What the heck is going on with my Router/Cable Modem?

[aphex]

I have a 10mb/1mb line from Brighthouse Networks (a.k.a. Road Runner).

Every device in my house is wireless. (2 laptops / 1 Mac Mini)

Recently, anytime anyone else is doing anything online (downloading a file, talking on Vonage, even browsing the web), the whole internet slows to a crawl for everyone else (even the person using the internet).

Sometimes even when no other computers are using it at the same time it all slows to a crawl.

I've run a few speedtests and the download speed is VERY inconsistent, ranging from 76kb one time to 11,000kb the next. Ran a line quality test and it comes back fine, just shows some packet loss in Level3 (17%), but it shows the line passed with all packets making it.

I also went ahead and swapped out my router, but it seems to be doing the same thing on the other one. Tried changing channels, encryption methods, etc... no luck..

Any ideas?

 

[KenAF2]

As you know, cable bandwidth is shared by the customers on your node. i.e. in your immediate neighborhood. Your available bandwidth depends on what your neighbors are doing. In some cases, cable providers limit the number of customers per node to maintain higher quality of service; unfortunately, in many cases, cable companies oversell their bandwidth by putting more customers per node than they should.

If you have Brighthouse, perhaps you live in Florida. If that is the case, you may soon have a superior alternative (Verizon FiOS) available in your area, if it isn't already.

 

[aphex]

i dont think its the neighbors, its consistantly slowing down as soon as i try to use anything....

also, no fios in my neighborhood till at least oct...

 

[spidey07]

With that much packet loss it's most likely a problem with your provider. Or if it's wireless it could be interferrence.

Remove any home networking equipment and test with a single computer directly into the cable modem. Also turn off the cable modem for 1 minute and then reboot it, that could fix it.

 

[kevnich2]

aphex, what part of Florida are you near? I would call Bright House and see what they say about it. I'm on the Tampa node myself and my speed is just fine. BUT, I also have a business level account too but know several with residential and they're running ok. It might just be a problem with the node in your neighborhood. Call Bright House and tell them what's going on. You'll need to first hook up a PC directly to the cable modem and run a speed test to see how things are. When you call Bright House, keep that PC connected directly as well as they won't usually troubleshoot through a router.

Edit - Spidey beat me to it.

 

[vorgusa]

I get a good signal in Orlando too with the same 10/1 signal. I was a little dissapointed when I used to get 13 Mb/s download and now they brought it down to 10, but I guess that is what I am paying for.. I think I can survive 😛

 

[aphex]

ok well the speed came back up on all the devices except my Mac Mini.... the laptops show 11mb down, the mac mini shows 1mb down...

 

[aphex]

ok, well i tried with the bootcamp vista partition on my mini, it shows very low wireless signal (even though OSX shows its pretty good). I am assuming thats my trouble.

 

[kevnich2]

How about you try what we've told you to do and take one PC, hook it with an Ethernet cable DIRECTLY to your cable modem and try a FEW tests to see what the speed is. This way you can eliminate the cable modem and the provider as the source for the problems and continue troubleshooting rather than assuming it's one thing without actually have troubleshot anything?

 

[aphex]

If the speed came back on all the devices except the mini, why would i still need to hook a device directly up to the modem? I am getting 11mbps on every other device, except the mini.