Help with an issue about my cable Internet service.

About two weeks ago I started having problems with my Internet service. I'd have to load graphics rich pages two or three times to get them open fully. Then I noticed I could not finish a download without pausing and restarting many times.

I call a tech at the company I use. I got the usual first level person who wanted to run through my running processes and the usual selective start up stuff I'd already done. Then of course hook directly to their modem bypassing my router. I could tell this fellow had no idea how to help.

I emailed for advanced help, lowered my firewall for them and they determined the issue was indeed at their end and apologized.

I have the fastest speed they offer with no limitations due to the huge downloads I do. When the person failed to call back when promised, I went over his head. My first question was am I being throttled, yes or no? He quietly said yes. I filled him in fully and he confirmed they were the issue. He said it was a "usage" issue and involved the "Node" I was automatically routed through. He got on a conference call with people he call the "Top Tier" of the their Network Division.

He then told me that I could go ahead and use the service but it would take two or three weeks before they had the problem solved. They are giving me free Internet, Cable TV and Phone Service until it's fixed. He seemed very sheepish and nervous but seemed honest. I asked again for clarification and he said it had to do with a "Node" having to much traffic and I was being automatically throttled. Something about rerouting my area through another "Node".

I wonder could somebody here explain to me what is meant by all this? They have been wonderful and reliable for many years he seemed awful nervous to even tell me? I'd like to understand better?

I think the whole internet (regional internet service providers) has been running at about 20-30% of normal past few weeks. I'm on the east coast and use Comcast, they are horrible and about as expensive as it gets, and my connection has been ridiculously slow past few weeks on almost all websites I visit, especially streaming video sites.

I don't think this has anything to do with your computer, I haven't heard about any "upgrades" going on but it seems there's something up.

Think of it like roads and traffic. Your connection is now on a detour going down the frontage road instead of the freeway. Or it could be that your "normally non throttled" connection is just routed through a network that has to have throttling or everything would bottleneck. Probably temporarily until something gets fixed or replaced. Sounds like you got high enough in support to get things done. Three weeks could double so it might work out in your favor.

reply to post by Blaine91555


This does indeed seem to be an issue at the moment on the east coast. I'm a contractor working out of a decent sized company and have been experiencing internet problems myself. In fact, I know that the company where I am located has sent out messages blaming guest users, but also stating their internet is being overloaded. Not sure what isp they use? Could there be some sort of cost cutting measure being implemented by their service provider??Really don't know. But I do know that its not just your problem.
Flagging to bump and get some input from others.
Thanks for the post.

A node is basically where the fiber optic connection meets the coaxial cable network. With cable internet most large neighborhoods have at least one node and then boosters every couple of blocks. There are two problems that are always never mentioned at tech support.
1. The node is experiencing too much traffic and cuts the bandwidth down to allow a percentage to all active users connected to the node. They can't reroute you through a different node its a physical connection. Basically this will continue to happen until traffic decreases and then your speed returns to normal. So when the network is busy your connection slows to allow other users to use bandwidth. Less users higher speed. If a whole neigh orhood is using cable then the whole neigborhood will be slow. This is not uncommon.
2. There is a line trouble outside, a faulty node or faulty booster.

Cable does offer quick speeds but it is shared bandwidth with your neighbors.

The only difference is with DSL you get one hundred percent of your speed all the time. The drawback is the speeds aren't as high in some areas (faster in some depending on the equipment at the DSL node) and most DSL providers charge for bandwidth usage.

That's the only difference really. Other than that, between the two services it really depends on the setup in your area. Some areas are good for either one or both or none. Its a crapshoot.

Your issue is probably too many users in your neighborhood.

I have never had the cable company (comcast) be so knowledgeable.
Are you in a highly populated area? Nodes are affected by multiple users, and yes your bandwidth will go down.

I would try to test my bandwidth speed at:www.bandwidthplace.com...

Perhaps he is the one who discovered the low bandwidth of the node. If you are experiencing a problem, and they gave you that much for free (without really charing you and a couple of phone calls to clarify the situation) then there is a number of other people who have called too I'm sure.

reply to post by Blaine91555


Yeppers, like an above poster said, you been diverted on the frontage road.
This road is controlled by the alphabet agencies and they are planning your ambush.
Now would be a good time to use your DBaN disk and burn all of your cd's in the fireplace.
The clock is ticking.

"Huge download" and that youve been doing it for a long time caught my eye. And someone mentioned roadways.

There has to be a path for a certain length without interuption to you and your HUGE downloads... fast or not...with so many people using the internet....no matter bandwidth, great computer etc...soemtimes...youre just gonna have to wait.

reply to post by metaldemon2000


Thank you. Knowing what a Node is helps and explains it. I have DSL at my office and they offer nothing even close to the cable speed. Now that others have mentioned it, it has been slower also. The DSL service the same money for half the speed.

Thanks so much. That made sense. You explained it well.

Cable is going to be an outdated te hnology in five years time anyways. Most companies are moving to ftth. In Canada, Ontario specifically, ftth (fiber to the home) is expected to be almost standard across the province over the course of the next 7 years. And this is a DSL/satellite/phone provider doing it. Techs are leaving cable companies in droves because they know cable will be obsolete soon and that cable.companies aren't touching this technology. Even rogers is going to a more wireless system as a workaround to ftth.

Communications is going through a metamorphosis currently.

