Extremely slow and unreliable internet connection

I am rapidly approaching the end of my sanity with this crap. Long story short, I'm paying $50 per month for Time Warner Cable's "extreme" 30Mbps down/5Mbps up internet service. Thus far, the only thing that's been extreme has been my headache.

For starters, according to multiple online speed tests (i.e. Speedtest.net and Time Warner's own speed test on their site), my connection has never been faster than 7Mbps down, and is frequently below 1Mbps. My ping is consistently in the multiple thousands for long periods of time, occasionally going back to normal sub-100 levels, and packet loss is frequently over 40%, assuming the test manages to complete at all. There does not appear to be any correlation with usage of other devices on my network, or time of day. However, I'm just as confused by the fact that my upload rate never seems affected; in literally every single speed test I've run over the past month, my upload is never below 4.95Mbps, and in many cases is above my advertised 5.

I can't play any games online for more than a few minutes at a time, as my ping will spike and I will time out. If I'm in a Mumble server, everyone's voice becomes choppy and I frequently lose connection, yet everyone in the server says my voice never fails, which lends evidence to my upload rate being completely unaffected by whatever the hell is happening.

A bit of info about my network setup: my desktop computer is wired via Cat6 cable directly to my cable modem, which has built-in LAN ports and WiFi. I have another desktop computer and a netbook that connect wirelessly, as well as my Android phone on occasion. They all experience the same issues at the same times, regardless of how many devices are connected, whether it's just my computer or all three and my phone.

The modem itself is connected via coaxial cable directly to the only cable jack in my apartment. Thus far, I've had the modem and all the associated cabling replaced twice each by TWC, and their support people have done all sorts of tests and remote resets from their end. Nothing appears to have made any difference.

So, any idea what might be wrong, and preferably how to rectify it? It's gotten to the point where tethering 3G data from my Android phone via USB is consistently faster and more reliable than my cable internet.

I would have jumped ship and signed up with a different service provider weeks ago if I had the choice, but unfortunately, Time Warner is literally the only ISP for my apartment complex. We have no phone lines, so no DSL, and there's no fiber optic anywhere near here.

Sent from my Motorola Triumph using Tapatalk

 

Which Surfboard/Modem/Router did they issue you?

In my area they installed a SBG6580 Docsis 3.0 Modem for me. See this link for the specs:

https://www.rr.com//mys-images/equipment/10875043/manuals/Motorola_SBG6580_Modem_UserGuide.pdf

Besides the excellent modem, the cable guy installed a booster/repeater on the main line in my basement. I have the cable split 8 times after that repeater, to handle a number of connected TV's, and the above internet modem. I have 2 routers, 1 is a Linksys BEFSR41v4, 4 wire router, and the other is a Linksys E3200 wireless router, plugged into the TWC router. I also have 2 Panasonic HD TV's internet connections plugged directly into the 2 remaining ports on the SBG6580 for the Viera Cast links.

I DO NOT use the wireless feature of the SBG6580, only the wired ports. The kid's room has the Linksys BEFSR41v4 router, where they have 2 Toshiba laptops, an X-Box, and a Sony PS 3, plugged into its 4 ports. My bedroom has the Linksys E3200 where I have a Lenovo laptop, and a Gateway 510XL desktop plugged into 2 ports. I only enable the wireless radio, on the E3200 router, when I am "on the move" throughout the house. Otherwise I keep my hardwired 1 Gbps connection.

I too have the extreme package 30/5. In the last 6 months, I have never experienced drops, outages, or speeds lower than 20 Mbps. One time, as a proof of concept, we launched all 4 machines at the speedtest.net site. The slowest speed we got was 15 Mbps on the Gateway Desktop, and that was because it's Ethernet card can only connect at 100 Mbps. See my attached thumbnails to see my speedtest.net report, and what I pay TWC for the extreme internet. I get it so cheap because I subscribe to their total package, with many premium channels. I mostly have >30 Mbps speed, on all platforms.



I'm really not bragging here, or trying to bum you out more than you're already bummed out. I think there ARE issues that TWC COULD, SHOULD, rectify for you.

This is what I suggest:

Number 1. Demand the best equipment. Don't "settle" for out dated, refurbished, cast offs.

Number 2. Demand a tech who will show you the signal strength, as it enters your apartment building. Then the signal strength, as it is at your main outlet, in your apartment. Compare the two. If there are noticeable differences, have the tech put in a booster/repeater IN YOUR APARTMENT.

