Metrocast Question
 

My internet connection appears to display a rather odd behavior and I was wondering whether anyone else saw this with Metrocast.

When I reset my cable modem and wireless router the access speed is good. I have used the Metrocast speed test and I am getting about 6Mbps download speed. However, as I let the connection sit, it gets slower and slower and slower. I looked at the wireless router and I am the only one on the connection. I have not tried bypassing the wireless router but this seems like an issue with Metrocast (I will try bypassing the router). If I reset the cable modem and wireless router, the connection returns to decent performance.

Has anyone experienced this one with Metrocast.

Thanx in advance!
Jetskier:cool:

Microsoft Wireless Router?
 

I have the same issue with my wireless router. Once I reset it is fine but it does get anoying.

Linksys Wireless Router
 

Have you been able to determine whether the issue is the router or the Metrocast infrastructure?

The wireless router is the problem. With a wired connection, all those data packets flow right into your computer. With a wireless connection the data packets get stuck on the antenna and have no place to go. ;)

BTW, the same thing happens with my Lynksys from time to time and I am on Cox in RI.

Very Funny :-)
 

OK, I am going to use the Ethernet port directly on the cable modem as a test when I get back to the lake. It sounds like the prime implicant is the wireless router.

My father once brought his car to a local mechanic with an electrical problem. The mechanic tried to start the car and nothing happened. He told my father to wait a minute...it takes a little while for the electrons to fill the wires. My father took the car elsewhere. :D

Could be the router settings
 

I had a similar problem on my TWC/Adelphia cable connection. No difference if it was wireless or wired (I keep my antenna greased). When I disabled some of the router firewall options, the problem went away. Give it a shot.

My unproven theory is that now that Firefox and IE browsers block pop-ups, those connections get stuck in the router, and (to use a non-technical term), bog it down.

Thank you
 

Thank you for the suggestion. I went out to the Linksys web page and performance degredation seems to be somewhat of a chronic complaint. I am going to try the following and I will post the solution for the next person:

1. Change the channel number (in case there is an interference issue with another router in the area).
   
2. Update the firmware to the latest revision.
   
3. See whether any of the filters or firewalls are blocking. NAT should not be of issue.
   
4. Dropkick the router and buy another brand.:D

Jetskier:cool:

I've been in the network engineering industry for years and Linksys has always had "issues". I've also seen many issue with D-Link. Netgear has been a good solid performer and I also think the new ASUS devices are holding their own especially if you need a NAS storage solution built into the router.

What ever your device, remember to flash often as new bug fixes come out.

Cheers!

We had the same problem and then got a new Apple AirPort Express (we had a Linksys router before.) The AirPort Express was only about $79 and easy as pie to set up - plug in and go. No more re-setting the darned thing everyday!


(Go here for more info:)
http://store.apple.com/1-800-MY-APPL...rport_wireless

Don't forget to check and see how many people in the neighborhood are using it when it slows down. :(

Hi Swamp Yankee!

You could very well be right about this in terms of Metrocast since I do not know their topology or their service very well. In today's network environment, however, traffic shaping is usually employed in such a way so that all users on a street will not be impacted by one or two "bandwidth" hogs. Traffic shaping is also how large corporations make data and voice service co-exist on the same physical network links (AKA Voice Over IP). Voice traffic is very delay sensitive and data traffic can withstand delay. Same type of tech is employed in many of today's ISP networks to gaurantee a quality of service to each user.

Next Step - Punt the Router
 

Hi all,

I have tried a number of suggestions as follows:

Update to latest firmware No Change
Change Channel No Change
Disable Filtering No Change

I can get the router into some interesting states by power cycling and refreshing my IPCONFIG on my laptop. There is something very odd about this router. I am going to pick up a Netgear tomorrow and see whether I have better luck. Maybe the router knows that I used to work for Bay Networks. :D
Jetskier:cool:

Netgear
 

FWIW I've been using a Netgear WGT624 router with a Netgear WG511T card for quite a while with no problems. It clocks up to 108mb in extended range mode.

