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gootdude
join:2002-01-21
Chicago, IL

gootdude

Member

[Speed] Slow Peak Hours Internet - Lakeview

For the past 2 weeks, every evening between 4pm - 12am, my internet speeds have been very slow on my 50/6 plan. I'm lucky to get anything over 3-5mbps, and the latency is ridiculous, so can barely play online games.

Signals are in the proper ranges in the night, but somehow everything majorly slows down. I will attach screenshot tonight of the slow speed test.

Here's my encoded mac.

Encoded Mac: 9101de996ac0b48e1380fa55c3a44eb19735bafa

Thanks!
FBM
join:2002-07-25
Chicago, IL

FBM

Member

[Speed] Re: Slow Peak Hours Internet - Lakeview

Same here. It happens every winter so I blame it on the cold.
gootdude
join:2002-01-21
Chicago, IL

gootdude

Member

Re: [Speed] Slow Peak Hours Internet - Lakeview

Click for full size
t
Attached is my speed test here around 9PM CST.

My ping time to google is currently:

PING www.google.com (74.125.225.17): 56 data bytes
Request timeout for icmp_seq 0
64 bytes from 74.125.225.17: icmp_seq=0 ttl=57 time=1198.668 ms
64 bytes from 74.125.225.17: icmp_seq=1 ttl=57 time=1225.721 ms
64 bytes from 74.125.225.17: icmp_seq=2 ttl=57 time=1065.713 ms
64 bytes from 74.125.225.17: icmp_seq=3 ttl=57 time=1066.734 ms
64 bytes from 74.125.225.17: icmp_seq=4 ttl=57 time=1605.089 ms
64 bytes from 74.125.225.17: icmp_seq=5 ttl=57 time=1095.049 ms
64 bytes from 74.125.225.17: icmp_seq=6 ttl=57 time=1008.271 ms
64 bytes from 74.125.225.17: icmp_seq=7 ttl=57 time=1674.781 ms
64 bytes from 74.125.225.17: icmp_seq=8 ttl=57 time=1057.331 ms
64 bytes from 74.125.225.17: icmp_seq=9 ttl=57 time=898.399 ms
64 bytes from 74.125.225.17: icmp_seq=10 ttl=57 time=1016.537 ms
64 bytes from 74.125.225.17: icmp_seq=11 ttl=57 time=937.261 ms

--- www.google.com ping statistics ---
25 packets transmitted, 23 packets received, 8.0% packet loss
round-trip min/avg/max/stddev = 713.750/1037.141/1674.781/228.554 ms

Please fix this, peak time should not be this slow and insane latency.

My cellular phone is providing better internet speeds....
gootdude

gootdude

Member

Click for full size
peak speed 12/18/13
Tonight's speed just as bad. Any updates folks from RCN?
gootdude

gootdude

Member

Click for full size
speed test 12/30/13 at 1pm
Thanks for ignoring my thread, really makes me feel like a valued customer.

I assume there's no issue besides overselling the nodes, which is pathetic since you constantly jack up the rates and never seem to increase capacity, shame on you RCN.
emusselman
join:2013-11-29
Chicago, IL

emusselman

Member

You're not alone. We live in Andersonville and are experiencing the exact same issue every evening. Tonight it's so bad that I'm getting 0.75 MBPS to about 2.0 MBPS. I have the 50/6 plan like you.

Called RCN technical support and they said they were aware of no speed or latency issues in Chicago at this time, and concluded the problem must be with my equipment or wiring. I assured them it wasn't our equipment and we aren't the only ones.

I would encourage anyone else having this issue to please call it in, then perhaps they can start tracking this.
chitrav
join:2003-06-20
Chicago, IL

chitrav to gootdude

Member

to gootdude
Very slow recently (last 2 months) in Lincoln Park too. Transmit, etc look fine, but consistently get 10 or less with 25 speed package.
Could someone at RCN take a look from your side?
Encoded mac address is:
5c94d218f179d1853a285373394727ea72435896

Thanks.
nameBrandon
join:2013-03-27

nameBrandon to gootdude

Member

to gootdude
In Uptown, noticing the same exact issue for weeks now.
ottothecow
join:2014-01-05

1 edit

ottothecow

Member

I am in Lakeview and have been having this same problem for months if not over a year. It is painfully slow during most evenings/peak hours. I don't think it is because of the cold since this happens year round and only at busy times.

I called support one night and troubleshooted for a while. Eventually the woman was looking at packet loss and literally said that she was surprised I was able to even get any pages to load because there was so much packet loss. Signed me up for a tech to come and visit...but of course the appointment was during the day (not peak time) and thus the connection was working just fine and he didn't see any problems.

I have always thought it was a wiring problem at my building (one of those 100 year old buildings with years of hack-job pre-internet cable installers drilling holes and running wires everywhere), but it surprises me to see that there are so many other people who have this problem. Most of my friends have comcast and none have reported issues like this (makes me want to switch).