Number 3. I'm not sure if you can manage their modem via the 192.168.1.1 web access. I can't because I'm not using their wireless connection. So when I had the installation tech here, I had him turn off the radio, and the SSID Broadcast. I made sure that it's firewall had all the ports I needed to be opened up for my special applications. If you can't manage their equipment, make sure the tech sits down with you and field tests almost everything you throw at the router.

Judging by your observation that your upload speed is not adversely affected, I would suspect some setting in the modem is hindering your downloading. If you don't have any control over what channel you are using, or other basic settings, the tech must work it out until he achieves your desired outcome. Have you checked out the modem using inSSIDer 2.0? That should tell you about any channel conflicts.

I once had a tech come out to replace the wire from the pole, to my house demarcation point. Some tree had scraped the wire in the wind. He noticed that the ends on the pole connection were all rusty, and fouled up. He replaced the entire string along with "gold" ends. I gave him a Jackson, for going the extra distance. He was so thankful, that he followed the wire down to the main distribution box, at the end of the street, and replaced the wire ends with the "gold" coated connector. I haven't had a problem since then.

I don't think that's so bad. At Christmas I tip my Mailman, Paperboy, and put out a case of beer for the Trash men. I never have to look for that special package that I was expecting, or my paper was never wet, and I haven't had my garbage can run over in the alley, because it wasn't put back next to the garage. "People are people so why should it be You and I should get along so awfully..."


I'm just saying...:wink:


Sorry if this is a bit long, and drawn out. I'm pulling an all night-er. :SLEEP:

Cheers!
DragonRider

 

They gave me the exact same modem.

I don't know what they have set up in the building, but I don't split my connection at all; the modem is plugged straight into the wall coaxial outlet, and my computer directly into the modem.

Here's a Speedtest reading I just took. It's 1:45PM Eastern here, far from peak hours.

1. I have the exact same modem/router as you, and I'm on my second one. They've both seemed brand new.

2. I'll mention that next time I have a technician out here.

3. I can connect to the modem's control panel just fine (and don't get me started on the idiot they sent to install this thing in the first place, who insisted that the correct IP began with 198.162...I had to show him how to use ipconfig to see what it was), and I've tried disabling all the possible security settings. I've forwarded all the ports I use, and I've tried putting my computer on the DMZ. I can't change channels or frequencies or anything like that; the options are visible but locked out by TWC.

 

It sounds like the problem lies with the cable entering your apartment from the cable source in the apartment complex. I agree with Dragnoak:

"Number 2. Demand a tech who will show you the signal strength, as it enters your apartment building. Then the signal strength, as it is at your main outlet, in your apartment. Compare the two. If there are noticeable differences, have the tech put in a booster/repeater IN YOUR APARTMENT." or have them fix/repair the cable or connections.

I had a similar problem with my cable (Comcast). For some reason the coax braid broke loose on the cable connector at the house, I think some animal created the problem but the issue was resolved with new cable connectors being crimped on.

 

Yeah... get a technician to come over. They have a diagnostic/signal equipment that they can use to check all the ports, and inline things they can unplug (filter) and/or plug (booster). Have them check both the cablemodem and also every TV/cable box. At one time they changed something nearby in the neighborhood and it suddenly affected my cablemodem. While here i mentioned my TV/cable channels on a second cable box weren't right and they fixed it too.

 

I just got off the phone with TWC, this time with a "level 3" support guy...what, am I playing an RPG?

Anyway, he said that apparently my 30Mbps package is not supposed to include WiFi unless I pay an additional $5 per month, but the dude who installed my modem had enabled it and I've been using it since then. According to the CSR, the fact that I've been using a service that I shouldn't have had access to may have been causing problems. He remotely disabled WiFi from my modem on his end, and after resetting everything, so far everything appears to be working. Granted, this was all of half an hour ago, so there's still plenty of time for stuff to go wrong, but we'll see. He said he'd be monitoring my connection for the next 24 hours and he will call back tomorrow morning.

I just ran this Speedtest a few minutes ago, after getting off the phone.

 

$5 extra a month to use wifi? Are you kidding me?

 

To use their own hardware for it, yes, except for subscribers of the 50Mbps "wideband" package, but that costs twice as much for less than twice the bandwidth. I am free to get my own wireless router, of course. What really grinds my gears is that I had already bought a wireless router the day before the technician came to install my modem, and he told me I didn't need it since the modem had its own WiFi, so I returned it that day.

 

Well that explains everything! :smile:

Yeah, their "whole house" package of 50 Mbps "sounds" good, but for me 30/5 is more than enough. Besides, I'm a control freak. I didn't know how much I could "control", or manage their modem/router. As I've said in my above post, I don't turn on my E3200 wireless router radio, unless I need it. There's been a lot of talk, in these forums, about WPS security. I don't need to have my door open all day. This is Wisconsin, it's COLD out there! :laugh:

I'm glad you got your problem solved. Too bad you didn't keep that wireless router. Oh well, that only gives you a chance to research, and buy a new one.

