Hi,
There aren't really any settings that can be tweaked, as the mobile network will try and serve you with the best connection it can based on factors such as signal strength and the availability of 2G or 3G in the location where you're using the setup.
It's possible that one of your setups is picking up 2G and the other 3G, but this would probably be due to either location or local geographical factors, rather than your equipment:
2G is slower and signified by a green light
3G is faster and signified by a blue light
In the vodafone mobile broadband software you can lock it to 2G or 3G by:
- Click the advanced button (if you're not already in advanced mode)
- Click the devices tab
- Highlight your USB modem
- Click the drop down arrow under the bearer icon (looks like a mobile phone mast)
- Select 3G only for 3G only, 2G only for 2G only or 3G preferred for automatic 2G/3G selection (it will try and use 3G by default if you choose the latter, but will drop down to 2G if a 3Gsignal isn't available)
Are both systems (windows 7 and XP) in the same location?
Does the light on the dongle differ between either system?
What colour is it on each of the systems?
If you answered no to the first two questions and switching between 2G and 3G doesn't make any difference the next most likely explanation is that there's something running in the background on the windows 7 machine that is using bandwidth (windows updates or antivirus updates for example).
It might be worth performing a clean boot on the Windows 7 machine (as this stops background applciations loading in the background when windows starts up) and then retesting the conneciton. If this speeds things up then it'ssometing running in the background on your Windows 7 PC that's causing the problems.
To clean boot on Wodnows 7:
1. Click Start Menu, and type msconfig in the search bar.
2. Hit return (or double left click) on returned Msconfig file to launch System Configuration utility.
The System Configuration Utility appears.
3. Ensure the General tab is selected.
4. Click on Selective Startup and make sure that "Load System Services" is the only item checked.
(You will be unable to unselect "Use Original BOOT.INI." This is OK).
5. Click the Services tab.
6. Select Hide all Microsoft Services.
Warning Do not skip this step. You must hide the Microsoft Services before you go on to step 7.
7. Clear all the services that are still displayed on the Services tab by selecting “Disable All”.
8. Click Apply > OK.
9. Click Restart.
To reverse a clean boot:
1. Rerun MSConfig utility as detailed above
2. On the general tab click Normal Startup.
3. Click OK.
4. Click Restart.
