BoostFrenzy
join:2002-02-12
Grandville, MI
1 edit | Slow in west mi
speed tests are random, page loads seem slower... xpsp2/tweaked/checked line levels
have comcast pro
anyon else noticing this? |
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Cthen
join:2004-08-01
Ypsilanti, MI | Getting kinda the same here in Southeast MI. Benchmarks are erratic and it seems I lost an entire 1mb from my download speeds. |
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File Quit
Mac Geek
Premium
join:2002-11-28 | reply to BoostFrenzy
northern central indiana (muncie) seems a bit on the slow side as well. |
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Jon1965
@comcast.net
| reply to BoostFrenzy
I'm in GR and have had slow connection speeds for over a month. I called Comcast and the said the problem was mine. I hooked directly to my modem and still get the same speeds
around 1304 down and 234 up....this sucks. I'm glad I read these posts because I'm calling them back....and telling them that I'm not the only one having a problem. |
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colorado comcast
@comcast.net | reply to BoostFrenzy
I have Comcast Pro in Colorado, and i am running anywhere from 80 kbps (wow) to 560 kbps, download speed. So if you think your 1303 is bad... feel lucky. I can barely do anything. |
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Just Waiting
@comcast.net
| reply to BoostFrenzy
I also live in GR (NE end). I run a "speed" test almost daily at »ftp://ftp1.optonline.net/pub/test64 .... I consistantly DL at 385-390 KB/sec
PS: If you run this test, be sure to "cancel" before the entire file downloads, otherwise it will end up in your cache, and give inaccurate readings on subsquent tests. |
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FoMoCo
466 C.I.D.
join:2001-01-10
Grand Rapids, MI | reply to BoostFrenzy
Kentwood has been this way for about 2 weeks now. |
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arima
@comcast.net | I'm in Kentwood, have noticed no problems other than losing sync with the modem 1-2 times a day.. can still manage to max out downstream (non-pro) from easynews. |
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BoostFrenzy
join:2002-02-12
Grandville, MI | reply to BoostFrenzy
mine's still slow, the optonline test will hold 500kb/sec for about 45 seconds then trickles down to 400kb/sec  |
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FoMoCo
466 C.I.D.
join:2001-01-10
Grand Rapids, MI
| reply to BoostFrenzy
Can't really complain about dl speed just page to page some times. |
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max_in_salin
join:2004-06-27
Saline, MI
| reply to BoostFrenzy
Image attached to this post.
Just got Comecast here in Saline, MI (SE MI). Depending on the time of day, speed tests can be anywhere from 2900 kbs to 1300 kbs. File downloads are around 350 - 400 kbs 24/7. That of course depends on general internet packet loss and other factors.
One thing I will say is that you have to get your system set just right to get good speeds. My first test was around 900 kbs. It turns out that I had a lot of hidden settings in my TCP/IP, network and registry settings wrong for cable connections. Latency is still a problem due to packet loss, etc. Faster speeds seem to make packet loss more apparent. I'll do some tests on that. Seems the faster you access the internet the more likely you are to lose packets. Let's not even talk about getting my wireless network up with Comcast.
For best speeds, grab your primary and secondary DNS settings and put them into your TCP/IP settings. It will speed things up some but not a lot.
Another point is where Comcast puts you onto the internet. SE Michigan typically goes throught the MAE East hub. Western Michigan goes throught the Chicago hub. This will affect your speeds a lot.
I'll put all of this at my site and put a post here when I do that. In the meantime check the attached image for your registry settings. I use Cablenut to set them. Don't forget that the Northbrige chip on your motherboad affects the PCI bus in your computer. This will have an affect on your network card. Try going to the advanced setting for your network card and turning off flow control to avoid some of the bitrate pitfalls. XP will NOT detect the max speeds of some Northbridge chips which you have to set manually in the registry.
Either you guys will be faster and slow me down or I'll have all of Comcast to myself. All part of my secret evil plan. |
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Cthen
join:2004-08-01
Ypsilanti, MI
 ·Comcast
1 edit | All that info is fine and dandy but doesnt explain why for 4 months solid on all 6 of my PC's I got 3.1mb/sec consistantly. Then one day outta no where I can now only get 1mb/sec IF I am lucky on any machine.
Im on a 6 month promo and they want me to stay on after its over? I just dont see that happening now, if this keeps up i'll be gone before the promo is over |
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FoMoCo
466 C.I.D.
join:2001-01-10
Grand Rapids, MI
| reply to BoostFrenzy
I have been tweaking settings for years on dial up and cable.I have found changing the Rwin size is the only setting that really makes any difference in download speed.Some will disagree and thats fine but these are my findings.
