cable modem and winXP 1

[GUJUm0deL]

OK, I have winXP (professional) and an Earthlink cable modem (cable service provided from Time Warner Cable)...
The problem is, I still think my service is verrrry slow!! I called the company and they say their readings seem fine, but it takes me such a long time to dl files (it once took me 25 min. to dl a 2.5MB file, that's just nonsense!!)
I go to dslreports.com and speedguide.net to check my speed status and it shows that I have decent speed, but why can't I get it?? This isn't some times (in case anyone mentions that maybe alot of people are using the cable modem in my neighborhood or building), this is ALL the times...
My friend has a DSL modem and he dl's files much faster then I do...can anyone help?? How can I speed up my connection??
Thanks... I have not failed; I have merely found 100,000 different ways of not succeding...

 

[xyrx]

Where are you trying to download files? Kazaa, Internet Explorer, etc? I live in Sacramento, and AT&T just started a month ago to throttle port 1214, which is what port Kazaa uses to download files from. Also, when you do these downloads, are you RUNNING any peer-to-peer file sharing program in the background? As a test, close down ALL software you run (including the icons in the system tray by the clock), and go to

http://www.earthlink.net

. Click the link at the bottom of the page for "Earthlink software", and try downloading Total Access 2003. I just tried downloading that on AT&T Broadband in Sacramento, and I was able to suck it down at 190k/sec.

 

[GUJUm0deL]

xyrx hi, i'm dl files from a number of sources: kazaa, AOL (I have an screenname from someone which I only use to dl files from), AIM (mah freinds send me files, movies, etc through AIM), and even IE and all times I get slow speeds...
One of friends has Verizon DSL, and a file like 397MB (for institance) takes him 90 minutes, while the same file takes me like 3 hrs...
Total Access 2003 is a dial-up software, I use that at work, it has nothing to do with cable modem...you use Total Access 2003 to dial-in via a regular modem...
I call Time Warner, and they always tell me to dl a patch at

http://www.dslreports.com

and I do, and it does nothing...
Is there a site anywhere that I can check for the area connection
What else can I do to get a similarly fast speed??
And check this, last night I was dl from AOL (about 57 files, I used the Auto AOL feature which dl all my emails one after another so I don't have to sit there), and after like 7 hrs. only 3 of the emails were dl!! Each file was about 19.7 MB (not that large), my friend with the DSL laughed when I told him this... I have not failed; I have merely found 100,000 different ways of not succeding...

 

[GUJUm0deL]

OK check this, I tested my cable speed connection at a number of places, and look at the results:

1) at

http://computingcentral.msn.com/internet/speedtest.asp

it shows my speed at: 690.5 kbps

2) at

http://www.dslreports.com

(under speed test), it shows: download: 1,557 kbps and upload: 261 kbps

Now why would I get diff. results for the same area/same connection a few seconds apart?? I have not failed; I have merely found 100,000 different ways of not succeding...

 

[bluewhaleCA]

There a dozens of reasons you would get different speeds: Often it has to do with the site you are downloading from. For instance, when a new virus threat makes the news Symantecs site slows waaaay down. Microsoft too, and you have to assume both companies pay to have stand by servers ready for such a rush/crowd.
I usually use

http://www.2wire.com

and their bandwidth meter
and
download.microsoft.com
then choose to do a 'Keyword Search' and look for 'Empire'. Choose to see ALL files no matter how old. One will be a 47 meg download.
If you download half of it you will have settled down to a fairly consisten download rate, which you can use to compare your speed with others or youself down the road.
ATTBI techs of late claim they promise NO specific download speeds, and that a ping reponse of under 200 ms is ok. Looks like it's time to try Astound.

Good luck

Paul

 

[GUJUm0deL]

But what can I do to dl faster?? Or at least get a decent connection?? I have not failed; I have merely found 100,000 different ways of not succeding...

 

[bluewhaleCA]

well, IMSHO you should see if you DO have a decent connection. This differs from region to region, carrier to carrier. A sister of mine got Cable in Chicago... her download speeds were topping out at 25K ( large K ) while mine in the Bay Area could occasionally sustain rates of over 600K! Now that ATTBI is in charge they have capped us to T1 speeds for doanloads...
Try the two sites I mentioned. IF the speeds are below T1 level ( 170 large K ) call your provider and ask about this. Be prepared to be told nothing is wrong. If the answer doesn't suit you look to DSL or another ISP.

One thing to try: look up MTU with Google... loooooong ago, in the days of the modem, we could tweak our speeds using MTU SPeed, a free program which made tweaking packet size in windows much easier. The programs offer tips on what size packets might be best for the traffic you get... I found that, when using ISDN, I was able to get my download rates from about 9K to 12K or so just by using this type of program.


Paul

 

[GUJUm0deL]

Ok, I went to the site 2wire.com and did the speed check and it gave me this: 1877.6kbps, thas around the same thing I get from

http://www.dslreports.com

I also heard that changing the MTU can alter the speed, but when you dl a cable patch (aka tweak) doesn't that change the MTU size for you?? I have not failed; I have merely found 100,000 different ways of not succeding...

