tnt2
@jillyred.net
| [Connectivity] NoVa daily problems during peak usage times
Hello,
I'm in NoVa (Arlington) and have daily problems with Comcast in my neighborhood, always at what I presume to be peak usage times.
For example, everything's fine at 5 a.m. but by 9--when I can see all the other wireless connections in the neighborhood coming online--everything slows down and even shuts out all Web access.
This also occurs often at night, again with the same pattern.
I've probably spoken with Comcast Support over 100 times during the last two years, and have played the "appointment game" again and again; all of my equipment always checks out fine.
The last time they did an "SRO" call, which was supposed to check the signal strength in my area, but I never heard anything more (and still have problems).
As far as I'm concerned, this is a bandwidth problem, not an equipment one. Equipment goes down and stays down--it doesn't go out around the same times every day (and especially during the summer; presumably the kids are home from school and watching their YouTube and such).
My wireless connection is protected and I can see I'm the only one connected to my network. And besides, I had these problems for a long time before I got my wireless router, and the problems have become progressively worse over the last two years.
FIOS is now available in my area, and I'm considering it but would rather not have to switch (but at least fewer people would probably be using it because it's new).
Anybody else having similar problems in Arlington?
Thanks for reading!
P.S.: As mentioned I had this sort of problem before getting my D-Link wireless router, but is there any way someone else's router could interfere with my signal? [And again I can see I'm the only one on my own network, and I've set my signal to be low-strength, but still fine for me because I can see a strong signal and the router's right next to my laptop.]
P.P.S.: I also use fairly locked down systems, originally XP w/ ZoneAlarm but in the last two years Linux and OS X, firewalls enabled and I don't run unknown executables so I don't believe this is related to security issues. |
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AVonGauss
Premium,MVM
join:2007-11-01
Boynton Beach, FL
| It could be wireless related, in the sense that if people turn on more APs in your immediate area and there is signal overlap it can slow down the process or even a high powered cordless phone can also do it depending on the channel. It could also be just not enough capacity in your area, hard to say.
I would recommend starting off by doing some trace routes to a few different locations during a good period and during the bad period and post them. If there is a problem between your laptop and the router, it will be very evident on the trace and if it's not the wireless, the traces might give us a better idea where to go from there. |
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tnt2
@jillyred.net
| reply to tnt2
Same problems hooked back up to the modem directly (Ethernet cable to laptop). This isn't too surprising as mentioned--I spent all of the summer before last calling Comcast almost every weekday before I purchased the router with similar problems.
FIOS became available this year so I'm considering it. It's the account/wiring hassle I don't want to go through, but Comcast service has deteriorated at my location to the point where I have to strongly consider switching.
I got a message from Comcast last night asking to set up an appointment, so I'm assuming we're going to do the dance again--they'll presume it's the wiring or the router or my equipment when it has nothing to do with that, the equipment will check out fine and they'll just leave.
I've had broadband access through three different cable companies over the last 8 years (in different locations) and not once has an issue been tied to me or my equipment. It's always a problem on their network somewhere.
It's never me, always them, but support in every company is organized around the idea that it's always the user's fault, never theirs. Guilty until presumed innocent, so to speak. |
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mjw703
join:2005-02-24
Arlington, VA
| reply to tnt2
I just moved from Rosslyn to the Lyon Park neighborhood in Arlington, and I've noticed that my internet has slowed way the hell down in the morning since I moved. I don't think you have an equipment problem, I'm using the same equipment as well, and it worked great for years when I lived in Rosslyn. Now it's garbage in the morning, but OK in the evening. |
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tnt2
@jillyred.net
| reply to AVonGauss
Hi AVonGauss, thanks for your response.
As mentioned I'm pretty sure I've eliminated the router as the source of the problem, since I had problems prior to purchasing it and even today after connecting my laptop directly.
I do have the router set to auto-select a frequency/channel, and have tried selecting channels directly.
Of course that's all academic discussion at this point as established above.
Having to debate with Support over the source of problems is annoying--I don't like to even call because I have to spend so much time proving I'm not the source of the problem on each and every call, before we even get to the routine response of sending out a technician.
Even the technician who last checked my wiring said it's fine, and to tell them not to send a tech out next time, but rather to contact the "Construction Team." And as I'm sure you know, the whole system is geared AWAY from directly contacting anyone with the local and technical knowledge to assist with problems. |
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tnt2
@jillyred.net
| reply to mjw703
Hi mjw703, my experience was similar to yours when I moved out from the main corridor to the neighborhoods a couple of years ago (though maybe my old building has the same sort of problems now--I don't know).
There are a lot of families home during the day here, and lots of the single family homes are now more like boarding houses so there is much more density and I presume more Internet usage based on the number of available networks I see now versus before (including my own).
My question is, does Comcast here know this, and have they made efforts to keep up with the growth?
I'm also considering contacting the County to see if they can assist. |
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tnt2
@jillyred.net
| reply to tnt2
Oh, I forgot to mention when Comcast called last night the caller id read "000-000-0000," so I had no idea who was calling and didn't answer the phone (based on the number I thought maybe God was calling).
Isn't that nifty?
I've been researching FIOS in my area online and there are a number of billing and service complaints, which means if I switched I might trade one set of problems for another (besides adding another bill I need to check each month). |
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