20mb BROADBAND download nightmare...and theirs more

[NetfrogUK]

As a 20mb BROADBAND Guildford User I'm constantly FRUSTRATED by slow download speeds...On many...many...occasions my 750k upload speeds are faster than my download speeds ???????

This is accessing sites I access numerous times a day & for a number of years. When I ask UK friends using OTHER BROADBAND SERVICES to access my problem sites...they do not get the slow speeds I get.

...and theirs more
I cannot access parts of certain ESSENTIAL sites & friends can.
I get "Time Out" ...they get in.

Here's a typical problem...
two >Tracing Routes to...
discountasp.net
&
my.discountasp.net
=================================================
Tracing route to discountasp.net [64.79.161.6]
over a maximum of 30 hops:
1 5 ms 5 ms 6 ms 10.129.16.1
2 6 ms 6 ms 6 ms glfd-t2cam1-a-v110.inet.ntl.com [80.4.30.77]
3 6 ms 5 ms 5 ms glfd-t2core-a-ge-wan74.inet.ntl.com [195.182.178.29]
4 6 ms 6 ms 7 ms gfd-bb-a-so-720-0.inet.ntl.com [62.253.185.25]
5 10 ms 29 ms 9 ms nth-bb-b-so-230-0.inet.ntl.com [213.105.175.138]
6 10 ms 9 ms 10 ms nth-bb-a-ge-000-0.inet.ntl.com [62.253.185.117]
7 14 ms 13 ms 14 ms lee-bb-b-so-200-0.inet.ntl.com [213.105.175.134]
8 127 ms 186 ms 228 ms Tengigabitethernet7-1.401ar4.LON3.gblx.net [64.214.128.37]
9 151 ms 150 ms 153 ms INTERNAP.te1-4.ar4.LAX1.gblx.net [64.215.30.78]
10 152 ms 164 ms 153 ms border1.po1-bbnet1.ext1.lax.pnap.net [216.52.255.22]
11 153 ms 152 ms 152 ms hostcollective-4.border1.lax.ext1.pnap.net [216.52.253.94]
12 156 ms 158 ms 157 ms 64-79-161-6.discountasp.net [64.79.161.6]
Trace complete.
================================================== ==
Tracing route to my.discountasp.net [64.79.161.9]
over a maximum of 30 hops:
1 4 ms 7 ms 5 ms 10.129.16.1
2 7 ms 6 ms 5 ms glfd-t2cam1-b-v110.inet.ntl.com [80.4.30.205]
3 * * * Request timed out.
4 * * * Request timed out.
5 * * * Request timed out.
6 * * * Request timed out.
7 * * 54 ms Tengigabitethernet7-1.401ar4.LON3.gblx.net [64.214.128.37]
8 * 151 ms * INTERNAP.te1-4.ar4.LAX1.gblx.net [64.215.30.78]
9 * * * Request timed out.
10 151 ms * 155 ms hostcollective-4.border1.lax.ext1.pnap.net [216.52.253.94]
11 * 153 ms * 64-79-161-9.discountasp.net [64.79.161.9]
12 * * * Request timed out.
13 * * * Request timed out.
14 * 152 ms * 64-79-161-9.discountasp.net [64.79.161.9]
15 * * * Request timed out.
16 * * * Request timed out.
17 * * * Request timed out.
18 * * * Request timed out.
19 * 152 ms * 64-79-161-9.discountasp.net [64.79.161.9]
20 * * * Request timed out.
21 * * * Request timed out.
22 * * 156 ms 64-79-161-9.discountasp.net [64.79.161.9]
Trace complete.
================================================== ==
With most of my time spent on the web I find VirginMedia Broadband frustrating & very annoying.

VirginMedia Broadband should tell users the truth...JUST WHAT are their Broadband problems?

Regards
A VERY FRUSTRATED BROADBAND Guildford User
ps.
...my family are very pleased with the rest of the XL PACKAGE

[Joxer]

Where these taken one after another? They look a bit wierd to me. I your tracert (Itake it you are using tracert) working? Whyin the second trace did it not notice it had reached its destination and carry on?

