Frontier Communications → [DSL] This is Frontier DSL MAX ? !

I checked my internet speed using Speedtest.net. I also checked and I am being billed for DSL Max.

3/9/2012 5:23 AM GMT 184.12.72.113 0.91 Mb/s 0.15 Mb/s 111 ms Springfield, VT ~ 100 mi

3/9/2012 5:21 AM GMT 184.12.72.113 0.94 Mb/s 0.16 Mb/s 111 ms Springfield, VT ~ 100 mi

3/9/2012 10:59 PM GMT 173.86.118.162 0.29 Mb/s 0.14 Mb/s 100 ms Burlington, VT ~ 150 mi

3/9/2012 10:22 PM GMT 173.86.118.162 0.23 Mb/s 0.11 Mb/s 439 ms Syracuse, NY ~ 50 mi

3/9/2012 10:20 PM GMT 173.86.118.162 0.21 Mb/s 0.13 Mb/s 332 ms Syracuse, NY ~ 50 mi

I tried it earlier at about 1:30 to 2:00 am and the best I got was 0.89 Mb/s down, 0.15Mb/s up, 96 ms Latency on the Kingston Server.

YouTube buffers even at the lowest quality 240P.

The last time they came for service ( internet not working) they replaced my cable from the house to the pole and the demarcation box on the house, from there it is all Cat5 cable to my computers. It was better than what I get now but never over 1Mb/s.

All I can say is it's better than Dial-up but sucks as DSL!

What do the DSL line stats show for your line? Your upload suggests you should be paying for Frontier Lite!

Are these what are seen in the gateway software? I'm not an expert with this stuff.

Just some more info. I have the SE567 gateway, two computers hooked up (one XP, other Win7 64bit). I'm also using a Netgear FVS328 Firewall router (with gateway firewall turned off) all wired connections, no wireless used.

Yes it would be. What modem do you have?

Hope this is what you are talking about.

Just some more info. I have the SE567 gateway, two computers hooked up (one XP, other Win7 64bit). I'm also using a Netgear FVS328 Firewall router w/firewall on (gateway firewall turned off) all wired connections, no wireless used.

The speed readings are about the same for the XP & Win7 machines or if I bypass the netgear router/firewall and hook directly to the gateway.

Just for fun I went to the Frontier website and used their network speed tester. 22893 kbps down, 154 kbps up, the speed needle spikes at 20M, goes down to 10M, stays there for a good bit then slowly back down to 0. Are these results being "tweaked" ?

Right after using the Frontier speed test I tried the Speedtest.com speed test to Burlington, VT with these results 0.65 Mbps down, 0.13 Mbps up, latency 101ms.

I wouldn't say the results are being tweaked. Flash tests are just horribly inaccurate at times. You wouldn't be running Anti-virus that scans network traffic, would you be? That can so exactly what you're talking about.

Oh, and have Frontier set your speed a lot higher. You should be fine for 6Mbps with that line downstream, and perhaps 768kbps upstream. 448kbps upstream is a definite.

I'm running Avira Anti-virus with default settings, not sure if it is scanning network traffic traffic or not.

So just ask for a higher speed and Frontier will try to do that? I'm not so sure. My situation is that Frontier is the only game in town for my area. No cable (it's 5 miles away and will NEVER come here, I live off the edge of the earth as far as they are concerned), no fiber optic, etc. My choices are Dial-up or DSL with Frontier or satellite. So why would Frontier care?

When the service tech's were here last time they said that they would like to switch me to another slot at the box at the T1 lines but a couple of the slots were burnt out and they could not switch me. They were trying to get that box replaced but the higher-ups wouldn't allow it.

I think the tech's want to do good work, but the customer service isn't the greatest. I was told on one call for service for no internet that they would not send anyone out to fix my problem unless others in my area were also having problems! Now that's customer service!!

I'll try asking for higher speed, but I think I will get excuses as to why that can't be done, it's my computer, it's the web site server I'm connected to, the person telling me my line could do 6MB down etc. doesn't know what he is talking about (no offense towards you), etc.

Thanks for your help. I'll try to get some action from Frontier.

Got another question about these various bandwidth testers. I have tried several and some of them (PC Pitstop one in this case) and it seems to be giving odd results in my opinion.

I start the test and I see about 0.20 or less, which stays pretty constant for most of the test. Then at the very end of the test it will spike rapidly. The test I just did spiked at the very end of the test to 5Mbps. The result was that it said I had a 5Mbps download speed, which I did see for less than a second at the very end of the test. So, is this test just looking for the fastest speed it sees or is it an average speed of the entire test period.

Disable Avira's WebGuard/Network scanning features. I'm positive that software has been known to play games with anything that measures speeds.

You'll have to argue a bit with Frontier to get them to boost speeds, but once they do you should be able to see a noticeably faster service. Their Customer Service is often pretty good for me, and the techs are awesome guys. The problem is often with the way the network is set up and a lack of upgrades.

Just talked to Frontier. The service rep did agree that my speeds were low, but said the max they could go was 3Mbps. I thought DSL MAX was up to 12Mbps according to their website. I think he said I was about 5000 ft from the remote T1 lines back to the main office in my area. Of course he only wanted me to use Frontier's speedtest from their website ('cuse that's always faster).

Well, if they can get it closer to 3Mbps down that's much better than what I have now.

Hey Cubby,

To echo what Smith6612 said, right-click the "umbrella" icon in your tray and un-check the Realtime Protection and the Web Protection when doing the speed tests (be sure to check them back when you are done). As an Avira user myself, I've seen the exact same thing if I don't turn those off first. That should give you much more accurate results.

HTH!

12Mb is only available in select areas it says.

airwavz, thanks for the info about Avira Anti-virus settings when doing speed tests, that got rid of the extreme spiking during the tests.

The service tech's must have done something to my line because now I get on average 1Mbps down, the up hasn't changed hardly at all. That's better than what I had.

Smith6612 indicated after looking at my Gateway's upstream & downstream numbers that the line should be able to handle about 6Mbps down & 0.5 to 0.75Mbps up. This may be somewhat theoretical as there may be some other factors unknown to us that could alter these estimates.

DJ24966, I do realize that the 12Mbs means "up to" & may be available only in select areas. Guess I should have phrased it differently.

The service desk said 3Mbps was the max I could do down (If that means the physical limit or a limit that Frontier is imposing, they didn't elaborate).

So, I'm sitting here asking myself if I'm only getting DSL Lite speeds, which is advertised as up to 1Mbps down, why am I paying for DSL MAX speeds. I assume that DSL MAX would be some speed above 1Mbps down on average, hopefully closer to 3Mbps down. I think I'm being reasonable, but maybe not.

Smith6612, should I go with what I now have or try to get more out of Frontier?

If you've got Max, for sure squeeze more out of them. If they don't do more than 1Mbps even though you're paying for Max, keep trying. Many of the phone agents should have the ability to get someone (if they can't do it) to re-provision the line to the Max profile in the area on the spot while you're on the line.

If they absolutely won't budge, downgrade to Lite.