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Question

new broadband server in Sarasota is very slow. Help!

Jun 29, 2012 3:53AM PDT

I have a cable modem through comcast. recently our internet speeds have slowed considerably. this has coincided with a new server in the area. I live in Sarasota and the new server is located here. I used to test internet speed on the Tampa server and it was very fast. we pay for 12 Mbps, but typically see speeds of 20+. Now that the Sarasota server is in play, the best speed I am getting (when I test using that server) is about 3 Mbps. Comcast will not answer if that is now the default server for the immediate area or if there is any way around it. according to them (and I had someone come out today), their signal strength is fine and our equipment is working properly. When I test my speed on their website it is coming in with about 25 Mbps.
Here is what I know for sure. Our internet is slow, slow, slow. It takes about 40 minutes to download 1 tv show on iTunes. that is when we only have one computer hooked up to the signal and have disable wi-fi on our phones. It is literally the only device using the signal. I need some help here. Is the slow Sarasota server causing this problem? Is there a way to bypass that server? Of course comcast said it was my router, but it is just as slow when I hook my laptop directly to the cable modem. I was going to go buy a new router (with 300 Mbps and dual band), but I am not sure that will help... Help!

Discussion is locked

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Answer
So why is this a question about that server and then iTunes?
Jun 29, 2012 4:01AM PDT

iTunes has it own servers so how would you test speeds on one server and then expect Apple's servers to match this test?

I think you need to call your cable company and ask to talk about how this system works.
Bob

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the question is about the new server. iTunes was an example
Jun 29, 2012 4:33AM PDT

Bob,

I do not appreciate your tone. If you do not have something helpful to say, then keep it to yourself.

Could someone else please answer the question about the new server in sarasota? Bypass options if any? has anyone else experienced a similar problem?

Thank you.

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The ONLY person that can help you is your ISP.
Jun 29, 2012 4:39AM PDT

Let's say your ISP has that server and that serves you. ONLY your ISP can fix this.

However you seem confused and maybe will be upset as we have to discuss how the internet works. It appears you have not had that discussion and I'm ready when you are. If you find this unhelpful then you should reconsider your stance.
Bob

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Just to make this clear,
Jun 29, 2012 4:43AM PDT

the question really was whether you tested this on anything other than iTunes.

Yes you quoted iTunes as an example, but we were not sure if you were using that as your prime finding, or if this is consistent with other tests, eg watching a streamed video on YouTube, or downloading a large file from somewhere else.

Whether or not you can change ISP servers is a question only your ISP can answer. I suspect they will say no, but then if web pages load fast I personally am confused as you are.

Mark

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Thanks Mark
Jun 29, 2012 5:11AM PDT

I will continue to investigate this. I have contacted Suncoast Broadband directly about the issue. the ISP is Comcast in this situation and they are as "confused" as I am. No help there as of yet, but they are investigating.

webpages are loading slowly, streaming becomes intermittent on occasion. iTunes was a bad example apparently, but overall the service is not nearly as fast as it was before this new server came on line. That is all I know. I might be a lay-person, but I am not stupid.

Bob- you need to work on your people skills.

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Explain new server
Jun 29, 2012 5:08AM PDT

What function are you talking about. You data should never pass though any server.

Unless you are downloading something from the cable company itself it does not matter where they have servers.

If you are looking at those speed test things they mean very little. All it means is to that particular IP you get a certain performance level.

Hard to say the ISP will always claim it is your machine or equipment. Since it works the same with or without the router replacing the router will make no difference.
Since you can test to you ISP website at a fast rate it now unfortunately falls upon you to tell them what is wrong with their network. Very technically they only promise you rates to their network, If the site you are trying to access is not also their customer they can rightly claim they did not promise you any rate to provider xxx

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Exactly.
Jun 29, 2012 5:11AM PDT

Their server (ISP, or speed test server)
iTunes server.
Any server.

Speeds will never match!

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okay, I am starting to get this...
Jun 29, 2012 5:28AM PDT

Thank you Bob, Bill and Mark for responding and sorry for getting defensive. It is just frustrating. I guess what you are saying is that it is that I should not be concerned that the new Sarasota server is slow compared to Tampa and the comcast server in Naples? It basically is up to the server of the website I am visiting? So, for example, if I have paid for 25 Mbps through comcast, it doesnt matter to iTunes because my data is going through their server. If they are slow (high traffic, etc), there is nothing I can do about it. And that goes for any server. So why am I paying for 25 Mbps? What is the point if most servers are a lot slower than that?

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Thanks and you are getting close. Imagine PIPES!
Jun 29, 2012 5:51AM PDT

I think many examples use PIPES to describe how this data moves around.

Why would you get 25Mbps service? Because data will flow at the speed of about the slowest connection from the server that serves up the data all the way from there to you.

If your pipe was the slowest link then that's a limit. Comcast's pipes are pretty big but are shared by all and you know that Apple's servers have so big a pipe so that when more folk get stuff they get to share that pipe out of those servers to you.

Keep at it. It's rough at first.
Bob

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thank you Bob!
Jun 29, 2012 11:08AM PDT

Should have listened to you to start with. I knew the great people on the cnet boards, could help me unerstand this issue. I appreciate your patience and info.

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Thank you too.
Jun 29, 2012 3:36PM PDT

You have to keep at these things to get enough discussion to flush out an explanation. You did that and have a better view of how it works without too much wear and tear on the noggin.
Bob

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Answer
speedtest.net
Jun 29, 2012 3:02PM PDT

use this site, test your speed on 3 servers near you if you get consistently slow speeds then you have an issue with comcast, if you do not, then the issue is outside their realm, ie either a third party server that runs the internet, ot apple's itunes servers are just bogged down.

other than that you can post the logs and signal levels from 192.168.100.1 and I can look to see if anyone is obviously a problem.

Downstream should be between -8 and +8, upstream should be between 35 and 51, but will work fine up to 54.
In the logs a few t3/t4 errors is nothing to worry about [they occur when ranging for channels and if you are told to change channels by the cmts], frequent repeats of one is an indication of a problem.