--
When life becomes a drag - floor it - Galaxie 500 |
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max_in_salin
join:2004-06-27
Saline, MI
| reply to Cthen
Gotchya. I'd be interested to see what the db on your line is. Mine was for crap when the tech. came out. We had to do some gymnastics with the lines to get it up where it's supposed to be. 2 different modems and a bridge later.....it works. The guy that was doing the work was more than happy to yap about this slowing down deal. He said that the speed is dependant on the number of people on the node and that if there's enough people on it they leave it at full speeds plus how much bandwidth individuals are using, too few or too little and they knock it down. Happy to say, the node that I'm on is already at 70% so they don't have any reason to slow it down. Which brings us to the dreaded Comcast letter. Can't wait for that. 
Now what it's going to be like 3 months from now is anybody's guess. But from what you guys are telling me, it starts out fast and then slows down like someone threw a switch. My ammo will be (if it happens) is that the damn fiber trunk is less than a half mile from my house and get someone out here now.
I'd call Comcast and get them out to your place. Give them the old "Aw come on, it'll only take a minute for someone to stop by" routine and by the way the picture on my cable tv is crap too. Make sure you unplug everything so when they test the line they'll think it's dead and send someone out. Not that I would ever do that.......saw it in a movie or something. |
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J D McDorce
Premium
join:2001-12-29
Westland, MI
| reply to max_in_salin
said by max_in_salin  :For best speeds, grab your primary and secondary DNS settings and put them into your TCP/IP settings. It will speed things up some but not a lot. Another point is where Comcast puts you onto the internet. SE Michigan typically goes throught the MAE East hub. Western Michigan goes throught the Chicago hub. This will affect your speeds a lot. While playing with DNS settings may improve the snappiness of an internet connection, it would have no effect on the results of a bandwidth (i.e. speed) test. DNS translates alphanumeric domain names into IP addresses and this process is complete well before the actual speed test starts.
Where various connections hit The Internet becomes somewhat dependent on how one defines The Internet. SE Michigan connections hit the att.net backbone in Detroit. Where they go from there is dependent on the destination IP and where the little ball ends up on the internet routing roulette wheel. Westbound traffic typically goes from Detroit to Chicago on att.net. Eastbound traffic could go through MAE East dependent on destination and routing. West Michigan connections typically hit the att.net backbone in Chicago and go from there. Comcast has also used the Sprint backbone for SE Michigan customers, with most traffic on Sprint going Detroit to Chicago. |
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Bmer
join:1999-12-29
Grand Rapids, MI
| reply to BoostFrenzy
I'm in NE Grand Rapids and have never noticed any speed problems. Maybe it helps that my node is 1/2 block away. 
Just ran this test... |
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Cthen
join:2004-08-01
Ypsilanti, MI
·Comcast
1 edit | reply to BoostFrenzy
How stupid stupid stupid of me not to notice this. After looking at my "Status" page on my router I now take notice that my IP addy has changed. After seeing reports of this happing to others on these boards and reporting slow speeds afterwards, i'm starting suspect this might be the problem (atleast over here).
Time to give em another call /sigh |
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ratwod
join:2001-04-26
Naperville, IL
| reply to BoostFrenzy
I'm in Wyoming, MI.
I think it isn't the actually "speed" of the downloads, it was the time to do the DNS lookup that was killing Comcast's speed.
If I did a speed test, Comcast would clock in at 3 Mbps. But, that was after a significant delay in connecting to the site. As far as surfing, it was pretty aggravating. I don't know how many times I got a "this page cannot be displayed" message when I was trying to contact yahoo.com or ebay.com (like those guys ever go down).
I finally gave it up and went with SBC DSL. SBC is supposedly slower, but the DNS lookup is very fast. And, in any event, the maximum bandwidth from most sites is 300 Kbps, so I can't tell the difference. I have a wireless network with 3 or 4 computers running, and I have not detected any difference. |
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BoostFrenzy
join:2002-02-12
Grandville, MI | reply to BoostFrenzy
it looks like using the chicago speakeasy dns servers improves page loads around here 64.81.159.2 |
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BoostFrenzy
join:2002-02-12
Grandville, MI
| reply to BoostFrenzy
Just talked to level II support, i'm told comcast aquired another local cable company and is making infrastruture changes that affect now 3 of the 5 head ends in the grand rapids area, being worked on "24/7 round the clock" until completion and it's taking a few weeks |
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