 

[bluekelt]

There are two things that may be affecting your downloads. One is XP itself. Although this shouldn't greatly affect your download speed as a default XP is hogging 20% of your bandwidth.

You need to do to Start and Run then type in gpedit.msc. Once the box opens up under Computer Configuration open up Administrative Templates and then Network and then QoS Packet Scheduler. In there is a tab called Limit reservable bandwidth. This is probably disabled. If this is the case Windows XP by default will hog the 20%. Double click on Limit reservable bandwidth and enable it - the Bandwidth Limit box should light up and show 20%. You can reduce this to 0% and leave it enabled. You can now click Apply, Ok and close all the dialogue boxes.

If you are using Kazaa or any other peer to peer filesharing software you need to remember that although you have a high speed connection the person you are downloading from may only have a 56k modem. This means that you can only download at their speed an not yours. Also if they are downloading from someone else or anybody else is sharing some of their other files the connection is going to be even slower.

I hope that this in some way helps,
Blue

 

[bluewhaleCA]

I can not run 2Wires app at this time, either because ATTBI is blocking that port or because of recent problems with the JVM in XP here... but the speed you reported sounds about right.
It's possible a patch from your cable or DSL provider might change the MTU setting, however the point is that YOU can change/tune it to what works best for you, not for them. Microsoft set it to an really unrealistic number... who's to say your provider wouldn't go too far the other way?
Beyond that, you might try finding mirrors of the sites you like to download from, hoping they are less congested.


Paul

 

[bluewhaleCA]

gpedit. cool.
I always disable the QOS: fewer problems found when you avoid Microsoft 'features'

<G>

Paul

 

[bluekelt]

The only problem with disabling the QoS is that Windows will then automatically take the 20% of the bandwidth. It's a strange way of doing things. I would have presumed that disabling it would give you 100% of your available bandwidth but then that's Microsoft for you.

Blue

 

[GUJUm0deL]

bluekelt, hi. I went to gpedit.msc and under the Limit reservable bandwidth tab I enabled (it was set as unconfigured) and made the number 0%. I will let you guys know if I see any speed difference...
And about the Kazaa, I always download from another user whose bandwidth is verry high, usualy anything above 450 or more... I have not failed; I have merely found 100,000 different ways of not succeding...

 

[bluewhaleCA]

No: I just went to check on this system.. QOS is dissabled, and the bandwidth limiting are Not Configured. No percentage assigned.
Are you saying MS throttles it down 20% without showing that? Might you have a KB reference on it?

Many Thanks!

Paul

 

[bluekelt]

bluewhaleCA,

Yeah, MS automatically takes 20% or the bandwidth it actually tells you that if you double click Limit bandwidth reserve and then click on the Explain tab but to save you going there this is what it says,

&quot;Determines the percentage of connection bandwidth that the system can reserve. This value limits the combined bandwidth reservations of all programs running on the system.

By default, the Packet Scheduler limits the system to 20 percent of the bandwidth of a connection, but you can use this setting to override the default.

If you enable this setting, you can use the &quot;Bandwidth limit&quot; box to adjust the amount of bandwidth the system can reserve.

If you disable this setting or do not configure it, the system uses the default value of 20 percent of the connection.

Important: If a bandwidth limit is set for a particular network adapter in the registry, this setting is ignored when configuring that network adapter.&quot;


The second from last paragraph - If you disable this setting or do not configure it, the system uses the default of 20 percent of the connection.

I think it is set up so that if you are downloading anything from the net any Microsoft software such as Automatic Update can still have a nice clean connection to dial home on.

Catch you all later,
Blue

 

[Ivanrg]

i have a DSL connection with Bell Canada, and i actually found that my internet connection(downloads and surfing) went faster with WinXP than with anyother OS...

 

[bluewhaleCA]

ahh.. explain tabs! <g>
Reading it I get the feeling that MS &quot;LIMITS&quot; the system to 20%. This does not mean that it is using 20%, just that 20% is the top value the system can use. On a domain I could see background services taking up quite a bit of bandwidth, but a single system in a workgroup probably would take a great deal less.
I don't want to enter 0 or 1 % because I don't know what services the OS 'needs' to have in a stand alone configuration... if anyone tries this and notices better results all the time please let us know.

Thanks

Paul

 

[bluekelt]

Will get back to you on this one. Some where I have a print out with the info on it. When I find it I'll post the link it was taken from.

Will catch you all later,
Blue

 

[zman32]

Before you jump the gun, how is the cable modem conected to your system? I have mine on a USB connection, however when plugged in through a USB hub with a mouse and printer, it crawled. I isolated the modem to the USB &quot;A&quot; connection moved the hub the the other and &quot;viola&quot; I got speed! My friend had a similar problem connected to a SA modem identical to mine, but through a network card and he turned out to have a defective network card. $29.00 later he was running properly. Both of us got good speed readings from various sites indicating the problem was probably not the modem.
zman32

 

[luvmypt]

What is gpedit.msc? I have Win XP home edition and I have no such animal. When I click start, run and type it in I get an error message telling me it can't find it. Is this something only for XP Pro or should I have it as well?

Thanks
Don