Cable Modems Modem model versus download speed?

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Subject Author Date
Modem model versus download speed? Marco 04-25-09
Posted by Marco on April 25, 2009, 8:46 am
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How much does my older cable modem affect download speed?

How much speed loss would be expected from a wireless router in the
mix?

I'm thinking of down-tiering to Comcast 1 Mbps service (we do very
little video) would I expect a similar percentage drop?

thanks

====================
from my post at alt . online-service . comcast
original:
download speed testing

I get around 4.5 to 5.5 Mbps using these:

http://speedtest.comcast.net/
http://www.speakeasy.net/speedtest/

but only get 2.7 to 3 Mbps using this site:
http://www.speedtest.net/index.php

according to Comcast I should be getting  6 Mbps

   Anybody test lately and which sites seem more believable?

   (should I complain that I don't get 6 Mbps)

note:
 upload speed seems more consistent around 1 Mbps
 It seems that the chosen server for each test excessively influences
the test

a response:


my followup:

 SurfBoard 3100  appears to be DOCSIS 1.1

Downstream      Value
Signal to Noise Ratio   37 dB
Power Level     0 dBmV
The Downstream Power Level reading is a snapshot taken at the time
this page was requested. Please Reload/Refresh this Page for a new
reading
(this did not change on refresh)

Upstream        Value
Power Level     56 dBmV

what is a good reading?

Posted by Ken Whiton on April 26, 2009, 1:14 am
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*-* On Sat, 25 Apr 2009, at 05:46:49 -0700,
*-* In Article
aaf8eb44-f40e-4a63-a099-f4d8d80debbd@y6g2000prf.googlegroups.com,
*-* Marco wrote
*-* About Modem model versus download speed?


      Probably not much.  According to
<http://www.speedguide.net/faq_in_q.php?category=92&qid=170> , the
changes in DOCSIS 2.0 over DOCSIS 1.1 are on the upstream channel.
There's no mention of any enhancements to the downstream channel.
Furthermore, <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DOCSIS#Speed_Table>  lists
the same downstream "Maximum usable speed" for both versions.


      That's the service level I have.


      On three tests I get 0.875, 0.900, and 0.872 Mbps download speed,
and 0.365, 0.364, and 0.362 Mbps upload speeds, using their Boston,
Mass., server, the one closest to me.


      928, 929, and 880 Kbps download, 360, 365, and 191 Kbps upload,
using New York City.


      0.87, 0.87, and 0.90 Mbps download, 0.36, 0.36, and 0.36, upload,
using Portland, Maine.  As you can see, my results there are right in
line with the other two, so I don't know why yours are so much slower
than the others.

      Note that I have a router, and I'm streaming Internet radio to my
other computer, so I know that these tests aren't getting the full
benefit of my available bandwidth.


      If you read the fine print you'll find that that's *UP TO* 6 Mbps.


      Mine is a Motorola SURFboard SB5100, which supports DOCSIS 2.0.


      36 dB here  According to this post, from December, 2004:

http://groups.google.com/group/comp.dcom.modems.cable/msg/e7105dcdc643e030

it should be above 30, so we're both good there.


      4 dBmV here  From the same post: "The recommendation is +15 to
-15, so again we're both good. :-)


      49 dBmV here  Also from the same post: "Upstream should be below
55db", so you're marginally high there.


      From another old thread here is what a poster was told by a Cox
level 2 tech:

                     Ideal                   Normal

SNR                    30+                  mid 30's

Down Power              0                      0-3

Up Power               50 or lower           30-50

                                         Ken Whiton
--
     FIDO: 1:132/152
InterNet: kenwhiton@surfglobal.net.INVAL (remove the obvious to reply)

Posted by Marco on May 2, 2009, 8:45 am
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wrote:


  Do you have VOIP service?  We are thinking about getting magic jack
and wondering if the upstream speed would be an issue at the 1 Mbps
service level.

by the way thanks for the previous replies - very helpful

Posted by Ken Whiton on May 3, 2009, 2:08 am
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*-* On Sat, 2 May 2009, at 05:45:12 -0700 (PDT),
*-* In Article
9f7d5e40-95da-4b5b-9128-6edcfacea0dd@j18g2000prm.googlegroups.com,
*-* Marco wrote
*-* About Re: Modem model versus download speed?


      No.


      A little poking, probing, and digging at the magicJack web site
uncovers the following answer to several related FAQuestions:

"A minimum bandwidth UPLOAD speed of 128 kb/s (or kbit/s or kbps) is
required."

http://service.liveperson.net/hc/s-73335289/cmd/kbresource/kb-4150654949807238978/view_question !PAGETYPE?sc=19&sf=101133&documentid=334766&action=view
http://service.liveperson.net/hc/s-73335289/cmd/kbresource/kb-4150654949807238978/view_question !PAGETYPE?sc=19&sf=101133&documentid=335937&action=view
http://service.liveperson.net/hc/s-73335289/cmd/kbresource/kb-4150654949807238978/view_question !PAGETYPE?sc=19&sf=101133&documentid=334771&action=view

Since the upload speed test results I got were almost three times that
value, I wouldn't think it would be a problem.


      You're welcome.

                                         Ken Whiton
--
     FIDO: 1:132/152
InterNet: kenwhiton@surfglobal.net.INVAL (remove the obvious to reply)

Posted by Andrew Rossmann on April 26, 2009, 8:18 am
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In article <aaf8eb44-f40e-4a63-a099-
f4d8d80debbd@y6g2000prf.googlegroups.com>, prenom_nomus@yahoo.com
says...

It should be more than enough for the 1M service. The 3100 is ancient.
Although DOCSIS 1.x and 2.x support up to 38M down, many older modems
don't have enough horsepower to actually push data that fast. I used to
have an RCA that peaked at 5M.

--
If there is a no_junk in my address, please REMOVE it before replying!
All junk mail senders will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the
law!!
http://home.att.net/~andyross  

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