slow download speed

[xordi]

Hi
I have a problem. My download speed droped to 0.5mbit. I used to have 20mbit.
When I reboot my v1000h device, I have for few mins a good download speed 16-18mbit than after a couple mins I am back to 0.5mbit. I aleady replaced the v1000h. The problem is on all devices. Laptops and phones. Even if only one device is on. My ping is good around 10ms. I still can play online games but cant read the newspaper....
I did some troubleshooting but can't figure something out. Didn't even find some similar cases. I have the problem now for 6 days at all times. Night and morning. Could it be a telus problem ?

[xl · Accepted solution]

If the router has already been replaced once before recently....

Is your security configured? I know a co-worker who had no security set up. Everyone in the apartment was using his wifi to download and stream content. He had no problems after Wpa2, Mac filtering and SSID suppression was introduced.

What happens if you turn off the router's wireless service and connect the laptop via Ethernet? This can identify if it's a wifi problem or internet problem.

[xordi · Accepted solution]

Yes there is a wpa2 password. I could see that only my devices are connected.
I still have to try the wire. Thanks for that tip.
On other thing. The old router was running for 140 days connected. And I never had any problems and I never changed any setup settings. I have the bad download and upload speed all to all times. Even when its not peak time.
And after reboot its working for 2 mins than slows down for all devices.
I get only one neigbors wireless what is really weak. So its not overloaded with wireless in my area.

[NFtoBC · Accepted solution]

I had a similar issue. The installer switched the wire coming to the house to effect a cure. Keep records (date and time) of episodes to help troubleshoot your issue, and support the need for a fix.

[xordi · Accepted solution]

Its all the time. Checked it this morning and it was slow. I gonna try an Ethernet cabel after work to find out if its wireless or internet. Because it seems like lan is slow too. I tryed to copy some stuff from my wifes laptop and it was extremly slow.

[Hippo · Accepted solution]

Have you tried to change the wireless channel in the Actiontec router?

Here are instructions on how to do this:
1)  Log into your Actiontec modem by clicking on this link http://192.168.1.254
    If that does not work, type those numbers into the Address Bar of your browser and hit ENTER.
2)  Where it says "Login to make changes to your router settings", enter the following:
     - Username: admin
     - Password: telus (lower case)
If this is the first time that you have accessed your modem, you may be prompted to change your username & password.
3)  Once you do that, click on the "Wireless Setup" button towards the top centre of the page.
4)  Now click on the "Advanced Settings" link on the left side of the screen.
5)  Leave everything else set as it is except for:
     - Click in the drop-down menu beside "Channel" and select a number from the list.
     - The most commonly used channels are 6-11-1, so it may be best to try an alternate channel. We want to make sure it is not on Auto search.
     - Make sure that "Wireless Power Level" is set to "100%".
6)  When you are finished, click on the green "Apply" button below and exit out of this window.

You may need to experiment and try different channels to see which channel works best for your situation.  You may need to reboot your wireless computers or devices for the changes to take effect. After that, you should notice an improvement in the speed and/or stability of your wireless connection.
 

[xordi · Accepted solution]

I narrowed it down. Ethernet cabel works just fine. And I discovered following.
When I am really close to the router my download rate is good, If I move a few meters away it stops working. Remember it is a new router. On the same place it was a year long.
Switching channels doesn't help. It seems like something is blocking the signal

[NFtoBC · Accepted solution]

Broken antenna? Request a fresh unit.

[xl · Accepted solution]

Is the router at FULL power?

How far away can you be from the router before signal falls without a wall?

[xordi · Accepted solution]

It is a new unit. Replaced the old one but still same problem.
I was running speed test. Every odd time speed goes up for a min than drops for a long time.

[xl · Accepted solution]

If the router has already been replaced once before recently....

Is your security configured? I know a co-worker who had no security set up. Everyone in the apartment was using his wifi to download and stream content. He had no problems after Wpa2, Mac filtering and SSID suppression was introduced.

What happens if you turn off the router's wireless service and connect the laptop via Ethernet? This can identify if it's a wifi problem or internet problem.

[xordi · Accepted solution]

Yes there is a wpa2 password. I could see that only my devices are connected.
I still have to try the wire. Thanks for that tip.
On other thing. The old router was running for 140 days connected. And I never had any problems and I never changed any setup settings. I have the bad download and upload speed all to all times. Even when its not peak time.
And after reboot its working for 2 mins than slows down for all devices.
I get only one neigbors wireless what is really weak. So its not overloaded with wireless in my area.

[NFtoBC · Accepted solution]

I had a similar issue. The installer switched the wire coming to the house to effect a cure. Keep records (date and time) of episodes to help troubleshoot your issue, and support the need for a fix.

[xordi · Accepted solution]

Its all the time. Checked it this morning and it was slow. I gonna try an Ethernet cabel after work to find out if its wireless or internet. Because it seems like lan is slow too. I tryed to copy some stuff from my wifes laptop and it was extremly slow.

[Hippo · Accepted solution]

Have you tried to change the wireless channel in the Actiontec router?

