Why such wildly different speed test results?

[Mele20]

I have a new computer (host) and also have VMWare Workstation virtual (guest) computer. I have Road Runner. The host computer has nVidia controller for networking and the guest uses VMWare's Intel controller.

Host computer has gotten horrible download speeds since I got it a few weeks ago. It is tweaked using DrTCP from DSL reports just like the guest computer. The guest computer gets excellent download speeds. On my previous computer, which was returned to Dell because it could not be repaired and was still under warranty, I got excellent download test speeds on the host computer and the same speeds (with minor variation) on the guest computer. (I had VMWare Workstation on that machine also).

All speed tests from various sources that I have done for years are showing low speeds on this new host computer from Dell but the guest virtual computer shows excellent speeds from all the speed tests.  What could cause the host machine to test so poorly and the virtual machine to test great? I am flummoxed by this. I have to download now from the guest machine because the downloads are fast and then move the file to the host and install it. That is crazy. I want to figure out why the host machine (XPS 600) can't achieve the speed I got on the Dell Dimension 8300 and that I still get on my virtual machine.  The 8300 (like the virtual machine) had an Intel controller for networking and the XPS has nVidia controller so is there something possibly wrong with the nVidia controller?

This is from the XPS host machine:

.. Download Stats ..:::

Connection is:: 2362 Kbps about 2.4 Mbps (tested with 2992 kB)

Download Speed is:: 288 kB/s

Tested From:: https://testmy.net  (main)

Test Time:: 2006/03/06 - 2:40am

Bottom Line:: 42X faster than 56K 1MB Download in 3.56 sec

Diagnosis: May need help : running at only 52.59 % of your hosts average (rr.com)

Validation Link:: https://testmy.net/stats/id-FKI9NPE4S

This is from the virtual guest machine:

:::.. Download Stats ..:::

Connection is:: 4710 Kbps about 4.7 Mbps (tested with 2992 kB)

Download Speed is:: 575 kB/s

Tested From:: https://testmy.net  (main)

Test Time:: 2006/03/06 - 2:42am

Bottom Line:: 84X faster than 56K 1MB Download in 1.78 sec

Diagnosis: Looks Great : 4.88 % faster than the average for host (rr.com)

Validation Link:: https://testmy.net/stats/id-PSRXLC03G