Metrocast Argh !@#$$!@$
 

I picked up a WGT624 router today and installed it. Guess what? Same issue! Hmmmmmmmm.

I tried connecting my laptop directly to the cable modem and saw downstream performance on the order of about 25kbps. Hmmmmmmmmm

I called the technical support line for Metrocast and they had me pat my head, rub my belly, reseat the coax and repower the modem. They pronounced it fixed! I restarted my computer and 25 kbps downstream speed.

I call technical support back and they said that the line was fine. I told them that I was still getting 25 kpbs performance. They said that indeed there was packet loss and they would have to schedule a tech.

Please, just shoot me now! :D

Jetskier:cool:

Ethernet cable
 

Jetskier,

Did you also replace the ethernet cable between the modem and the router?

pings cause frame loss
 

Actually, no. Metrocast acknowledged that they were getting frame loss on pings to the modem. That would tend to indicate that it is their infrastructure.

Thanx for the suggestion.

Jetskier:cool:

You'd be better off replacing metrocast. :laugh:

Suggestions?
 

Agreed. Do you have suggestions for an alternative provider? I seem to be too far from the CO for decent Verizon DSL performance and I have not found another Cable/MSO.

Appreciated in advance.

Jetskier:cool:

Jetskier,

You probably got a new ethernet cable with your new router. I would replace the cable anyway. A bad cable can always cause tons of chatter, duplex mismatches, and/or TCP resend requests which could saturate the upstream side of the modem. This could also cause drops to occur to the modem from Metrocast's head end (due to the saturation of the link).

This may not be the fix, but it is an easy thing to test and I can not tell you how many times a bad cable has halted traffic on gig links. Always start with the physical layer and move up the stack..

Hi Knot Droolin'

I doubt that this is the issue, but for you, I will give it a try. :D

Thanx!

Jetskier;)

Zombies
 

LOL, thanks! :D

If I could get on my soap box and give one other piece of advice to others out there while we are on the topic of bandwidth:

One thing that probably isn't the issue here, but that millions of PCs nationwide are plauged with is unpatched, zombie PCs. Many, many times network providers hear complaints from users about "how slow my connection is" when in fact their PC is an "owned zombie". Meaning it is owned by a criminal who has compromised it. Once the "Bot Master" owns enough PCs around the world he then sells time on these zombie PCs to other shady people such as email spammers.

If your PC is a zombie you may not know it unless you notice a decrease in speed. That decrease in speed is due to your PC sending out millions of spam emails in conjuntion with the rest of the zombied "bot herd". This decreases both your PC's available bandwith and impacts the PCs CPU. There are tens of millions of zombie PCs on the 'net and everyone is vulnerable. Here is a quick article in layman's terms: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...021601388.html


The best way to prevent your PC from falling victim is to patch it. So everyone with a PC please patch monthly!! Microsoft releases patches the second Tuesday of every month. Everyone should visit http://www.microsoft.com/security every second Tuesday to patch their system.

Ever wonder where spam comes from? It could be coming from your system....

.....Steps down from soap box......

Sorry, I hate spam and over 80% of all email traffic on the 'net is spam.

No, but you'll be glad to know that karma got me for being a smart butt and I noticed last night my b a n d w i d t h i s g e t t i n g s l o o o o o o w e r. So now I'm in the same boat you are. I would LOVE to see metrocast get some competition in the Weirs Beach area though. Hopefully we can both find something to help us.

Speed Test
 

I just called them up and asked them to rate limit you. KIDDING! :D

FYI, they have a speedtest that you can run to determine your effective data rate:

http://speedtest.metrocast.net

Jetskier :cool:

A couple years back I had a severe drop in performance with Metrocast. They remotely diagnosed the problem as "packet loss" and sent a tech out to find the source. Starting from my computer, he worked backwards checking the connections. After several hours, he finally found a loose connection at the end of the cable line just past my home. With that fixed, everything returned to normal.