Slow?

Hi all, I just got a new laptop and a new wireless N router and set it all up but was noticing that I am getting really slow speeds for my internet and gaming. I went on speedtest.net and got this result. Is there any way to get things to be faster, sorry I am a complete novice at networking and all that jazz. Thanks.

http://speedtest.net/result/1326839711.png

 

Do have FIOS service, also what wireless device do you have (Intel 6300, D-LINK 125, Intel 4965 ABGN, etc? Here is my speed w/ broadband:


Also, something is seriously wrong w/ your ping time (go here for info). You have to understand that a wireless n router means nothing if you don't have a good connection from your Internet Service Provider.

 

well all I know is that I have a Intel 6205 wireless card in my laptop. These speeds are from my desktop which is connected to the wired Ethernet, as I have a Netgear WNR2000 router which is connected to my 2wire DSL gateway modem. but they show almost identical results to my laptop, which is on WiFi. I do not know what is the cause or what to do. I am on some ATT internet plan and pay like $30 a month. I feel a little disappointed with my new laptop, not because anything is wrong with it itself, but the internet and browsing speeds are pretty slow and is annoying me.

 

It would probably be your DSL connection (go here for info), because broadband (cable) supports higher bandwidth. But to get the most out of your wireless n router, get FIOS (fiber optics) connection from Verizon.

 

So this problem is directly from my ISP? I cant afford more than the price I am paying atm so I guess im stuck with this...

 

No need to make it sound like OP has to upgrade from DSL to a better connection.
He can get 40 times faster connection that the current one still using DSL.
Judging by the speed and ping it's not a cheap plan- it looks like either a poor quality line (check Line Attenuation and Noise Margin) or a bad cable or connector somewhere in your apartment.
Check what you can (connections, cables, DSL stats) and if nothing helps contact your ISP.

 

I agree w/ downloads, so just contact you ISP (might have to do that many times) for better service. RCN was actually slowing down their connection speed (I noticed because I monitor my downloads), it took a while for them go back to the original speed. They can't really deny your complaints because your are their valued customer.

 

also, when running speed tests that you are going to use to argue with your ISP, do it over a wired connection.

wireless is too variable and trouble-prone to use as any kind of benchmark.

 

First thing to do is try a different phone outlet to plug your dsl modem into. I've seen it make a huge difference and it's REAL easy to try a different outlet.

 

I would try that but I only have one outlet in my room.

I am not sure if I have a bad cable, I would not know, physically, I do not see anything wrong with them.

So if I were to contact my ISP,(ATT in this case) , who would I need to speak to/call and what exactly would I say. Is this something that I can complain about and they miraculously improve my speeds?

Thanks for all the help guys.

 

You are probably billed every month w/ a mail asking for payment for AT&T internet service. That invoice probably has a number for you to call them, then you call that number. If the person can't help you, ask for a number of the department that can help you. If you reach the right person, complain about your issue and he/she will try to fix things on his side (if AT&T has any problems w/ their servers). Although it might not be a immediate fix, it will take a while for you to achieve what you want.

 

You'll probably have to go through the "grunts" first (people hired to answer the phone who have little tech knowledge and a procedure they are asked to follow). It's gonna take some time but follow their instructions and when that doesn't fix your problem, they should transfer you to someone who knows their stuff and will be better suited to provide a fix for you. It's like that for pretty much every tech related company i had to deal with. Toshiba, Asus, Bell Canada (my ISP) are all like that and they'll ask you to follow the **** procedure even if you tell them you tried it before and it didn't fix the problem.

Still, i would temporarily plug the modem elsewhere and see how it goes. It should take 20 mins or so to move the router, test it and get it back in your room. If you're in a dorm maybe you can't do this though...

EDIT: Have you tried to connect directly to the 2wire modem? Sometimes they decide they no longer want to play nice when you hook them to another router. God knows it was an adventure getting mine to work with a linksys E3000 but that's mostly due to a custom firmware from my ISP.

 

Well I tried again on speedtest later and this is what I got. I believe I am paying ATT for the 3 mbps speed , so this is probably as close as it will get.



Maybe it is due to that the first time I tried it, my laptop was connected to the internet the same time as my desktop. That result is from my desktop, and my laptop is currently off atm. So I assume that means I can only go on one without causing a slowdown?

Anyways, thank you all again for your help and support.

 

I encourage you to not use DSL from AT&T (they cap how much you can download, read more here).

 

DSL quality of service can vary widely with the weather/line conditons. The longer the copper run from the central office to your modem, the more chance for signal degradation. Living with a marginal DSL connection approaching the ~18,000 foot limit is a nuisance... it may install but it is likely to be problematic They provision it and hope for the best... if the customer lives with it, they'll take your money.

Know the distance of your copper run and expect solid service. If it fluxuates a lot, don't expect it to settle down... best to find a new service provider, if available.

GK