Slow network connection Windows 11 when using Windows lockscreen

Question

Notebook: Lenovo P14s

System: Windows 11

After booting the notebook I get full networkspeed for LAN and WLAN.

Problem: When I go to windows lock screen or when I use windows sleep mode or when I use windows hibernation mode and log in to windows desktop again the networkspeed (LAN and WLAN) is reduced. There is also a delay in almost every network based action. As a result many microsoft services like power platform or azure ad often fail and I have to reload the pages again and again.

At work the speed is reduced from 300-400mbs to 5-10mbs, at home from 80-90mbs also to 5-10mbs - both wired and wireless.

What I have done so far:

• Used Lenovo Vantage for driver update
• Removed driver manually and installed driver from lenovo
• disabled and removed the network adapters and reinstalled them
• Worked on power settings (many tutorials on the internet)
• disabled IPv6
• Turned on/off option "magic packet"

The problem is so specific that I cant find an exact answer to this on the internet:

Boot notebook > full networkspeed for all adapters > lock screen > networkspeed crippled to 5-10mbs with high latency

Answer 1

Thank you for providing additional information. It's clear that you've thoroughly explored various avenues to address the slow network connection issue. Since the issue appears to be quite intricate and involves specific hardware and networking configurations, here are a few more suggestions to consider when you're back from vacation:

Temporary Profile Issue: Sometimes, Windows can encounter profile corruption issues that might impact various system functionalities, including networking. When you return from vacation, you could try creating a new user profile and see if the issue persists when using the new profile. If the problem doesn't occur in the new profile, it could indicate a problem with your original profile.

-<Create a local user or administrator account in Windows - Microsoft Support>Network Adapter Replacement: Since the issue seems to persist across different types of network adapters (built-in, USB dongle), it could potentially indicate an issue at a higher system level. Still, if you have access to another laptop or device, you could test these network adapters on a different system to verify if they are functioning normally. Or you can replace a new Wireless network card, observe whether the problem is reproduced on this network card.

Check Group Policies: Sometimes, group policies set by organizations can have unintended effects on networking behavior. If your laptop is part of a domain, check if there are any group policies related to network settings that could be causing the issue.

Please take your time and enjoy your vacation. When you return, you can gradually work through these suggestions to try to pinpoint and resolve the issue. It's clear that you're taking a systematic approach to troubleshooting, and I hope you're able to find a solution to the problem. If you have further questions or updates, feel free to ask.

Answer 2

Hi Chandy,

details:

1. Yes, the problems can be reproduced on wired network connected via RJ45. I even tried it with a LAN-to-USB dongle. Same result.
2. We use OpenVPN to connect to the company network. Turning it off doesnt solve the issue.
3. In safe boot with network, windows wasnt able to install any network driver. I couldnt test the scenario because all network cards were disabled.
4. I dont use a wireless display. I use 2 displays connected via usb-c (company), 2 displays connected via usb-c lenovo docking station (home).

Best regards,
Markus

Thanks for your effort. I am on vacation until 30th September. I am looking forward to your advices.

Answer 3

Hello, Markus Mundt

Thank you for providing detailed information about the issue you're experiencing with network speed on your Lenovo P14s notebook running Windows 11, specifically when using the Windows lock screen or when resuming from sleep or hibernation. I understand that the network speed drops significantly in these scenarios, leading to delays in network-based actions.

To further assist you in resolving this issue, I'd like to gather some more specific details:

**1->**I inquired that your device seems to support RJ45 wired network, will this problem be reproduced in the wired network environment?

**2->**Is there any security software or VPN service installed on your laptop that may affect the network connection? If so, Temporarily disable or remove these settings.

**3->**Since this problem doesn't seem to be a common occurrence, for this I suggest you to perform a safe boot with networking. This mode calls a set of basic Windows driver services, which can help you see whether the problem is caused by a driver or third-party software or the hardware itself.

Start your PC in safe mode in Windows - Microsoft Support

**4->**Additionally, do you have a wireless display installed on your PC device? Hold Windows+S > type Wireless Display > uninstall it if present and see how the problem manifests.

Share with me the results after completing the relevant troubleshooting steps, it will help us discuss how to investigate this issue further.

Best regards,

Chandy |Microsoft Community Support Specialist