from 20mb to 0.45mb [Archive]

Dan_uk86

11-05-2010, 20:15

had internet for around 8 months and for as long as i can remember i have had slow speeds CONSTANTLY!

i have rang virgin 9 times about the same problem, which is i am not getting anywhere near my full speed or not even 75% of it. at first we were running 10mb and never got anything above 4 mb (using speedtest.net) we (me and my gf) decided to upgrade the package to see if that helped which at first it did. we were getting the full 20mb and were really happy but since then i have rang 9 times over the past 2 months complaining about the speeds im always receiving. at first it would be fine and stable between 15 to 19mb where i CAN play mw2 ok. not great but still ok. now its like shooting rubber pellets at iron man!!!

i have just got off the phone to virgin and they want to send a new modem to see if that helps but i dont think it will. i rang last week or the week before about it and they increased the power and my problems vanished and was happy for 1 week or so untill now.

info from modem
Downstream Lock : Locked
Downstream Channel Id : 5
Downstream Frequency : 331000000 Hz
Downstream Modulation : QAM256
Downstream Symbol Rate : 5360.537 Ksym/sec
Downstream Interleave Depth : taps32Increment4
Downstream Receive Power Level : -4.6 dBmV
Downstream SNR : 39.1 dB

Upstream Lock : Locked
Upstream Channel ID : 1
Upstream Frequency : 34000000 Hz
Upstream Modulation : QAM16
Upstream Symbol Rate : 2560 Ksym/sec
Upstream transmit Power Level : 46.0 dBmV
Upstream Mini-Slot Size : 2

guy i was on the phone said there was a big signal loss but nothing they can do it out... ive had this problem for 8 months! i want it fixed now!

/rant over

help much appreciated <3

Peter_

11-05-2010, 20:20

What model is your present modem.

Dan_uk86

11-05-2010, 20:29

fast reply loving it! :)

i hope this is the info you need
Cable Modem : DOCSIS 1.0/1.1/2.0 Compliant

jb66

11-05-2010, 21:14

Motorola, cisco, SA or ambit?

Peter_

11-05-2010, 21:56

fast reply loving it! :)

i hope this is the info you need
Cable Modem : DOCSIS 1.0/1.1/2.0 Compliant
Does it look like any of these http://www.chetnet.co.uk/articles/index.php?page=index_v2&id=91&c=4

Dan_uk86

11-05-2010, 23:09

its a ambit 256

Peter_

12-05-2010, 08:37

its a ambit 256
That is one of the lastest modems and your power levels are within spec so any issue is either on the network or your equipment, have you tried a friends machine for comparison.

Dan_uk86

12-05-2010, 15:05

i have a wireless laptop and it does the same thing. i have connected the pc to the modem directly and i still get the same slow speeds.

they increased power other week and since then ive had no problems untill now. the speeds are constantly between 0.45mb to 3mb out of 20mb

im running windows 7 so unless thats causing issues then im not sure whats going on but ringing virgin up is no help what so ever. at first they told me there was maintainence but when i rang 2nd time yesterday they said there was none going on. i have a friend on the same exchange (i think she is anyway) and she was getting her full speed. and its been like this ever since i joined. and i kinda feel as if im being ripped off completely.

EDIT: i am using the netgear router that came with the package.

roger skillin

12-05-2010, 16:16

Dan, are you getting slow speeds all the time? or just at certain times?
Do you download a lot? just wondering because of the speed throttling.
Windows 7 wont be a problem, have you tried changing you network card in the pc?
or if the motherboard has it build in , have you tried a card in it, it's just i was getting speed problems for a while and it turned out to be my network card, i had a spare so stuck it in and now get 19.5mb most of the time

Dan_uk86

12-05-2010, 18:13

its been slow all week done another speed test and im getting 3mb last week i got my full speed pretty much constant
im currently using onboard NIC but if there was a problem with my network the laptop would show better results as its using wireless so im not 100% convinced this is the problem. however i will try and reinstall the drivers just incase.

other than whats been said im at a complete loss all my friends are getting there full speeds constantly except me. and where i live (TS23) even though oen friend lives at same post code and has full speed!

so frustrating!!

EDIT: i dont download alot mostly on youtube watching vids but i wouldnt say i use 3.5gbs worth a day. and even if i did it would only throttle me down to 75% of the full speed. which im not even getting full stop.

---------- Post added at 18:13 ---------- Previous post was at 17:40 ----------

interestingly i discovered there is no signal loss at all

My Download speed
http://www.speedtest.net/result/812293764.png

My ping
http://www.pingtest.net/result/16727623.png

So the explanation is simple they are doing it PURPOSELY! and there is no way i have used 3.5gb daily. i do some downloads such as game clients but there like 700mb or watching TV on bbc iplayer

bjq1972

12-05-2010, 19:35

I'm in TS25 and my download speed has been terrible since the weekend. Just been on the phone to customer services. Went through the full range of tests - connect via ethernet, boot into safe mode etc. - still only getting around 3-4Mbps on a 20Mb connection . He was adamant that there is nothing wrong with the network and utilisation is very low in the area.
One thing that is odd is that the signal and status pages etc on my Webstar modem that used to be only visible by changing the access level are now unlocked.

