20mb user getting really slow speeds; please help

[CrunchinJelly]

Hello everyone.

First of all, let me say I don't think of myself as a complainer, in fact, I've been quite patient with Virgin Media over the years. However, I upgraded from the 2 megabit service to 20 megabit service about 6 weeks ago. I don't think I've ever actually got higher than about 10 megabit, but I've been reasonable happy.

Until about 10 days ago.

For the last 10 days my Internet has been unbearable. Taking an age just to locate a site, and then a further few minutes just to download the page!

I've checked my speed on numerous speed tests, and while my upload is still consistently 700kbps+, my download is struggling to even get passed 2 megabits (tried both with, and without, router)! :mad: I am feeling really upset that I'm paying all this extra money for nothing.

To try and solve the problem I've tried using a couple of ideas from this forum, and have just switched to OpenDNS but it's still the same. I am using Windows Vista so VM's 'tweaks' on their site are useless to me.

I've included some of the details from my modems config below:

Cable Modem Downstream
Downstream Lock : Locked
Downstream Channel Id : 2
Downstream Frequency : 402750000 Hz
Downstream Modulation : QAM256
Downstream Symbol Rate : 5360.537 Ksym/sec
Downstream Interleave Depth : taps32Increment4
Downstream Receive Power Level : 4.8 dBmV
Downstream SNR : 40.3 dB

Cable Modem Upstream
Upstream Lock : Locked
Upstream Channel ID : 2
Upstream Frequency : 29200000 Hz
Upstream Modulation : QPSK
Upstream Symbol Rate : 2560 Ksym/sec
Upstream transmit Power Level : 45.0 dBmV
Upstream Mini-Slot Size : 2

Cable Modem Operation Configuration
Network Access : Allowed
Maximum Downstream Data Rate : 20480000
Maximum Upstream Data Rate : 768000
Maximum Upstream Channel Burst : 1600
Maximum Number of CPEs : 1
Modem Capability : Concatenation Enabled, Fragametation Enabled, PHS Disabled

If anyone could please shed some light on my situation I'd be very grateful!

Thanks for your time! :angel:

[AbyssUnderground]

You could try this.

Download this TCP Optimizer (http://www.speedguide.net/files/TCPOptimizer.exe) and set to your speed i.e. 40000 for 4Mb

[CrunchinJelly]

Still exactly the same.

[ceedee]

Could you copy across the results of a ping and tracert to, say, www.bbc.co.uk ?
Are you connecting through a router?
Which modem are you currently using?

[CrunchinJelly]

Could you copy across the results of a ping and tracert to, say, www.bbc.co.uk ?

Here you go:

Microsoft Windows [Version 6.0.6000]
Copyright (c) 2006 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

C:\Users\Ross & Laura>tracert www.bbc.co.uk

Tracing route to www.bbc.net.uk [212.58.251.195]
over a maximum of 30 hops:

1 6 ms 6 ms 5 ms 10.136.20.1
2 33 ms 37 ms 29 ms lutn-t2cam1-b-v111.inet.ntl.com [80.4.118.161]
3 36 ms 52 ms 35 ms lutn-dpim1-6-coc-1-gw.service.virginmedia.net [62.252.64.101]
4 33 ms 53 ms 49 ms nth-bb-b-so-120-0.inet.ntl.com [213.105.175.153]
5 32 ms 33 ms 31 ms nth-bb-a-ge-000-0.inet.ntl.com [62.253.185.117]
6 37 ms 36 ms 41 ms gfd-bb-b-so-010-0.inet.ntl.com [62.253.185.98]
7 37 ms 38 ms 40 ms redb-ic-1-as0-0.inet.ntl.com [62.253.185.78]
8 44 ms 67 ms 41 ms 212.58.238.189
9 44 ms 44 ms 39 ms 212.58.238.149
10 52 ms 196 ms 167 ms 212.58.239.62
11 41 ms 37 ms 40 ms www-vip.telhc.bbc.co.uk [212.58.251.195]

Trace complete.

And a ping:

C:\Users\Ross & Laura>ping www.bbc.co.uk

Pinging www.bbc.net.uk [212.58.253.67] with 32 bytes of data:

Reply from 212.58.253.67: bytes=32 time=43ms TTL=118
Reply from 212.58.253.67: bytes=32 time=38ms TTL=118
Reply from 212.58.253.67: bytes=32 time=42ms TTL=118
Reply from 212.58.253.67: bytes=32 time=38ms TTL=118

Ping statistics for 212.58.253.67:
Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 4, Lost = 0 (0% loss),
Approximate round trip times in milli-seconds:
Minimum = 38ms, Maximum = 43ms, Average = 40ms

Are you connecting through a router?
Which modem are you currently using?

I am using a router but am getting the same speeds without it. I have got the small black VM-branded modem.

[ceedee]

Nothing showing in those test results that would explain your slow speed, as far as I can see.

I am using a router but am getting the same speeds without it. I have got the small black VM-branded modem.
The reason I asked is that there's at least one router that is known to have problems with VM and there's a firmware download available to fix it.

Likewise an awful lot of people have been upgraded to 20Mb/s without anybody checking that their modems can actually handle the high speeds.
If you go to this VM webpage (http://allyours.virginmedia.com/html/existingcustomers/faster/current_service.html) and tell it that you're on the L (4Mb) service, you should see photos of most VM modems.

[CrunchinJelly]

Quick update on my situation: I've continued to get horrendously slow speeds throughout the week, my current speed is about 2.5 megabits, upload speed is fine as usual. I'm struggling to get 150 kilobytes a second from Game Files.