Here are instructions on how to do this:
1)  Log into your Actiontec modem by clicking on this link http://192.168.1.254
    If that does not work, type those numbers into the Address Bar of your browser and hit ENTER.
2)  Where it says "Login to make changes to your router settings", enter the following:
     - Username: admin
     - Password: telus (lower case)
If this is the first time that you have accessed your modem, you may be prompted to change your username & password.
3)  Once you do that, click on the "Wireless Setup" button towards the top centre of the page.
4)  Now click on the "Advanced Settings" link on the left side of the screen.
5)  Leave everything else set as it is except for:
     - Click in the drop-down menu beside "Channel" and select a number from the list.
     - The most commonly used channels are 6-11-1, so it may be best to try an alternate channel. We want to make sure it is not on Auto search.
     - Make sure that "Wireless Power Level" is set to "100%".
6)  When you are finished, click on the green "Apply" button below and exit out of this window.

You may need to experiment and try different channels to see which channel works best for your situation.  You may need to reboot your wireless computers or devices for the changes to take effect. After that, you should notice an improvement in the speed and/or stability of your wireless connection.
 

[xordi · Accepted solution]

I narrowed it down. Ethernet cabel works just fine. And I discovered following.
When I am really close to the router my download rate is good, If I move a few meters away it stops working. Remember it is a new router. On the same place it was a year long.
Switching channels doesn't help. It seems like something is blocking the signal

[NFtoBC · Accepted solution]

Broken antenna? Request a fresh unit.

[xl · Accepted solution]

Is the router at FULL power?

How far away can you be from the router before signal falls without a wall?

[xordi · Accepted solution]

It is a new unit. Replaced the old one but still same problem.
I was running speed test. Every odd time speed goes up for a min than drops for a long time.

[NFtoBC]

If no problem while connected by Ethernet cable, then the router is not the problem
If speed is OK when adjacent to modem, but drops within a few metres it indicates an antenna problem. There's enough leakage around any radio that you will get a reasonable signal when nearby, but not at distance. If you are line of sight to the antenna, there can be no 'blockage'. This strongly suggests the antenna is the culprit.

[xordi]

Okay than I gonna run some more test and then i gonna replace the unit again.

[xl]

Some additional thoughts....

• is there a wireless phone near your router?  What happens if it is unplugged?
• are there a lot of strong wifi signals near your router?  Do you see many other signals?
• is the router at the centre of the home, or near one side of the home?  Sometimes a directional antenna can help if a neighbour has a very strong signal.
• Are you on Wireless B, G, or N?  Ensure you are on N for maximum performance and range.

[mumbles84]

ive been having the same problems and not the only person I might add.

WE have the 3.5mbit/1mbit package as thats all that's availble to my address.

for about a week now, sometime after 6 till before midnight my speeds drop to about 0.5 download. but during the early morning and all day i get the full 3.5mbits if needed.

they've upgraded firmware and told me nothings wrong and blah blah blah.

note: its not my upload speed affected.

i've done speedtests on my computer with speedtest.net off close servers including telus's server.

also note i do know alot about networking and computers and have ruled everything else out except telus's end.

ive been reading around and talked to a few people in my area as well as down island and they too have simular problems around those times.

now i game alot of FPS like black ops. upload is good to transfer data to the host of the game lobby. but when ur download goes poop then your not getting the info fast enough from the host or other players in the lobby as u do connect to everybody in the lobby. and ur screen will go choppy or lag.

Now its just been this last week and a bit between those times. now adsl2+ works differnt from cable so i dont see why my speeds should be affect at those times when its never been affected during those times. i may also add that telus cant rent out internet in my area as they have run out of slots availible months ago. i havent checked every morning but my girlfriend said it was slow at some points in the morning a few days ago. were on vancouver island north end

 also may add i have my network hardwired. and everythign gets disconencted and all programs closed before the speed tests.

[mumbles84]

and guess what! again its back to normal just before 11pm. and itll happen all over again tmr like clock work.

[xl]

Are you EXCLUSIVELY the only user before 11pm?

Some ideas on this behaviour....

• when someone forgot to apply WPA2, SSID, and Mac filtering.... thus everyone in the neighborhood was consuming his bandwidth
• a family member on the network is streaming a video or download a large file
• a family member is on the network gaming and consuming the video
• is anyone using Skype or some video conference
• virus/malware

[mumbles84]

and ur saying? cable is differnt then adsl in how bandwidth is shared. and for two. why all sudden over past week after this small town ran out of slots 3 months ago waiting for the upgrades on the island to occur so new clients can get packages from telus? seem slike it if was that then the whole internet wud of slowed the same time over the last 3 months? so your saying all of a sudden everyone downloaded massively at the same time for just this week? makes no sense to happen jsut for one week so far out of 3 months

[NFtoBC]

All I'm saying is that if you are seeing regular time of day changes in your download speed, it is not likely a hardware problem between your house and the switch/port.

[mumbles84 · Accepted solution]

i can understand that just strange how all of a sudden everyone at once decides to download lol. also i been doing trace routes at that time. and it dont get a long ping time till it passes through the burnaby bc telus ip on kingsway. 

[NFtoBC]

and guess what! again its back to normal just before 11pm. and itll happen all over again tmr like clock work.

The Internet is full. Seriously , though, that is the time period when the greatest number of downloads occur. Both my brother and I, living in two different towns noticed a difference about the same time as the local video rental places closed shop. The additional volume of video streaming has probably overwhelmed the network.

[mumbles84]

also the latest actiontech v1000h firmware version is  31.121L.11 

u can call them and ask them to use the backdoor on the router to push the firmware. i have noticed i get a slightly higher kbit rate for upload and download about 100kbit difference