Incidentally I get this using traceroute (not tracert) and similar with tracepath.

traceroute to my.discountasp.net (64.79.161.9), 30 hops max, 38 byte packets
1 192.168.123.254 (192.168.123.254) 0.452 ms 0.409 ms 0.393 ms
2 10.141.0.1 (10.141.0.1) 8.834 ms pc-62-30-246-129-do.blueyonder.co.uk (62.30.246.129) 7.419 ms 7
3 pc-62-30-246-37-do.blueyonder.co.uk (62.30.246.37) 21.751 ms 22.019 ms 22.670 ms
4 uddi-t3core-1a-ge-010-0.inet.ntl.com (80.3.16.69) 22.028 ms 20.477 ms 21.719 ms
5 lee-bb-a-so-220-0.inet.ntl.com (213.105.175.189) 22.409 ms 21.572 ms 21.197 ms
6 lee-bb-b-ae0-0.inet.ntl.com (62.253.187.186) 22.290 ms 22.290 ms 21.673 ms
7 Tengigabitethernet7-1.401ar4.LON3.gblx.net (64.214.128.37) 22.889 ms 25.201 ms 52.849 ms
8 INTERNAP.te1-4.ar4.LAX1.gblx.net (64.215.30.78) 170.000 ms 171.491 ms 169.523 ms
9 border1.po2-bbnet2.ext1.lax.pnap.net (216.52.255.86) 169.846 ms 169.881 ms 169.298 ms
10 hostcollective-4.border1.lax.ext1.pnap.net (216.52.253.94) 171.761 ms 177.195 ms 178.275 ms
11 * * *
12 * * *
13 * * *
14 * * *
15 * * *
16 * * *
17 * * *
18 * * *
19 * * *
20 * * *
21 * * *
22 * * *
23 * * *
24 * * *
25 * * *
26 * * *
27 * * *
28 * * *
29 * * *
30 * * *

Which is weird considering this: http://www.dnsstuff.com/tools/tracert.ch?domain=my.discountasp.net

[whydoIneedatech]

Try a netstat -an and check for established or listening connections.

Post results if it looks like you have many TCP and UDP connections.

If you are using IE7 go to tools>internet options>advanced>and press the reset button at the bottom to remove all the clutter from your browser.

[NetfrogUK]

Where these taken one after another? They look a bit wierd to me. I your tracert (Itake it you are using tracert) working? Whyin the second trace did it not notice it had reached its destination and carry on?

Thanks Joxer...I assume that Tracert knows the final destination & somehow gets the next link to jump to before it can record the full Address of the Timeout link.

As I said UK friends using other BROADBAND SERVICES do not have similar problems getting to my destinations.

I know it's a Virgin Guildford routing problem...because like you using online Trace services I get through without timeouts.

Another example is my ability to jump to
http://www.alphasoftware.com/
& all other menu links EXCEPT http://msgboard.alphasoftware.com/alphaforum/

I'm very frustrated
Regards from Aldershot

---------- Post added at 23:37 ---------- Previous post was at 23:27 ----------

[QUOTE=whydoIneedatech;34521854]Try a netstat -an and check for established or listening connections.

Post results if it looks like you have many TCP and UDP connections.

If you are using IE7 go to tools>internet options>advanced>and press the reset button at the bottom to remove all the clutter from your browser.
==================================================
I appreciate your guidance whydoIneedatech
BUT I have never knowingly used NETSTAT before
I did what you suggested & now I need to read & digest
Regards
from Aldershot

[Joxer]

It's very odd that you get timeouts on the second trace but not the first when early on they should be taking the same route.

Just for fun you could try
ipconfig /dnsflush
and maybe
netsh int ip reset ip.txt
and
netsh winsock reset
and reboot

I don't really thnk it will help, but it won't do any harm.

^You could also try a live cd and see if you get the same issue, for instance:
http://ubuntu.virginmedia.com/releases/kubuntu/hardy/kubuntu-8.04-beta-desktop-i386.iso

Just remember it's now traceroute not tracert. :-)

[NetfrogUK]

Joxer
No change with your first suggestions
I have already used "Barts's CD" also...with no difference
Thanks for the Linux Beta download...it will be useful for other things

BUT how can I avoid the Guildford Routing...it appears if there is a prefix in front of the .com/.net or whatever
like my.discountasp.net
Virgin route it differently

PLUS it's the weekend & Virgin Support will be elsewhere.
Regards
NetfrogUK

[cybernetic_tiger]

BUT how can I avoid the Guildford Routing...it appears if there is a prefix in front of the .com/.net or whatever
like my.discountasp.net
Virgin route it differently


The only reason a sub-domain would be routed differently to a top level domain is if it was set up (dns wise) to route to a different IP address (which in your case above is true).

