Before kick-off the Black Cats paid their respects to Porterfield who died on Tuesday and it was transfer deadline signing Kenwyne Jones who helped them clinch only their second victory of the campaign.
Having not won since the last-gasp victory against Tottenham on the opening day of the season five weeks ago, it was a crucial victory for Keane's side that had lost its way recently.
Jones opened the scoring just before the half-hour with a brilliant 25-yard strike and it was no more than Sunderland deserved after the former Southampton striker and Grant Leadbitter had both gone close to breaking the deadlock.
Jones beat Ivar Ingimarsson before blasting a left-foot shot past Royals shot-stopper Marcus Hahnemann and into the net.
He then headed Danny Collins' cross wide before contriving to miss with another header from a Ross Wallace cross when only five yards out.
Reading produced another grim display and to add to manager Steve Coppell's woes they conceded a second goal almost immediately after the restart.
The outstanding Jones was behind the goal, beating three challenges before finding Wallace who sidefooted his shot home.
At last Reading responded but they rarely looked capable of salvaging a point from the match.
They did look livelier when substitute Bobby Convey came on, and the American winger's cross-cum-shot was almost turned home by Dave Kitson at the far post.
The former Cambridge United striker did grab a consolation goal with five minutes left when he glanced in Nicky Shorey's free-kick, but it was too little too late for Coppell's struggling side as Sunderland comfortably hung on to the three points.