the paper trail it is Asus. When I got my Z77 Extreme4 I installed all those speed tweak apps that came with the card. The first one to get uninstalled was the network booster app, then everything else.

Regardless of if we are talking Networking, USB, PCI-E, RAM or any other computer part on a modern gaming rig more often then not we are looking at hardware constrictions where software can do little to improve speed. If there are improvements you are most probably making tradeoffs that the programmer did not tell you about, like error correction/data integrity checks in the form of parity bits, checksums, CRCs etc. that are present in both Networking, USB as well as your computers internal communication (buses).

Not only are you loosing that data protection but as any programmer will tell you, adding extra drivers, hooks or code layers to your data transfers will at best shift computations from a particular card to the CPU. In a worst case scenario you will end up with a unstable system and/or corrupted data.

My suggestion is to keep those booster applications of your system unless you have a very particular need and know all the pros and cons of using said software.

 

I'll check this out, I have an Asus Sabertooth X79 and run AI suite. I don't like the idea of bloatware monkeying with my system without my say so. I only run AI suite as it gives comprehensive thermal radar/temp monitoring gadgets which give me piece of mind.

It might be worth mind checking the Asus website and updating all your mobo drivers. The ones on the CD are virtually out of date the moment you buy the motherboard.

The hardware from Asus mind, is mind blowingly good IMO, this is my third Asus board, more features and performance than a stabbed rat. Have you tried Asus optimal mode? Scary O/C potential.