| [Connectivity] Slow speeds and erratic signal levels (DC) Since last night, my Internet connection has been behaving strangely, with drastically reduced speeds. According to the RCN speedtest site, my signal levels are fluctuating, sometimes going into the "Out of Spec" range on Transmit Power and Forward Power. Download speeds are testing at about 2.5 Mbps (sometimes as low as .5-.7 Mbps). Upload speed is testing at about .5 Mbps consistently. I should be getting 25/2.
I have done plenty of power cycling and troubleshooting and already have a tech visit scheduled for Tuesday. I know there's a good chance my modem just needs to be replaced, but I thought I'd post on here to see if the RCN geniuses that frequent this forum might have any other ideas or be able to look into any possible server-side issues. I also wondered if anyone else in DC is seeing problems.
Encoded Mac: d54cdcc7ede9bdc663287142e63dd4a31a710738
Thank you! |
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1 edit | reply to claygreenber
Re: [Connectivity] Slow speeds and erratic signal levels (DC) So, an update: A technician came out this morning and replaced the modem, but speeds have not improved. I am provisioned for 25/2, but am still testing usually at about 2.5/.5. Every once in a while, it will test at good speeds, but usually not. So, it's still very erratic. The modem replacement doesn't seem to have helped, but signals are now testing "within spec."
I spent another 30 minutes on the phone with tech support today and they've set up a back-end ticket for someone to look into the issue on RCN's end.
Since I've had great luck getting problems resolved on this board with the help of the RCN folks in the past, I thought I'd post again here. If you have the time to look into it, it would be greatly appreciated!
Encoded Mac: 31c5a1ffb42b69b79d255243151e7d0cf70f0cb4 |
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negativeduckPremium,VIP
join:2002-02-14
Centreville, VA
kudos:1 | Your encoded mac should be different on the new modem...
So All I see right now is a dead modem.
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Bryan Laird
RCN Engineering |
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| Stupid me! Here's the new encoded mac:
31c5a1ffb42b69b79d255243151e7d0cf70f0cb4
Also edited in previous message for clarity.
Thanks! |
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negativeduckPremium,VIP
join:2002-02-14
Centreville, VA
kudos:1 | Stupid question, was the tech out there one with a laptop and did he do several tests? I'm guessing he didn't or he did but didn't use our system.
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Bryan Laird
RCN Engineering |
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| Thanks for the quick reply, Bryan! No, he didn't have a laptop and didn't do any tests other than running speed tests on md.speedtest.rcn.net. He did one speed test, then swapped the modem out, and did one more. That test came out with pretty good speeds (19 Mbps/1.3 MBps), so it looked good. But then I tested again after he left and it was right back down. |
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negativeduckPremium,VIP
join:2002-02-14
Centreville, VA
kudos:1 | Was anything different? I see two different devices connected behind the modem historically and since it's a new modem. I'm guessing a test with the router and a test without the router?
Either way though as I look closer I see you saw performance in the suck (technical term) on both so I think that would eliminate the router. Being the culprit. I stuck a monitor on your line for a bit see if anything jumps out. I'm watching it now and everything is flying and the downstream's have a a nice bit of capacity still to them..
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Bryan Laird
RCN Engineering |
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| Yes, I tested both with and without a router. There wasn't any appreciable difference either way.
I just ran another test as I'm writing this message, and got 4.2 down/558 Kbps up (on RCN's speedtest page). I've been testing throughout the day, and 9 out of 10 times it reports these kinds of speeds or worse. Every once in a while, it will catch a good moment and capture better speeds. |
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| reply to negativeduck
Just wanted to update the thread: I'm still getting widely fluctuating speed test results. Yesterday, they ranged from pretty good (19/1.5) to terrible (2/.3). The bad speeds, when they occur, are not fleeting. Same thing today.
Anything meaningful on the line monitor? |
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 lilhurricaneCrunchin' For CuresPremium,Mod
join:2003-01-11
Purple Zone
kudos:51 | reply to claygreenber
(topic move) [Connectivity] Slow speeds and erratic signal levelModerator Action
The post that was here, has been moved to a new topic .. »[Speed] humanitas / Slow & inconsistent - Washington, DC |
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negativeduckPremium,VIP
join:2002-02-14
Centreville, VA
kudos:1 | reply to claygreenber
Re: [Connectivity] Slow speeds and erratic signal levels (DC) Sorry Clay, Kid picked up a bug and then I caught the same bug ( and still have it). So yea we've been watching your connection and to be honest I cant find anything going on that would cause you see the problem and the slowdown that your seeing. Half of me wants to think that something inside the lan is dropping traffic or causing collisions or something but I know you said you bypassed the router and see the same problem.
I can't find any loss to your modem.. I can push your modem at the same time your seeing poor speeds to > 4mbps (best I can do remotely).
So sadly from where I'm sitting right now I can't find anything wrong.
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Bryan Laird
RCN Engineering |
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| I recently tried to upgrade my modem to docsis 3.0. The new modem could not maintain link. Tech discovered the 7DB tap with 700Mhz spec in my line. Replacing this greatly improved my link. The new modem still could not link but at least my old docsis 2.0 modem now flys. So check the spec on all splitters and taps to make sure they will handle the higher frequencies now being used.
I was very pleased with the RCN tech service. Phone contact was with local person in PA. Service tech arrived exactly on time with 5 minute heads up call next day. He was sharp to catch the spec. problem on the TAP. And to top it all off I get call from RCN service that night to check I was still good. They even gave me direct number to call if I had any more problems. Great service. Thank You.  |
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1 edit | reply to negativeduck
speedtest.net test | | 
RCN speed test |
I attached screenshots.
Is something wrong with RCN's speed test, perhaps? I did clear my browser cache and even deleted flash cookies, but it didn't have any impact. |
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negativeduckPremium,VIP
join:2002-02-14
Centreville, VA
kudos:1 | Interesting!! Let me look at something..
question?
what OS OSversion, browser and flash version you using and javascript if you can find it.
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Bryan Laird
RCN Engineering |
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| reply to negativeduck
Re: [Connectivity] Slow speeds and erratic signal levels (DC) Sure...I'm on Mac OS X Lion (10.7.2). Have tried both in Safari 5.1.2 and Firefox 9.0.1. Flash version is 11.1.102.55. I'm not sure how to find my javascript version, but I'd be happy to look if you tell me how. |
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 shadyman777The Hero of TimePremium
join:2009-03-02
Allentown, PA
 ·RCN CABLE
| Claygreenber-
Open up a spotlight search and start typing "Java" and an entry titled Java Preferences will come up. If you have the most up to date version of Java (Which apple does via software update) you'll get the current version.
It sounds like you keep your machine pretty up to date, as 10.7.2 is the latest public build of Lion. I attached what my version is from my fully updated Mac Mini (Mid 2010). |
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| Aren't Java and Javascript completely different things? That was my understanding. My Java version is 1.6.0_29-b11-402. |
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shadyman777The Hero of TimePremium
join:2009-03-02
Allentown, PA Reviews:
·RCN CABLE
| said by claygreenber:Aren't Java and Javascript completely different things? That was my understanding. My Java version is 1.6.0_29-b11-402.
They are not, Javascript is a coding language. |
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