Network utilization max's at 25%

[adl6009]

In xp's task manager when I am accessing large files from the newsgroups + I get network utilization numbers typically on the 13 to 18% range. It will max out at 25%. I use xnews and I have seen numbers like 250000 and I believe thats bytes/sec, in the 2nd lil window at the bottom left. (Actually I get the slowest rates from my isp's servers, I have a premium server that runs much faster)
Is this good performance for a cable connection? If you need more info I can supply that, I am just not sure what data you might need. I'll type out what I can find about the configuration below. What I am really wondering about is the half duplex setting. Should I leave it there or set it to full duplex?
Thanks for the help.

Win xp home sp 1
intel pro 100
Set to 10 mbs half duplex
Send and receive errors are both listed as 0

[BipolarBill]

That's about all that you can expect from internet usage. Cable maxes out at about 2MBps and your NIC allows 10MBps. That's 20% and you have it beat already.

[omendata]

Typically half duplex will be the norm - you can select full-duplex but leave the card media detect (if you have it which I believe it will as Ive got the same Intel 100 card) at auto-detect - if it cant handle full duplex it will drop back to half - if you set both to full and your connection cant handle it your card wont work.
My cable connection (NTL) handles my card running at 100mbps - It doesnt make much difference but there is always that nagging doubt that 100 is better than 10.

Ethernet only has a 60% efficiency due to collisions so you would never get 10mbps anyway.

25% is pretty high for an internet connection - I wouldnt worry about it.

[adl6009]

Thanks, I just didn't like looking at the utilization numbers down around 15%. We would allways like to see 100% of the bandwidth filled with streaming data wouldn't we. :)

[BipolarBill]

Wanna see lower numbers? Get a 10/100 NIC! :p