I’m stumped on this. I’m getting terrible download speeds, often dial-up speeds, on my DSL connection. Running the speed test online, the indication is that I am getting near full bandwidth. I’ve spoken to my provider several times, and they insist that the problem is between my modem (Actiontec M1000 Modular Router) and my computer.
The modem indicates I am getting full bandwidth (7Mbps). I’ve switched cables. The problem persists on different computers. This is a problem during heavier traffic hours: Between 12AM and 9AM I seem to have no problem, but during the day this slows to a crawl. Slower speeds during business hours might be normal, but not like this.
This has been going on for about three months. I installed 11.2 about that time, but can’t think of anything I am doing differently. Can anyone tell me what I’m missing?
If it’s as you describe and OK during off peak. Then your ISP is employing traffic management and you are most likely on a throttled pipe.
Do you/would you normally use massive amounts of bandwidth? Here in the UK, traffic management like this is common, but it’s all in the small print.
Your ISP should tell you if you are in a throttled pipe (But that doesn’t mean they will).
That was my original thought, but they are adamant that none of that is going on. I haven’t been able to confirm it by other means. I tried MTR and there was nothing suspicious there.
chief sealth wrote:
> Can anyone tell me what I’m missing?
i tend to agree with the other’s ideas on throttling…but, one thing
you might do is take the provider (Quest, i guess) out of the picture
when testing by using a third party speed test site, maybe: http://www.speedtest.net/
another thing, you didn’t mention (in this thread, and i’m not gonna
dig around in all your past postings to learn) if you are in a
residential neighborhood or maybe a large block of apartments or
living in the center of a business district…all of which (if i
understand the bit distribution network) might affect the perceived
bandwidth available to an area during various times of the day/night…
think of the internet as pipes carrying water to your home: if you
shower at 2 AM and are the only one (probably) within 20 km doing so
you are gonna enjoy plenty of water pressure…but, try a shower
between 6 and 8 AM when all your neighbors a showering, flushing etc…
the water company’s pipes remain the same size day and night, most
internet company “pipes” do also (though they can lease more on an as
needed basis, to meet demand–but at a higher cost and lower profit)…
someone already mentioned the fine or small print in your providers
info…mine says (something like) i have a 10 MB DSL down and 5 up,
but they ‘guarantee’ a minimum throughput of 5.x MB down and something
less than 5 up…
they can charge me for a 10 MB pipe and never serve more than 6…or
serve me 10 from midnight to 6 AM and 5 MB from 6AM to
midnight…and, if i don’t like that i can change ISPs…
two last things, which may or may not do anything for you:
make sure IPv6 is disabled (if using 11.2 see http://tinyurl.com/yg4utvs, if using earlier version, ask again)
test your MTU to see if you really should be using the default
(1500) and reset if needed (mine is set to 1472 and i get a speed
boost from that–with continuing thanks to Akoellh) see here: http://tinyurl.com/ydhz3pa
>
> I’m stumped on this. I’m getting terrible download speeds, often
> dial-up speeds, on my DSL connection. Running the ‘speed test’
> (http://seattle.speedtest.qwest.net/) online, the indication is
> that I am getting near full bandwidth. I’ve spoken to my provider
> several times, and they insist that the problem is between my
> modem (Actiontec M1000 Modular Router) and my computer.
>
> The modem indicates I am getting full bandwidth (7Mbps). I’ve
> switched cables. The problem persists on different computers. This
> is a problem during heavier traffic hours: Between 12AM and 9AM I
> seem to have no problem, but during the day this slows to a crawl.
> Slower speeds during business hours might be normal, but not like
> this.
>
> This has been going on for about three months. I installed 11.2
> about
> that time, but can’t think of anything I am doing differently.
> Can anyone tell me what I’m missing?
>
I have seen the same type problem with my ISP (Localtel in East
Wenatchee,WA.). I’m on a 100Mbps fiber optics network. Speedtest
shows 52.8 download and 14.7 upload to the ISP’s system. If I run a
test to your ISp it pegs at 20Mbps up and down. Thats because that
the max Quest supports on that link. If I run a test to Nuremberg, I
get 5Mbps download and 1.1Mbps upload. So it depends on where you
download from.Also it will bepend on the server at the other end and
the route to it. (http://www.speedtest.net/)
I tried to pin my ISP down on throttling, but like Quest they claim
they don’t. They are especially bad between 7:30AM and 9AM.
>
>> I tried to pin my ISP down on throttling, but like Quest they
>> claim they don’t. They are especially bad between 7:30AM and 9AM.
>
> Guess what.
>
> They tell lies>:)
>
>
yes i suspected that!. In the old days the standard reply from the
phone companies on modem problems, was its not us. The old finger
pointing game still exists.