I've just now started being a member tonight, so please forgive the emptiness of my profile.

I just started having issues with my internet connection this past weekend (I've had the same internet for 5 years now without this kind of interruption) and it was loading pages painfully slow until I got fed up and re-set my modem. Afterward, I had no connection and called the internet provider and they believed that my modem was done for, so they sent out a tech. and he said my modem was old and outdated. Ok, no problem, right? Well, after 3 brand new modems and a very flustered technician, he called the office and found out they there was a program issue that they were unaware of and the tech. began to tell me that things were changing at a rapid pace very often, with updates and so on. He got my internet running and all was good until that night I couldn't get a connection again so I called the provider and they said there was a problem with one of the "nodes" in my area and give it a couple of hours and eventually it came back. I came home from work the next day. The same thing started happening again, but this time I would get a good connection and then it would drop off over and over again! WTF! I call the cable providers and they looked into it and then said that it was on my side again and they would send someone over today, no one came. I don't know what is going on but it seems they don't either and I've asked other people around the country and they say they too are having the same issues. Is it solar flares? I don't know but it sure is really weird.

reply to post by samlf3rd


That is what alerted them to the issue. I cannot even complete a speed test, even on their own site. Looks like something got lopsided.

Anchorage is about 300,000 people and was one of the first in the US to get fiber optics lines. Alaska is pretty up to date compared to other area's. Even the remote villages have cable and Internet. I read not long ago we have more computers in more homes than most states do. Buying on the Internet was a blessing for those living in places only accessible by plane.

Oh well, I can come to my business and download here and the free service is cool also in the meantime. I have one of those giant packages. I'm getting old and don't go out anymore so it's actually quite cheap considering. If it goes for a month, I save I think about $280 as I have most of the TV channels.

My Internet is $110 but I can download a gig in nothing flat. I do lots of graphics work and often download huge files. They tell me I download about 60 gigs a month and the outside limit is 200. They also told me some people go over 200 because they use their Internet for TV and Gaming. I can't imagine downloading more than I do, but I guess it happens.

A few months ago they put limits on the lesser accounts as they said they have 15% of the customers using 95% of the bandwidth.

reply to post by Blaine91555


Hey np.
I know how tough it is to be at the customer level. Tech support for ALL telcos are garbage. They don't explain anything relevant and most of the time they either make stuff up as they go along just to get the call completed and get you off the phone. Many companies use boogyman tactics to high pressure customers into sales also. This is usually their mandate when you call to report a trouble and is places at a higher priority than actually trying to to make you happy.

I see people switch companies constantly just to find out their new provider is more frustrating than the previous one. I try to educate my customers as much is possible. I'm not particularly biased to the company I'm with either I have recommended customers to go with the competition in certain areas where my company doesn't provide decent internet service. It really doesn't matter to me, they don't pay me to lie and I will not blacken my soul to further corporate greed.

reply to post by Blaine91555


Oh your in Alaska?? Makes sense. I know what the problem is. Every time Sarah Palin says something dumb and it hits the web the internet traffic increases and slows the connection to Alaska.

Lol sorry I had to.

reply to post by Axeman35


Interesting. Sounds more common than I knew. I've not had an issue in maybe 6 years until this.

This Node thing causes me to start with the normal speed then it slows down slowly until it stops. I had to come to work to download a gig and a half purchased item (Software upgrade and a mass of 3D content). It's odd to watch on a speed test. It starts out really fast and then just casually slows until it stops at a speed of 0.01. I've never even been throttled before.

reply to post by metaldemon2000


Never had a problem with this one beyond a tech that knew less than I do. In fact I've not called them for anything in 3 years and had only one outage for maybe four hours one time. Good company overall.

I could tell the Supervisor was not comfortable with what he told me, but I could tell if you ask the right way and be calm they will give you the truth. He seemed more bothered than I am by it.

reply to post by metaldemon2000


Anchorage is ready to go that way and in Idaho where I lived prior to 11 years ago, they were installing fiber optics to most new homes. I can see that happening soon. You are talking lots of money however to get lines to old homes. I'm sure you will see a tax increase to pay for it, where here we have no taxes. Alaska is civilized Just kidding of course. Canada is wonderful.

Originally posted by mysterioustranger
"Huge download" and that youve been doing it for a long time caught my eye. And someone mentioned roadways.

There has to be a path for a certain length without interuption to you and your HUGE downloads... fast or not...with so many people using the internet....no matter bandwidth, great computer etc...soemtimes...youre just gonna have to wait.

Never had too before. You work for an ISP?

From what I've learned my 60 gigs a month is not that large I guess compared to gamers and people who use their computers for television. Still, it should never just stop in the middle of a download and the company admits that by not charging me until it is fixed.

Also it's that way 24/7 right now, not just during the busy hours.

Originally posted by g146541
reply to post by Blaine91555

 

Yeppers, like an above poster said, you been diverted on the frontage road.
This road is controlled by the alphabet agencies and they are planning your ambush.
Now would be a good time to use your DBaN disk and burn all of your cd's in the fireplace.
The clock is ticking.

To find out I'm a part time Graphics person who does a lot of 3D stuff? Let them. Who cares. Nothing weirder than ATS on my time on the Internet and they don't give a damn about that I'm sure.

reply to post by Blaine91555


You missed my point. You are SHARING 100% of the time with other users...unless of course you are the only one on the Internet at any given time.