Home Network issues, The Odyssey

[padren]

I work from home, and we have a simple home network with a simple quest DSL modem and wireless router. I have an ethernet connection to the router, and generally get good speeds.

 

Last time I ran a speakeasy test, it came back with:

 

Download Speed: 5812 kbps (726.5 KB/sec transfer rate)

Upload Speed: 370 kbps (46.3 KB/sec transfer rate)

 

Last night, it was looking more like:

 

Download Speed: 799 kbps (99.9 KB/sec transfer rate)

Upload Speed: 45 kbps (5.6 KB/sec transfer rate)

 

And was incredibly inconsistent. More than the speed issues though, I get "blinking" of the worst kind. I try to FTP and it's usually fine, then my connections will just fail. Other people accessing the same server do not report any trouble, but it will just not respond on a LIST command or some other command - it just fails. I'll get huge hang-times and "connection timed out" on viewing websites, and refreshing usually fixes this. I often get "no connection" popping up on my network status and the trouble shooter rarely finds a problem, but has reported "no DNS server" at least once.

 

Calling Qwest Tech Sup, they make us do the download speed test and tell us everything is fine. I have no idea who needs to hold that stinking "hot potato" because either the network is misconfigured, the router is bad, or the internet is bad. Something is making it exceptionally difficult to get work done and I need some advice on how to solve it.

 

Does anyone know where I can start? I've always had problems with home networks when more than one system is connected. I'm not even running the same OS anymore (from XP to Win7) or using the same provider or even in the same house. Other computers always have similar issues to some degree, but no one else uses FTP so they don't have the same degree of issues.

 

Can anyone help suggest where I can start?

[TalkToQwest]

Hello, this is Steph at Qwest,

 

I am sorry to hear about the speed issue you're having, I would be happy to have a technical support specialist call you to help you further. Please email me at talktous@qwest.com with your billing phone number, billing address and best contact number and I will have them get in touch.

 

thank you

 

Steph Lake

Manager, Talk To Qwest Team

 

 

"At Qwest your account information is confidential and protected by law, so I need your permission to access the account.”

[Pangloss]

Wow, that's interesting. I wonder if a bot picked up your thread and fed it to their CS team. Kind of a neat trick, actually.

[Cap'n Refsmmat]

(Yes, I just checked the IP and email on the above post and it checks out. Nicely done, Qwest.)

 

If it shows DNS problems occasionally, you might try setting your router to use OpenDNS for a bit and see if it resolves the problems. Just keep the old settings handy in case it doesn't work...

[Zolar V]

You should check the Firmware. Most of the time firmware updates are automatic and maybe the firmware has a bug or something of the sort.

also recently many ISP's have been sending interrupt packets for P2P users, to interrupt their traffic. If you are doing something similar to that like FTP they might be doing the same thing to you to interrupt the connection.

 

I was using P2P a little while ago and had the packet interrupt my connections multiple times. actually now, my internet is running MUCH slower. maybe they blacklisted my IP and have lowered the cap on my network.

 

 

If you want to check your network, you could manually change around your IP addresses on the computers on the lan. If the Firmware is unsure of 2 IPs and a collision occurs that will add to any latency issues already. IE xxx.xxx.xxx.1 and xxx.xxx.xxx.2 are recognized as identical. not that they should but if there is a bug...

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Wow, that's interesting. I wonder if a bot picked up your thread and fed it to their CS team. Kind of a neat trick, actually.

 

I would almost applaud that type of tenacity, accept I hate Custserv.

[shadowdancer]

My suggestion:

1. try speedtest with your local (nation/city wide) network. check your speed

2. try speedtest with international network. check your speed.

 

If speed 1 > 2, then probably your ISP is having problem with outer link. Check another day.

 

If speed 1 = 2, then it's time to call your ISP.

 

http://www.speedtest.net is a good tool for this

[Genecks]

(Yes, I just checked the IP and email on the above post and it checks out. Nicely done, Qwest.)

 

If it shows DNS problems occasionally, you might try setting your router to use OpenDNS for a bit and see if it resolves the problems. Just keep the old settings handy in case it doesn't work...

 

These bots are starting to bother me, man. Self-aware, man... self-aware....