Internet Speed Driving My Crazy

First, I'll give you a little outline of my internet problem and the internet itself.

I have Cogeco Cable highspeed internet which is supposed to be running at around 700-800 kilobytes per second. There are two computers that are connected to the internet. Thanks to a D-Link wireless router, the windows xp in the basement is connected with an ethernet cable and my iMac G5 2 floors up is connected wirelessly. The problem is, the windows xp which is the family computer runs at about 500 kilobytes per second, and my iMac G5 runs at 10-200 kilobytes per second depending on what it feels like. Normally it will take 10 seconds to load a page. If I'm lucky it will take 3 seconds but sometimes will will drag for 3 minutes or more. I know I'm capable of 500+ kilobytes per second speeds because when using the firefox extension download them all I get 300-700 kilobytes per second and when in the first 2 days after reformating my computer the pages would load instantly. In case it helps, I'm running firefox and OS X 10.4.7. Normally my internet usage consists of forums, IMs, looking at nintendo wii stuff, looking at buffalo sabre stuff, and watching flash movies. I don't play any online games.

Thanks

P.S. The same thing used to happen on the windows when I used to use it before I got my own computer (the iMac G5). That was fixed many system restores and ultimately a reformat.

Tried updating the router's firmware? Or maybe you have a shitload of spyware?

I don't know why you're complaining about 200 KBps, but alright.

Narrow the problem down to one single component first, I.E. Try switching network cables and seeing if that affects speed, run different programs that use the internet and check whatever weird network thing OSX has that tells you how fast it's running at, try using different browsers, so we can narrow down the 'problem'.


And....

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Originally Posted by spoon

...Or maybe you have a shitload of spyware?
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iMac G5 [/b]

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It’s probably the router.

Plug directly to the modem box and see if it’s faster. (if not the modem (or what’s behind it) or your provider is the problem)

Then connect to the router using cable instead of wireless to see if it is faster there as well. (If not the router is the problem)

Using wireless is slower than cable. There may also be interference with other transmitting devices in the house. See if you can eliminate any household broadcasting devices like cordless phone (remove batteries) and the cordless phone base (Unplug from wall). If you live in an appartment complex, interference may come from other appartments. If your wireless box has a channel changer, change the channel.

Good suggestion from Icuurd that's the first thing I would've done try going directly into the Modem. If not, another thing to take into consideration is what kind of encryption you are using. WEP supposedly takes away ~5-10% of speeds due to the encryption method used; WPA isn't as bad.

The only problem is I can't connect directly to the modem because my room is 2 floors up from the basement... And I would need a really long wire :wink:

As for wireless objects.... 2 phones, a bunch of remotes, and my bluetooth keyboard and mouse..... Hmm maybe I'll try seeing what happens if I use the wired mouse and keyboard...

Also, I don't use WEP. I don't use any encryption :content: Everyone is welcome to use the network "default."

Also, I'd be pretty happy with 200 KBps, its just that maybe 2/6 of the time each page will take 20-100+ seconds to load, and it drives me nuts. The 3/6 of the time it will take 5-10 seconds (still way too much) and only 1/6 of the time it will take 1-2 seconds. I have a firefox extension faster fox which doesn't help at all, but it does tell me how long it took/is taking to load the current page. Right now it says 2.148s, so I'm in the good 1/6 right now :yumdumdoodledum:

Also, sometimes when I unplug every cable in my modem and router and replug it I will have a boost in speed for maybe 2 minutes. The same thing goes when I turn off airport extreme for 5 minutes and then turn it back on.

Hmm, I live like, 1 hour away in Oakville and ive been having trouble with my cogeco as well. It even siply goes off for 5 minutes like 10 times a day. It could be an area problem.

That or Cogeco is activly attacking our connections to try to limit thier bandwith usage.

well hmm i may not know what im talking abou but i think i do


go to www.speakeasy.com or net i forget/speedtest

it test download and upload speed


my internt is jumpy

usually bad and arouns <1 megabytepersecond

but the occaisoanl 25 megs per second


and if i may, try swithing cable companies.

i have comcast cable and it limits you to 4 megs


thats not really an active restriction, its just what they say

but


if you happen to be and the end of a cable lien like i, you jsut get whatever bandwidth is leftover from everyon else on your block


now, im getting verizon fiOS

which limits you to 14 mbps thrugh the magic of fiber optics


and you dont share badnwidth

adn is cheaper than comcast

Oh wait, I read it too fast, so you&#39;re using wireless?

Well there&#39;s your problem&#33;

Wireless is bad, but wireless on a desktop... my god it&#39;s blasphemy.

Get rid of it&#33;

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Originally Posted by megabenman

The only problem is I can&#39;t connect directly to the modem because my room is 2 floors up from the basement... And I would need a really long wire :wink:
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look up PLT

The wireless router, is it a linksys box?

My problem was the cordless phone running at the same frequency (2.7 Ghz??).

So, any devices broadcasting at the same frequency can cause the problem.

My router is an old one. There are no frequency change switch on it. I moved the phone base further from the router. Works well now.

Also, you should power down the cable modem box and the router box and power them back on (Unplug both and re-plug them after 20 seconds). That causes the system to stabilize itself.


For the test I suggested before, see if you can get a laptop to do it.