DragonRider

 

This doesn't sit well with me. How is disabling Wi-fi on your router going to pump the speeds up? It doesn't make logical sense. I'm willing to bet that the rep resetting everything is what gave you your speeds back

 

...aaaaaand I lost connection again last night after playing SWTOR for less than an hour. >___<

 

Umm.. I don't think you understand TWC's payment structure, when ordering their internet connection. The OP "thought" he had ordered the WiFi, when he upgraded to their 30/5 Extreme package. Even the original tech, who installed the modem, thought so. The tech "enabled" the WiFi at the router.

It turned out that the tech was wrong. You don't get WiFi "unless" you specifically order it, on your original request. Yeah, that's a bummer, however the OP was given the choice to use it, if he coughed up an extra 5 bucks a month. I guess Mastershroom didn't want the WiFi, so the TWC network guy remotely disabled it. Once he did, the OP's speeds stabilized. Well, at least until today.

Personally, I actually like TWC. I've been a customer for over 25 years. I always receive good service by them. Their problems, are not any different than the rest of the internet service providers. Sometimes, the tech's, and the phone support people, don't give you the correct information. There appears to be a disconnect problem, between what the computer tells them, and what you really experience. The OP shouldn't have been kicked up to "Level 3" to see what the problem was. He should have been informed, on his original call, that the computer does not have him listed as ordering WiFi, so he shouldn't be connecting wireless to the modem.

As I've said, I don't use their modem, for my WiFi. I like to do it myself, through my own router. :yes:

DragonRider

 

I understood it just fine. But technically speaking whether or not someone enables wireless on a router should have no influence on your internet speeds. The OP bought the 30/5 package. WiFi or not, he should still be getting 30/5. The pipe coming into his house is 30mbits regardless of if some tech came to his house, logged into the router and enabled wireless on his router in error. The internet speed and enabling wireless on the router are independent and are not related events. The OP could just use another wireless router and save the $5 a month. These techs have no clue what they are talking about.

 

Sorry, I think you're wrong. They are not "independent" and most definitely related. Do you really think your network speed, and capabilities are controlled by the TWC modem? His "pipe" is nothing. Everything is controlled at TWC's network server.

If you want to speak "technically", your internet connection speed is not determined by the modem. Speed is set in TWC's Network Server, according to his network account. When his modem was fired up, and registered it's handshake at their server, the server checks what capabilities his modem's MAC address is authorized to. The modem must match up with his account profile, in their network. The tech who installed his modem blew it by enabling the WiFi. When the OP connected, whether hard wired, or in a wireless mode, the modem goes out to the server, and negotiates the connection speed with what the server has on file for his account. If there is a mismatch between the modem's MAC address settings (which the tech blew) and what's in his network account, the modem is "flagged" and the speed suffers. The modem is just like their cable box. If you tune into a channel, that you're not a paying for, their "blue screen" pops up, asking you if you want to subscribe, and telling you how to do it. A modem doesn't have any way to tell the user that the modem is reporting a mismatch between the device, and his account profile.

Sure, you can use your own router, including wireless, on their network, if it is placed further downstream from their modem/router. But the TWC modem's software is reporting a network error, when matched to his network account setup. That will kill your speed every time.

Yeah, some techs don't know what they are talking about, but some are very knowledgeable. Isn't that obvious in these threads?

Hey Mastershroom,
I hope you got the latest problem solved. Let us know about the results.:yes:

DragonRider

 

So far, so good. *knock on wood*

Apart from that disconnect from SWTOR the other night, my connection's been pretty steady.

 

I guess I'm not quite done yet. I've been getting constant lag spikes and disconnects in SWTOR, but only in that game. When I'm playing, my ping will spike into the tens of thousands, and voice quality in my Mumble server will noticeably drop, voices will become choppy and robotic. But the instant I kill SWTOR.exe, everything returns to normal, and Speedtest shows me at 30 down/5 up with ping under 40. Speedtest won't even load if I leave the game running while I'm lagging, so I can't tell what my rates are.

Here's a screenshot I just took of one of these lag spikes.

Spoiler

EDIT - I managed to alt-tab and run Speedtest during one of these lag spikes in SWTOR:

 

Do you have other ISPs in your area?

 

Nope, TWC is the exclusive provider for my apartment complex.

 

Sounds to me like they're throttling your connection upon detection of SWTOR packets going by. How much bw does SWTOR use anyway?