Slow streaming from wireless to Media Center (Vista / Windows 7)

So you’ve arrived here because your current Media Center is taking EONS to load/stream a video file over wireless from a laptop or other wireless device to your media center.

I had this too and it’s a pain up the arse to fix, but for me I managed to get it working so much so it was delivering files over wireless at almost full wireless speed, in my case, 48Mbps.

First, Windows Vista (and maybe Windows 7) uses a few things to try and improve network speed and file access which ironically is the cause of the problem.  I’m not sure the developers really ever tried this in real life but it sucks and causes more problems than I can think of.

So, to the solution.  I did the following steps and some may not be required at all but in doing all of these it worked and I’m not going to change them back to see what happens

Remember to do this to BOTH/ALL machines.  I did it to Windows 7 to be sure. None of the features below were required by me so it’s no loss to see them go.

1. Remove IPv6

This is the IP address version 6 which changes the usual 192.168.129.111 to a long and complex HEX based address. On your standard internal network (which you are more than likely running) you simply don’t need the address space it offers.

Launch control panel, find the current network controller and click properties and disable IPv6 (Control Panel\Network and Internet\Network and Sharing Center –> Click Local Area Network –> Properties –> Uncheck IPv6 and confirm.)

2.  Duplex and TX settings

If the options are there, keep the above properties open and Click “Configure –> Advanced”. Select “Flow Control” and select to “TX Enabled”.  In the same window look for “Link Speed and Duplex” and set to “100Mbps Full Duplex”.

3. Removal of “Remote Differential Compression”

Go to “Control Panel\Programs\Programs and Features” and select the option on the left “Turn Windows Features on or off”.  Uncheck “Remote Differential Compression”. Press OK – this may take AGES.

4. Turn off “offline files”

Go to the start button and in search type “Offline files”. Click the first item and select “Disable Offline files”.

5. Reboot the machine

Reboot is vital here.  Once your rebooted give it a try and you should be surprised with the speed now coming down.