I have checked these two IP addresses and they are known via the same /20 subnet to one of our peers so there should never be an issue getting to one not the other.

I have checked your uBR and the routing toward the core is stable, I have also checked the routing from the level2 core into the level3 core and this is also stable.

I would suggest you call TS and have your connection checked or you could try ping tests to the uBR (1'st hop) to see if pings still work when you see issues connecting to websites.

HTH

[whydoIneedatech]

==================================================
I appreciate your guidance whydoIneedatech
BUT I have never knowingly used NETSTAT before
I did what you suggested & now I need to read & digest
Regards
from Aldershot[/QUOTE]
==================================================

What operating system and how many connections.

==================================================

Also try Samspade http://preview.samspade.org/ssw/

TCPVIEW http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/bb897437.aspx or

PROCEXP http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/bb896653.aspx

[NetfrogUK]

The only reason a sub-domain would be routed differently to a top level domain is if it was set up (dns wise) to route to a different IP address (which in your case above is true).

I have checked these two IP addresses and they are known via the same /20 subnet to one of our peers so there should never be an issue getting to one not the other.

I have checked your uBR and the routing toward the core is stable, I have also checked the routing from the level2 core into the level3 core and this is also stable.

I would suggest you call TS and have your connection checked or you could try ping tests to the uBR (1'st hop) to see if pings still work when you see issues connecting to websites.

HTH

Your comments are appreciated "cybernetic_tiger"
As I said...the "Timeouts" only occur to the odd link on certain frequently used websites where I had no previous problems.

I assumed it was a Virgin Go Slow because download was unusually slower than upload speeds.

Two questions
1 - Which is the most accurate speed test to use
2 - When are Virgin going to fairly allocate speed to those that pay for it

Thanks again for ALL YOU HELP
Regards
NetfrogUK

ps...AMAZINGLY cybernetic_tiger...I just got through to my Host Control Panel & an important message board after days of timeouts...did you hit my line with your big mallet?

---------- Post added at 10:07 ---------- Previous post was at 09:35 ----------

==================================================
I appreciate your guidance whydoIneedatech
BUT I have never knowingly used NETSTAT before
I did what you suggested & now I need to read & digest
Regards
from Aldershot
==================================================

What operating system and how many connections.

==================================================

Also try Samspade http://preview.samspade.org/ssw/

TCPVIEW http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/bb897437.aspx or

PROCEXP http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/bb896653.aspx[/QUOTE]

Thanks for the links "whydoIneedatech"
I use XP SP2 - with 2gb RAM & acres of HD space plus Core 2 Duo processor

What do I count with -an ?

Regards
NetfrogUK

[whydoIneedatech]

netstat -an will give you the amount of established connections and listening connections.

If nothing is running ( just the DOS screen open ) you should have no established connections.

Listening in XP around 6 or 7, any more is possible spyware.

Try those links as well as they resolve what each connections identity is.

[chickendippers]

I've always found the newsgroup much more conducive to fixing the problem, rather than spending 25p/minute being told by an Indian gentleman that there's a problem with your computer: http://www.virginmedia.com/customers/newsgroups/

[what?]

not all tech support agents are "indian gentlemen" and a large number of call we get are related to pc issues.

[NetfrogUK]

netstat -an will give you the amount of established connections and listening connections.

If nothing is running ( just the DOS screen open ) you should have no established connections.

Listening in XP around 6 or 7, any more is possible spyware.

Try those links as well as they resolve what each connections identity is.

I ran the netstat -an
& all my connections proved ok
Your comments are appreciated...whydoIneedatech

[chickendippers]

not all tech support agents are "indian gentlemen" and a large number of call we get are related to pc issues.

I don't doubt it, but I can only comment on my experiences, and I have never had the pleasure of speaking to a British person when ringing broadband technical support.

[whydoIneedatech]

I don't doubt it, but I can only comment on my experiences, and I have never had the pleasure of speaking to a British person when ringing broadband technical support.

Thats because you are on the wrong side of the river and EX-NTL, but things should improve by the middle of the year due to full integration of both EX-NTL and EX-Telewest finally to one company.