Dan_uk86

12-05-2010, 20:35

just been in touch with virgin again and they want 10 pound a month on top of my bill for 24/7 help or a 30 pound quick fix to my problem. which would basically be increasing my down speed. because my up speed is normal and my pings are normal. i would pay nothing if they did not fix it.

but thats not the point how can i be getting grade A on ping test and not have my full down speed if i was having signal problems???

Peter_

12-05-2010, 22:07

pip08456

12-05-2010, 23:49

So it would appear the OP's problem is down to his equipment.

Dan_uk86

13-05-2010, 01:17

i will try the modem when it comes but i just dont see how it can work fine one week and mess up the next

time will tell

Peter_

13-05-2010, 05:56

So it would appear the OP's problem is down to his equipment.
No idea as I did not deal with his call.

bjq1972

13-05-2010, 09:55

I have a similar problem and also live in Teesside. My speed which was around 2-3Mb
from 6-11pm returned to 18-19Mb soon after 11pm. What else could cause that other than utilisation issues?

Dan_uk86

13-05-2010, 11:18

Well i keep getting told different things. first im told there was a problem with the modem. tech guy came out to do some checks and he found no faults. then im told im not getting the full signal. then im told there is nothing wrong with my signal. and then i get told there is maintenance in my area. asked a different handler and he said there was no maintenance. so what do i believe? is the modem really at fault or am i just not being told the truth.

even after i change the modem. how do i know i wont get this problem again?

pip08456

13-05-2010, 13:03

I have a similar problem and also live in Teesside. My speed which was around 2-3Mb
from 6-11pm returned to 18-19Mb soon after 11pm. What else could cause that other than utilisation issues?

The times themselves point to utilisation if it is a regular occurence.

Well i keep getting told different things. first im told there was a problem with the modem. tech guy came out to do some checks and he found no faults. then im told im not getting the full signal. then im told there is nothing wrong with my signal. and then i get told there is maintenance in my area. asked a different handler and he said there was no maintenance. so what do i believe? is the modem really at fault or am i just not being told the truth.

even after i change the modem. how do i know i wont get this problem again?

The reason that they have tried to refer you to a third party at a cost to you would appear to me that they think it is a problem with your PC etc. My opinion only and by no way fact.

I have said in the past that it is accepted on here and other sites that it is "taken as read" that if a problem manifests it is immediately the fault of the ISP. 90% of the time it's true. In this case due to the referral I'm inclined to think not and would ask the OP he following:-

What security software do you have and how often do you run it?

A shot in the dark - yes, but worth asking.

Dan_uk86

13-05-2010, 15:04

i use AVG with windows 7 and the firewall is turned on. i do know my way around computers and networks. only downside is im not yet that familiar with windows 7.

one thing that does concern me is when using cmd i type in ipconfig i get 34 lines of tunnel adapters and somewhere in that list is my ip config. also windows 7 tends to stop me connecting all together by giving me a limited or no connectivity untill i unplug the lan cable from my computer and once its back in im online again and this is with all ethernet cables i have which i know work. doing a net stat shows alot of time wait and does take awhile for it to identify what is actually there. however i still get the same speeds on speed test using my laptop using the wireless or wired.

pip08456

13-05-2010, 15:33

It's up to you but if you wish to carry on with the shot in the dark then download install and run Malwarebytes from here.

http://download.cnet.com/Malwarebytes-Anti-Malware/3000-8022_4-10804572.html

This will rule out, to a certain extent, if there is anything untoward eating your bandwidth on your system.

I take it you are running the free edition of AVG but don't say how often you actually run a scan with it.

Either run an update of AVG and follow with a scan or run an online scan from here.

http://housecall.trendmicro.com/uk/

The above will take some time especially if you are running an online scan from TrendMicro but as VM are sidlining your problem to a third party it look as if they can see it is not their fault.

It's entirely up to you if you do the above depending on how sure you are about the security of your system. If you are not sure then do it to at least put that scenario out of the way.

Dan_uk86

13-05-2010, 21:25

Modem has been changed and i am now receiving 17mb so i guess it was the modem after all. lets hope this cisco lasts longer

many thanks for the help

pip08456

13-05-2010, 21:30

i have just got off the phone to virgin and they want to send a new modem to see if that helps but i dont think it will. <3

jb66

13-05-2010, 21:59

Modem has been changed and i am now receiving 17mb so i guess it was the modem after all. lets hope this cisco lasts longer

many thanks for the help

I'm very suprised, lets wait and see a few days

Dan_uk86

13-05-2010, 23:23

well atleast some ppl know what they are talking about in india.

well untill next time chaps

pip08456

13-05-2010, 23:38

well untill next time chaps

You can always have a look in here at any time, you may find ways to solve the problem yourself from the advice offered for others.

Dan_uk86

14-05-2010, 19:56

You can always have a look in here at any time, you may find ways to solve the problem yourself from the advice offered for others.

Will do bud Thanks alot everyone still running smooth.

i can actually play mw2 (if theres no hackers) and not shoot someone 5 times to kill them