I would call the techs again, but I don't like having to take off work to stay home and wait for some guy who will show up and not even be able to see the problem (since it happens at night).
Not sure what I am paying all of this money for since my service is basically useless every night. Only reason I am not switching to comcast is pretty much because I don't want to sit at home and wait for an installer (which I will have to do for an RCN tech anyways).

edit:
Encoded Mac: 2e171e966f689ba816dd37e74a1b276ff46704d1
just ran a speed test and got 2.17Mbps down and 31.16mbps up (which is super fast and makes me pretty sure that this is *not* a wiring issue since one direction works fine)

brg
Premium Member
join:2001-01-03
Chicago, IL

brg to gootdude

Premium Member

to gootdude
I'm waiting to see if someone from RCN addresses this problem. I live in Lakeview as well and was thinking of jumping ship from ATT to RCN when my contract expires next month because of RCN's faster advertised speeds and lower prices. But, seeing this thread I probably won't do so. My ATT package is a mere 12-down/1-up, but it is rock-solid with 12 ms ping and straight-edge-graph throughput of about 11.5 down and 0.95 up. If it were the same price as RCN, it looks like I actually have the better deal in terms of "real-world" performance compared to RCN's "advertised" 50-down/6-up.
ottothecow
join:2014-01-05

ottothecow

Member

When it is working right, there is no contest.

Cable from RCN or Comcast is significantly faster than ATT. However, this nightly RCN-suckfest is making me think you should jump ship to comcast if they are also an option (in my building I think I can have either)

brg
Premium Member
join:2001-01-03
Chicago, IL

brg

Premium Member

said by ottothecow:

When it is working right, there is no contest.

But if it is not working right, it may not be worth switching.

My current service is less than 1/4 of the advertised speed of the 50/6 RCN product which I would order in a heartbeat but for the kind of comments in this thread and elsewhere. While much slower (but perhaps fast enough) my speed is ultra-consistent and the latency is ultra-low. I game; I use VoIP; and I want a reliable service with consistent speeds and good ping. It looks like what I have now may actually be 4 times =faster= than the RCN service during the evening in Lakeview, Chicago.

So, to an earlier point: when I started to consider RCN I started reading this forum and was then impressed by the RCN presence and responsiveness. Yet this thread is 3 weeks old, it would appear that all the "golden rules" have been followed, but nobody from RCN has uttered a peep.

RCN, if you are listening, I was poised to sign-up and pay you $420 over the next 12 months. Hearing no response to this obvious problem I'll stay put or go elsewhere. Small potatoes on an individual level, but powerful in larger numbers...
said by ottothecow:

this nightly RCN-suckfest is making me think you should jump ship to comcast if they are also an option

Comcast is indeed an option. They offer half the advertised speed (25 down) for more money ($40), but add basic cable rebroadcast TV (not interested) and lots of "taxes, fees, Broadcast TV fee, regulatory recovery fee, required set-top box rental," etc. By the time all is said and done those items would likely add $10-15 more per month

Iso
@38.106.173.x

Iso

Anon

I, too, have been receiving very slow speeds up until 11:30pm in North Center (Addison and Damen area). Up until a few weeks ago, I was consistently getting my full speed capability (25 down/2 up)--Now, I'm lucky if I can get 7mbps down at 7:30 in the evening (still achieving around 2 up).

mattomondo
@rcn.com

mattomondo

Anon

Same problem here. In Lakeview near Belmont and Seminary. 40-50Mbps during off-peak hours, but during peak hours (especially Friday night between 7pm and midnight) 5 Mbps or less.

brg
Premium Member
join:2001-01-03
Chicago, IL

brg

Premium Member

Phooey. I'm Just South of Belmont on Kenmore. Oh well; doesn't sound like I should sign up for RCN...
emusselman
join:2013-11-29
Chicago, IL

1 edit

emusselman to gootdude

Member

to gootdude
My issue was completely resolved. I highly recommend that if you are having these issues to call and let them know. They'll send a tech to rule out any wiring or signal issues, and once they've done that they can escalate it to their network engineers.

The issue I was having was resolved by them upgrading some network equipment (either adding capacity or moving connections around to re-balance). From what I have been told, RCN as a whole has plenty of capacity, and no one should be experiencing slowdowns during peak times. If you are, they will need to make some adjustments.

Overall, I'm extremely happy with RCN, and you can't beat the price.

If you are having issues, call it in and start the process. It took about a week and a half to finally find the problem, but I'm glad I stuck with it.
gootdude
join:2002-01-21
Chicago, IL

gootdude

Member

Click for full size
Please post actual speed test results during peak hours. (Like right now) The speed tests you've posted recently are around 3AM CST, which is when my speeds are also perfect, as almost no one is using their connection.

My speeds are perfectly fine during non-peak hours, and my signal levels are always in perfect range.

