Supposed 2MB connection rather slow?

Oberon · 21-04-2006, 14:15

A question probably asked a 1000 times... I am supposed to be on a 2MB connection (Guildford area), and this is what I get with the speed test:
Fri, 21 Apr 2006 13:05:30 GMT

1st 512K took 7120 ms = 71.9 KB/sec, approx 592 Kbps, 0.58 Mbps
2nd 512K took 7190 ms = 71.2 KB/sec, approx 587 Kbps, 0.57 Mbps
3rd 512K took 8473 ms = 60.4 KB/sec, approx 498 Kbps, 0.49 Mbps
4th 512K took 5948 ms = 86.1 KB/sec, approx 709 Kbps, 0.69 Mbps

Overall Average Speed = approx 597 Kbps, 0.58 Mbps

I am connecting through a wireless router connected to the cable modem, downstream reads like this:

Downstream Status

Downstream Lock : Locked Downstream Frequency : 402750000 Hz Downstream Modulation : QAM64 Downstream Interleave Depth : 32 Downstream Receive Power Level : -5.6 dBmV Downstream SNR : 34.1 dB
Is this a case for CS?
Kind regards,
Oberon

21-04-2006, 14:59

Hi

Have you tried connecting direct to the modem, just to make sure the router isn't slowing things down?

- do you have the modem speed setting from the config page, up & downstream?

Oberon · 21-04-2006, 15:15

Hello,
I haven't connected directly yet, thanks for the tip (as you might've guessed I'm not that knowledgable in these issues... )

. Configuration reads as follows:

Network Access : Allowed Maximum Downstream Data Rate : 2048000 Maximum Upstream Data Rate : 200000 Maximum Upstream Channel Burst : 1600 Modem Capability : Concatenation Enabled, Fragmentation Disabled, PHS Disabled Maximum Number of CPEs : 1

21-04-2006, 15:39

Quote:

Originally Posted by Oberon

Hello,
I haven't connected directly yet, thanks for the tip (as you might've guessed I'm not that knowledgable in these issues... )

. Configuration reads as follows:

Network Access : Allowed Maximum Downstream Data Rate : 2048000 Maximum Upstream Data Rate : 200000 Maximum Upstream Channel Burst : 1600 Modem Capability : Concatenation Enabled, Fragmentation Disabled, PHS Disabled Maximum Number of CPEs : 1

thanks, that confirms your modem is correctly configuired for 2Mb/s. Let us know how you get on with the direct connection

Oberon · 21-04-2006, 16:03

Problem solved

. That was intersting - direct connection worked fine. I reconnected to the wireless router and had a closer look at the network - it seems that there were two other IPs connected that shouldn't be there. I changed the network password and the two others disappeared. Speedtest now close to 2MB. Seems somebody else was enjoying my wireless as well... Thanks for your help!

21-04-2006, 16:15

Quote:

Originally Posted by Oberon

Problem solved

. That was intersting - direct connection worked fine. I reconnected to the wireless router and had a closer look at the network - it seems that there were two other IPs connected that shouldn't be there. I changed the network password and the two others disappeared. Speedtest now close to 2MB. Seems somebody else was enjoying my wireless as well... Thanks for your help!

Thanks for the feedback - glad you got it sorted & you should be faster without the leechers

vaiolator · 21-04-2006, 17:50

Try mac address filtering in the router software.
It may help stop it happening again.

Oberon · 21-04-2006, 20:11

Thanks for the tip, I'll get it sorted

.

dragon · 22-04-2006, 12:59

Quote:

Originally Posted by vaiolator

Try mac address filtering in the router software.
It may help stop it happening again.

doubtfull mac address spoofing is as easy as point Click and done.

Could easily scan for wireless devices pickup his mac address, wait untill he goes offline and then connect with a spoofed mac.

I suggest he uses at least wep 128bit encyption although preferably WPA if his devices support it.

vaiolator · 22-04-2006, 13:38

I agree, but ultimately someone could break nto his house and steal all his gear, if they were that determined.
Nothing is fool-proof but it's a start especially if it was just chancers.

dragon · 22-04-2006, 13:48

Quote:

Originally Posted by vaiolator

I agree, but ultimately someone could break nto his house and steal all his gear, if they were that determined.
Nothing is fool-proof but it's a start especially if it was just chancers.

true its just that in the case of mac address spoofing its so easy.

I used to do it for a while on my desktop (when i changed desktop i spoofed the mac of the old one untill me dad got around to updateing the mac address control on the router)

Also did the same thing when my last wlan card died and i changed my laptop wireless card.

vaiolator · 22-04-2006, 19:53

Just out of curiosity, wouldn't you need to know the mac addresses that have been allowed in order to spoof them?
Presumably the neighbours of the OP would not know them, whereas you knew the address you were spoofing.
We both agree nothing is ever going to be secure. If NASA can get hacked, our wireless network doesn't stand much chance!

dragon · 22-04-2006, 20:15

Quote:

Originally Posted by vaiolator

Just out of curiosity, wouldn't you need to know the mac addresses that have been allowed in order to spoof them?
Presumably the neighbours of the OP would not know them, whereas you knew the address you were spoofing.
We both agree nothing is ever going to be secure. If NASA can get hacked, our wireless network doesn't stand much chance!

im pretty sure something like wifi stumbler can detect the macaddress of wireless devices in the area.

use WEP or better still WPA as well as mac filtering.

vaiolator · 22-04-2006, 21:04

Personally, I already do, and switch off the ssid, but I guess that's not insurmountable either.

dragon · 22-04-2006, 21:25

Quote:

Originally Posted by vaiolator

Personally, I already do, and switch off the ssid, but I guess that's not insurmountable either.

I think i read somewhere that doesnt really do anything but sets a flag to say do not show up on wireless scan and even some wireless lan card utilities even ignore this and display the SSID anyway.

not 100% sure on that though.