Slow bandwidth speed
August 31, 2005 2:24 PM Subscribe
How do I protest my ISP's slow bandwidth speed.
My cable ISP (Roadrunner) claims to provide bandwidth speed up to 5.0 Mbps. They claim their speed to be three times faster than DSL which they estimate to be 1.5 Mbps.
I've been getting speeds averaging 1.4 over a four day test period. I've noticed a slow down for several weeks and it does slow me down doing my work.
What can they do? What will they do? What should I do? (if they do nothing.)
Cable internet involves sharing bandwidth with your neighbours. So I'd suggest that you knock on their doors and figure out who is downloading the warez and eating all your local loop's bandwidth up.
posted by cmonkey at 2:57 PM on August 31, 2005
posted by cmonkey at 2:57 PM on August 31, 2005
How are you measuring the speed?
posted by cillit bang at 3:21 PM on August 31, 2005
posted by cillit bang at 3:21 PM on August 31, 2005
Cable internet involves sharing bandwidth with your neighbours. So I'd suggest that you knock on their doors and figure out who is downloading the warez and eating all your local loop's bandwidth up.
posted by cmonkey at 2:57 PM PST on August 31 [!]
While it is cached bandwidth, they have more than enough available from what I understand. When you call technical support, make it sound like your connection goes off and on, and get a tech out to your place. You might just have crappy wiring somewhere along the line, and they can do a signal test to see if the signal is strong. If they don't do it the first time, wait a while, call back with the same complaints, and have them roll another truck until you get a tech that just starts replacing splitters, etc. Worked for me, but I was on Mediacom. Just keep complaining, even if you have to be on hold. Get a headset.
posted by angry modem at 4:22 PM on August 31, 2005
posted by cmonkey at 2:57 PM PST on August 31 [!]
While it is cached bandwidth, they have more than enough available from what I understand. When you call technical support, make it sound like your connection goes off and on, and get a tech out to your place. You might just have crappy wiring somewhere along the line, and they can do a signal test to see if the signal is strong. If they don't do it the first time, wait a while, call back with the same complaints, and have them roll another truck until you get a tech that just starts replacing splitters, etc. Worked for me, but I was on Mediacom. Just keep complaining, even if you have to be on hold. Get a headset.
posted by angry modem at 4:22 PM on August 31, 2005
AFAIK, RoadRunner (or any other cable ISP) does not guarantee download speed unless you get a business account (which costs several times what you are now paying). You almost never get the maximum advertised download speed with residential cable ISP. Averaging 1.4 is pretty good, I'd say. I don't think you'll get very far with that as the basis of your complaint.
What is the lowest speed you get and how often is it that slow.
posted by winston at 4:35 PM on August 31, 2005
What is the lowest speed you get and how often is it that slow.
posted by winston at 4:35 PM on August 31, 2005
Averaging 1.4 is pretty good, I'd say.
I disagree. Roadrunner residential advertises 5. Ever since that upgrade went through in January, my downlink hasn't gone below 4--except when there was a Layer 1 problem.
NorthCoastCafe, can you go to the diagnostic page for your cable modem? It's a local IP like 192.168.100.1 (that's for an Ericsson modem, the number varies by manufacturer). At the diagnostic page, you can see the modem's signal strength, which could reveal much. For details read the FAQs at www.broadbandreports.com.
1.4 is pretty damn low, imo. You should be upset. Something is wrong. If you talk a good game, you can probably get a tech out there to check the wiring with one phone call.
posted by jbrjake at 8:14 PM on August 31, 2005
I disagree. Roadrunner residential advertises 5. Ever since that upgrade went through in January, my downlink hasn't gone below 4--except when there was a Layer 1 problem.
NorthCoastCafe, can you go to the diagnostic page for your cable modem? It's a local IP like 192.168.100.1 (that's for an Ericsson modem, the number varies by manufacturer). At the diagnostic page, you can see the modem's signal strength, which could reveal much. For details read the FAQs at www.broadbandreports.com.
1.4 is pretty damn low, imo. You should be upset. Something is wrong. If you talk a good game, you can probably get a tech out there to check the wiring with one phone call.
posted by jbrjake at 8:14 PM on August 31, 2005
i dont think you answerd the question about how you are measuring it? Call up the CSR's and ask how you can test your speeds. On my local time warner cables webpage they have a link to it right on the front page.
Calling up actually can do some good as they will more than likely check all the metrics on your modem and equipment in your area. It could be a million things causing it, but they can see if it's anything obvious right away.
posted by joshgray at 8:27 PM on August 31, 2005
Calling up actually can do some good as they will more than likely check all the metrics on your modem and equipment in your area. It could be a million things causing it, but they can see if it's anything obvious right away.
posted by joshgray at 8:27 PM on August 31, 2005
You don't say if you ever got the advertised speeds, but you can try doing a Tweak Test. My RWIN was off on both of my computers and increased my speed significantly when I corrected it.
posted by phox at 8:48 PM on August 31, 2005
posted by phox at 8:48 PM on August 31, 2005
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by Who_Am_I at 2:37 PM on August 31, 2005