10Mb upgrade, good enough? [Archive]

bikeman

10-08-2009, 14:03

We've just been upgraded from 2Mb to 10Mb. Prior to the upgrade we consistently experienced almost exactly 2Mb, so I was expecting the upgrade to give us the 10Mb advertised. However we're only getting 5.5Mb.

We're a cable modem customer so I wasn't expecting any reduction due to distance from the exchange as happens with Adsl.

Should I be happy with 5.5Mb (I guess maybe as the price is still the same) or would VM be receptive to my call?

Thanks

moaningmags

10-08-2009, 14:17

Which modem do you have?

bikeman

10-08-2009, 14:36

It says ntl home 120.
I believe VM checked for 10Mb compatibility and it was ok.

haydnwalker

10-08-2009, 14:45

I had a Motorola SurfBoard that should have been OK on 10MB but I got it replaced anyway by an engineer when he came to sort something out for us, which he said was a good move. Have the AMBIT 255 now and I have no issues usually (only had one instance of major slowdown 10 < 5mb) and a reboot cured that.

Matth

11-08-2009, 23:41

If a closer speedtest gives better results (www.speedtest.net (http://www.speedtest.net) has servers all over), then then maybe it's tuning.

If you have Vista, that should be 100% self tuning, no intervention required.

For XP, the advice for 20Mb - http://www.virginmedia.com/help/broadband/using/20mb-broadband-optimisation.php
can probably be adapted, using the same tweak tool and setting for 10Mb

By default, XP simply does not allow enough un-acked traffic in transit (the RWIN setting) to handle Megabit plus speeds on non-local links.

Mind you, I was pushing RWIN up even on 56k dialup!

bikeman

12-08-2009, 20:44

Tried www.speedtest.net, test to node about 10 miles away is now 3.35Mbps.

No difference between xp and vista pcs, and no better bypassing router and connecting direct to cable modem via ethernet.

I guess I need to call VM and go through one of those Basil Fawlty/Manuel discussions.

Sleeper919

13-08-2009, 08:46

Yeah if you still get the problem on a vista PC then you need to ring up and report the fault. Good luck with that.

bikeman

13-08-2009, 09:22

Been on the phone to vm this morning. Lots of downloading from microsoft.com at the tech supports request. Speed accepted as slow.

He then tries to tell me that traffic shaping is now being applied because of all our downloading!

The guy then tries to get me to install tcp optimizer to which I ask why do I need to google a download? Is this a recommended VM solution? I'd rather not install shareware on my clean pc. To which he replies oh ok forget that I'll order a new modem.

Geeze

broadbandking

13-08-2009, 10:02

Been on the phone to vm this morning. Lots of downloading from microsoft.com at the tech supports request. Speed accepted as slow.

He then tries to tell me that traffic shaping is now being applied because of all our downloading!

The guy then tries to get me to install tcp optimizer to which I ask why do I need to google a download? Is this a recommended VM solution? I'd rather not install shareware on my clean pc. To which he replies oh ok forget that I'll order a new modem.

Geeze

TCP optimizer is a brillaint piece of software, helped a few slow speed issues.

bikeman

25-08-2009, 14:07

Wooohoo!

I am pleased to confirm to all that VM sent me a new modem and now my speed is up to 9.87Mb/s DL / 0.4 Mb/s UL.

10Mb/s really does make a difference, whereas 5Mb/s was very little improvement.