Comcast is suckin' for me this weekend!

Oh no it's a twister, it's a twister! Sorry just had to post that. What are the chances two twisters posts together? lol

And on the subject I'm experiencing a big slowdown in my upload speeds this weekend. I'm on Comcast Gold(6000/768) and for some reason my average speed tests are showing 150 or less on my uploads while my download speeds are GREAT. I routinely hit 6000 or higher. I've done about all I know to do. Swapped routers, different computers, modem directly to computer, turned off services like ZA, even tried a speed test using a Knoppix Live CD. Many of my uploads speed are way below 100. Even tried tweaking my modem power levels(changed taps). I noticed my issues on Friday.

Could be maintaince or they dinked up the settings for your cable modem.

If I were you, I would download/burn something like knoppix so you could connect a computer to the cable modem, put the computer at a bios prompt and power reset cable modem for 30 seconds, wait for leds to settle then boot knoppix cd and run your speed test, boot pc again, without cd and speed test with windows.

That way you can tell the help desk you: powered reset modem and computer and here are the upload/download speed from the same site using windows and linux. from east and west coast if you want.

Knoppix is a live cd, linux will run off the cd. You do not install anyting on disk.

ftp://carroll.cac.psu.edu/pub/linux/distributions/knoppix/

Dang new knoppix is out, need to get/burn me a new copy

File: KNOPPIX_V3.9-2005-05-27-EN.iso 712592 KB 06/01/2005 02:17:00 AM File: KNOPPIX_V3.9-2005-05-27-EN.iso.md5 1 KB 06/01/2005 05:12:00 AM

md5 is the md5sum for verifing the downloaded iso is valid.

See

Thanks BT but looks like you missed the part of my post where I said I used a Knoppix Live CD to test too. lol I used Knoppix 3.8.2 booting to a cd. I just burned my 3.9 today. Modem has been power cycled many times. Knoppix test was performed directly to cable modem bypassing my router. I also used a different machine so my modem got a different IP(different MAC than the cloned one I use in my router) than the one I normally use just in case it was an IP issue. I ran comparative tests using that machine and new IP. WinXp Pro/sp2 vs Knoppix 3.8.2 Live CD.

If this keeps up for a few more days I will give Comcast a call.. For now I'll wait to see if things clear up on their own. As far as I can tell it eaither has to be my modem/bad config or something that is happening with Comcast.

Shuckeydern, so you did. I skipped to next sentence at speedtest. :(

At least the lurkers will know where to get a live cd.

Did you tracert to see if it is something on comcast's net?

You don't open a terminal, click up a browser and enter some site to run your speed test. For example:

By the way, do not click and drag the iso to cd burnner. :( Find out where you select burning iso image. :)

Oh yeah plenty of times. I usually just use NeoTrace as opposed to tracert. Ping times all seem fairly normal. Even checked my dns servers which are not Comcasts btw. :-) Like I said my download speeds are great. I happend to notice a slowdown on Friday in my web browsing and how slowly many web pages were displaying. In running some speed tests that is when I noticed the upload speed issues. But again my download speeds hit 6000 very often in my speed tests.

If I notice a slowdown the first thing I do is run some traceroutes both to several sites like Comcast.net and also to my DNS servers. Then I do some speeds tests. If I still do not notice anything I then just power cycle modem and router just in case. I've had my router get overloaded a few times with my son downloading using his Bittorent client. I always have to check that just in case. I am using a Linksys BESFX41 router so it is a little more robust but that is not the issue this weekend.

You have become lost in the conversation. I was talking about running knoppix when you ask about terminal/command.

At that point in time you would be on knoppix and IE is not an option. :)

Since I have been playing with 3.9 and you will not even have to click up a browser.

Be supprised on how many do not know how to burn images.

We get lots of people downloading the Mandrake 3 cd set to dual boot windows/linux who did not md5sum the downloads let alone burn the cds correctly.

Good, there is your hardcopy with date for proof during helpdesk chats.

Up until this week my Comcast account was chugging along quite nicely. Now however it is very erratic with slow downs and time outs (Very frustrating when I am trying to tunnel into my work VPN to say the least).

From what I have read here it seems to be a DNS server issue since my Cable modem has a solid LED for the "Cable" indicator (not blinking) and about the only work around is to unplug than plug in both the Modem and router. It will work for (maybe) an hour or so, but then it seems to revert back.

I have called Comcast 4 times this weekend and I was able to glean from one of "Tech's" that there was some type of maintenance going on around my area (although he gave me no details of what that might have been) so I have scheduled a tech to come out here on Tuesday night to check things out from the demarc point and beyond.

I have read that adding a public DNS server entry might help things. But does it make any differences which one I use relative to my location? I would assume to some extent that the answer would be yes (IOW I wouldn't want a DNS server located in Tokyo since I live in the Midwest obviously).

So does anybody know of a DNS server located in and around the Twin Cities (MN) area? Or is Chicago my best bet? Or none of the above?

Thanks,

RT

At least I am not the only Comcast user with issues!

Yeah I began the usual troubleshooting stuff too. It is still way too slow downloading from Easynews (they supposedly have had no issues lately). At this point I'd have to think that it's on their end too since my service (Also gold BTW) was excellent until this weekend.

RT

If I do this (Assuming it doesn't take 5 hours to download it) what do I need to type in when Knoppix boots and I open a terminal screen?

RT

OK and the reason I wouldn't just use IE is because....?

Yes I have used NERO for many years now and know all about ISO's (or at least how to burn the image)

It seems to be behaving itself at the moment, Knoppix only took like

Thanx for the link, it showed about what I am supposed to be getting for speeds (At least from the test site in my neck of the woods)

RT

Looks like they are back on track as I am downloading at around 6mb now and it's been solid.

At for now anyway.

RT