Just tried a quick ping:

Microsoft Windows [Version 6.0.6000]
Copyright (c) 2006 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

C:\Users\Ross & Laura>ping www.virginmedia.com /t

Pinging www.virginmedia.com [212.250.162.12] with 32 bytes of data:

Reply from 212.250.162.12: bytes=32 time=63ms TTL=119
Reply from 212.250.162.12: bytes=32 time=89ms TTL=119
Reply from 212.250.162.12: bytes=32 time=47ms TTL=119
Reply from 212.250.162.12: bytes=32 time=52ms TTL=119
Reply from 212.250.162.12: bytes=32 time=46ms TTL=119
Reply from 212.250.162.12: bytes=32 time=45ms TTL=119
Reply from 212.250.162.12: bytes=32 time=46ms TTL=119
Reply from 212.250.162.12: bytes=32 time=55ms TTL=119
Reply from 212.250.162.12: bytes=32 time=44ms TTL=119
Reply from 212.250.162.12: bytes=32 time=41ms TTL=119
Reply from 212.250.162.12: bytes=32 time=43ms TTL=119
Reply from 212.250.162.12: bytes=32 time=56ms TTL=119
Reply from 212.250.162.12: bytes=32 time=44ms TTL=119
Reply from 212.250.162.12: bytes=32 time=44ms TTL=119
Reply from 212.250.162.12: bytes=32 time=47ms TTL=119

Ping statistics for 212.250.162.12:
Packets: Sent = 15, Received = 15, Lost = 0 (0% loss),
Approximate round trip times in milli-seconds:
Minimum = 41ms, Maximum = 89ms, Average = 50ms
Control-C

I will give it till Friday before I contact VM. If this continues I will be going elsewhere after being with VM since 2001.

[trevortt]

Have you scanned your pc for viruses or any other form of malicious code? try using, AVG Free or Avast, spybot s&d, spyware blaster and a-squared free. You could also use ccleaner which a good little app to clean up your system.

Have you checked your area (http://status-cable.virginmedia.com/vmstatus/summary.do) for any issues?

Also, is your modem compatible with the broadband package you have chosen? I know my old Motorola SB4100 was not therefore, i had to upgrade.

[Robertus]

I don't understand you. Have you tried any troubleshooting at all?

What modem do you have?

Have you connected your PC directly to your modem?

OpenDNS would not help your download speeds. Also what applications are you running? Have you tried a netstat -a?

[cadex]

I don't understand you. Have you tried any troubleshooting at all?

What modem do you have?

Have you connected your PC directly to your modem?

I am using a router but am getting the same speeds without it. I have got the small black VM-branded modem.

[chrome]

any slower dial-up will be quicker

Thu, 22 May 2008 21:26:35 UTC

Test 1: 1024K took 6766 ms = 151.3 KB/sec, approx 1247 Kbps, 1.22 Mbps
Test 2: 1024K took 5719 ms = 179.1 KB/sec, approx 1476 Kbps, 1.44 Mbps
Test 3: 1024K took 5484 ms = 186.7 KB/sec, approx 1538 Kbps, 1.5 Mbps
Test 4: 2048K took 14281 ms = 143.4 KB/sec, approx 1182 Kbps, 1.15 Mbps

Overall Average Speed = approx 1361 Kbps, 1.33 Mbps

[whydoIneedatech]

any slower dial-up will be quicker

Thu, 22 May 2008 21:26:35 UTC

Test 1: 1024K took 6766 ms = 151.3 KB/sec, approx 1247 Kbps, 1.22 Mbps
Test 2: 1024K took 5719 ms = 179.1 KB/sec, approx 1476 Kbps, 1.44 Mbps
Test 3: 1024K took 5484 ms = 186.7 KB/sec, approx 1538 Kbps, 1.5 Mbps
Test 4: 2048K took 14281 ms = 143.4 KB/sec, approx 1182 Kbps, 1.15 Mbps

Overall Average Speed = approx 1361 Kbps, 1.33 Mbps

Post what modem you have and your power levels from your config pages of your modem.

Open a browser and in the address bar put> 192.168.100.1 password and username are both root if required.

DO NOT POST YOUR MAC ADDRESS OR SERIAL NUMBER

[mrk2y]

I have been getting very slow speeds over the last 2 days
I am on the 20MB
I have a Belkin Wirless N! Router and have ALWAYS got between 18MB and 19MB download speeds

The last 2 days it has been under 2MB

I am in Ipswich, IP$ area
I will call them later, any one else having slow speeds in the area ?

---------- Post added at 07:43 ---------- Previous post was at 07:40 ----------

http://www.speedtest.bbmax.co.uk/results.php?t=1211527651&v=4340072

---------- Post added at 07:44 ---------- Previous post was at 07:43 ----------

Date of Speed Test:2008-05-23 08:27:31Download Speed:2901 kbps (362.6 KB/sec transfer rate)Upload Speed:323 kbps (40.4 KB/sec transfer rate)

---------- Post added at 07:52 ---------- Previous post was at 07:44 ----------

http://www.speedtest.bbmax.co.uk/results.php?t=1211528184&v=4340107

[NThell]

Has anyone ran a netstat from command prompt?
from command prompt type :- netstat -a

this will list the active tcp connections running on the machine at present so make sure you close all p2p apps, browsers, chat apps etc.
windows will usually have between 6-8 tcp connections, if you have 15+ run a full system check for virus and spyware on the pc.

2nd

from command prompt type :- netstat -b

this will tell you the executable file that is running the tcp connection from the machine if there are any you dont recognise google them and take action against any unwanted active tcp connections as ths can help a great deal when troubleshooting.

hope this helps guys