I'm convinced it is oversold, and has nothing to do with faulty hardware or lines.
rps99
join:2004-04-11
Chicago, IL

rps99

Member

I had been suffering these issues (Belmont and Sheridan), and made an appointment for 1/15 with a tech. This morning, I received a call from RCN, stating that they detected a system-wide problem that they expected to have rectified by Thursday AM, and to report back to them at that time if the issues continue.
emusselman
join:2013-11-29
Chicago, IL

1 edit

emusselman to gootdude

Member

to gootdude
Gootdude,

I'll be happy to post some speed test results during peak times. I assure you though, my connection is excellent again as it had been for many months. I agree that they could be at/above capacity for specific nodes, which would require them to move some traffic around to balance it out better. As a whole, though, they have plenty of capacity to support the customers they have. So, yes, it's probably a result of overcrowding which they can alleviate at the backend.

Here's a result from right now.

*Note that the time listed is PST, at least when I view it, so be sure to verify the time zone listed on your end.

I'll post a few more tonight between 7-8pm and 10-11pm.

Try taking a speed test here, I think it will automatically log the results. Anyone else on RCN is welcome to join as well.
»www.speedtest.net/wave/c ··· fbe46ee0

brg
Premium Member
join:2001-01-03
Chicago, IL

brg

Premium Member

said by emusselman:

I'll post a few more tonight between 7-8pm and 10-11pm.

Those would be great; thanks!
said by rps99:

I had been suffering these issues (Belmont and Sheridan), and made an appointment for 1/15 with a tech. This morning, I received a call from RCN, stating that they detected a system-wide problem that they expected to have rectified by Thursday AM, and to report back to them at that time if the issues continue.

And wouldn't it be lover-ly if this was the culpret of all the problems in this area?
emusselman
join:2013-11-29
Chicago, IL

emusselman

Member

gootdude
join:2002-01-21
Chicago, IL

gootdude

Member

Click for full size
speed-test-1-14-14
Thanks for the details.

I'm in the Lakeview area, around Irving Park and Fremont.

Who did you talk to that was actually knowledgeable about capacity and got things moved around to actually get your speed increase?

Anytime I call support, they go through the usual song and dance of resetting modem and waiting, which never gets us anywhere.

Also, I've had my lines replaced very recently, since I used to have signals that were "close" to the edge, but because it started affecting my cable tv, they replaced the line and now everything is always within level, even in the extreme cold.

»www.speedtest.net/my-res ··· 32607926

brg
Premium Member
join:2001-01-03
Chicago, IL

brg to rps99

Premium Member

to rps99
said by rps99:

I received a call from RCN, stating that they detected a system-wide problem that they expected to have rectified by Thursday AM, and to report back to them at that time if the issues continue.

Interested to see if the problems of the folks in the Lakeview area posting in this thread have now gone away...
rps99
join:2004-04-11
Chicago, IL

rps99

Member

We have not had any issues since Monday... fingers crossed. Actually, for the first time, getting speeds over 25mb, up to 28 in bursts.

EY
@electricfiber.net

EY

Anon

I just moved in with my fiance and she has RCN internet service. We upgraded from 25mbps to the 50mbps, and I bought a Motorola SB6121. Took a while to get connected after I got provisioned. Started off real slow, getting about 7mpbs down, and 7mbps up, then after midnight last night, started cranking up and I got my hardwired ethernet to hit 49mbps. Wifi still inconsistent but that's my own hardware issues I guess. Will check again tonight.
gootdude
join:2002-01-21
Chicago, IL

gootdude

Member

Hopefully this fix is actually permanent, speeds are looking much better tonight.



rcnskokie
@216.80.3.x

rcnskokie

Anon

Still slow as can be here in Skokie. Was mint full seed earlier today, but went downhill after 5 pm. Now I'm getting around 4-10 mbs down. Upload is perfect though.
gootdude
join:2002-01-21
Chicago, IL

gootdude

Member

Click for full size
Yeah spoke too soon, still terrible speeds:

Please do something RCN, peak hours are when I want to use my internet at full speed!



Shigg
@rcn.com

1 edit

Shigg

Anon

Roscoe & Seminary here,

Been getting this crap for a year. They keep sending technicians out, check and find out it is fine inside, send construction crews, they 'find' something, fix it, close the ticket, and we start again.

Last year (2012) we were getting 75 mbps/11 mbps....




Mod Note: mac addy removed for privacy
coryp25
join:2014-01-17

coryp25 to gootdude

Member

to gootdude
I just got RCN installed about an hour ago. I didn't find this forum until last night and had strong consideration to not have it installed and keep my comcast. I decided to go through with it and at 12:21 in Lakeview (Roscoe/Southport) i'm getting 38 dl / 8 ul. This is wireless and not directly plugged into the modem. I'm paying for 75 dl so it being 38 is not concerning, but frustrating since i'm paying for more. Obviously the farther I move away from the router the slower the speeds go, and currently i am sitting right next to it. I did plug in my computer directly to the modem and got speeds upwards of 59 which is a lot better.

I'm hoping that my speeds don't slow down around the 4pm mark where it seems other posters have had issues. I'll follow up and let you know.

For the past week with Comcast, I was getting speeds of 1dl / .5 ul which is why I changed to RCN.

Until next time.....