Uncle Sam wants YOU to test your broadband connection!

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TrainableMan

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It requires that you have Java installed. It also mentions problems with Safari & Chrome with the one test engine they use. All I know is it worked with Firefox after I allowed the site in my script blocker add-on.
 

catilley1092

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It worked OK for me, but it only confirmed what I already knew.
Download 4388kbps
Upload 366kbps
Latency 29ms
Jitter 3ms

This is not what I'm paying for, but what can I do? No one will even match their price for 7mbps @ $44.90/monthly, taxes & wireless modem included. I've already shopped around, no one else comes close.

But, since my last go around with them (Time Warner), the service has gotten better, especially at night. They went around the neighborhood, looking for pirated connections, and found a couple of sloppy ones, which led to signal loss to everyone. Anyway, I now have decent speed, probably if I were to get a "N" router, I'd see a difference. A friend is going to try his out on my connection to see. If it makes a difference, I'll buy one, if not, I won't.

Cat
 

TrainableMan

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You should not be running your test wireless, a direct connection is the only true way to test the ISP. And the test isn't so much for you as it is for the FCC to get your speed as part of the national database which hopefully encourages the government to force improved broadband.
 

catilley1092

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That's the way my connection is and the way I want it, is wireless. Most PC's on the market offers wireless now, just as notebooks does. Many of today's users don't want to worry with all of those wires everywhere, they want plug-n-play. If you have a good wireless router & adapter, the speeds are just as good. The main problem with wireless is security. "N" modems & adapters reduces this risk, however doesn't totally eliminate it. I'd take wireless over wired any day.
 

TrainableMan

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It may be how you want it but it does not provide accurate data regarding your ISPs connection. It is impossible for routed/wireless to provide the same amount of relevant data as a connected line because every packet of information requires additional overhead to ensure the packet is sent securely and to the proper device. A valid test of your ISP connection should be direct connect with no router at all, not even wired. Every extra piece of data which has to be attached for "routing to the proper device" and for security is overhead that the ISP is not responsible for and cannot be ruled out as "a problem at your end" impacting the speed. Also every packet lost that has to be retransmitted between your router and your network card impacts the total amount of good data which can be sent in the same time frame. Therefore it is not an apples to apples comparison.

The difference MAY be negligible but you can't be sure unless you rule it out.
 
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Nibiru2012

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probably if I were to get a "N" router, I'd see a difference.
No you won't because a G wireless is up to 54 Mbps (Megabits per second) or 6,912 KBps (Kilobytes per second) or 55,296 Kbps (Kilobits per second)

The nice thing about wireless N is that it uses MIMO technology and up to 3 antennas on the PCI adapter card and on the router.

N routers are great for home networking the computers together but at your speeds I don't believe it would be an advantage.

Your price is high for RoadRunner, here in Austin, TX you can get 17 Mbps @ $35.00 per month plus 54 different taxes, user fees, gov't fees, subsidies, etc. fee this, fee that, here a fee, there a fee, everywhere a fee fee!

TrainableMan is correct, the only true way to test your RR connection is through the LAN port via ethernet cable to the modem or router. That will give you your truest test speeds.

IF RR is supplying your wireless router/modem setup I would just have them change it out and have a modem only, then purchase your own wireless router. You'll probably get a little better pricing on you service too.

Plus then you can get a damn good router instead, plus you're probably paying rental fee on the RR router anyway. I recommend either D-Link or Belkin routers, they usually get top reviews. But as with AV software there are a plethora of opinions out there about wireless routers.
 

TrainableMan

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Your price is high for RoadRunner, here in Austin, TX you can get 17 Mbps @ $35.00 per month plus ... taxes
Here I pay $35/mo for 1.5Mbps DSL and it is the most I can get and is the best I can get w/o cable. Cable would be over $50/mo, if I can get it. I think it's out here now but 7 years ago they hadn't even run cable out this far.

I want to move to a Verizon FIOS area - they have the highest speeds and highest customer satisfaction. In Wash D.C. area which is where most of our TV broadcast comes from, they are saying switch to FIOS and there is no early cancellation policy because they are so sure you will never switch.
 
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catilley1092

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No you won't because a G wireless is up to 54 Mbps (Megabits per second) or 6,912 KBps (Kilobytes per second) or 55,296 Kbps (Kilobits per second)

The nice thing about wireless N is that it uses MIMO technology and up to 3 antennas on the PCI adapter card and on the router.

N routers are great for home networking the computers together but at your speeds I don't believe it would be an advantage.

Your price is high for RoadRunner, here in Austin, TX you can get 17 Mbps @ $35.00 per month plus 54 different taxes, user fees, gov't fees, subsidies, etc. fee this, fee that, here a fee, there a fee, everywhere a fee fee!

TrainableMan is correct, the only true way to test your RR connection is through the LAN port via ethernet cable to the modem or router. That will give you your truest test speeds.

IF RR is supplying your wireless router/modem setup I would just have them change it out and have a modem only, then purchase your own wireless router. You'll probably get a little better pricing on you service too.

Plus then you can get a damn good router instead, plus you're probably paying rental fee on the RR router anyway. I recommend either D-Link or Belkin routers, they usually get top reviews. But as with AV software there are a plethora of opinions out there about wireless routers.
Actually, the pricing is different in each market. I'm getting 7mbps for what I was paying for 1.5mbps. I had put in an order for all services to be stopped, then the request landed on the regional manager's desk, because I had been rightfully complaining about my service. That's why three hours later, I got an unexpected call from them. See, I was fed up with them to the point that I called to disconnect, without even having another ISP lined up. My landlord told me that I could use theirs anytime that I wanted.

So the regional manager asked me what I wanted to keep me as a customer. No one had ever done that before. I told him all that I wanted was what I was paying for, no more, no less. I also told him that I no longer wanted the phone and TV, the internet only. Then he said the price, $44.90 for 1.5mbps. I said no, I was paying for 7mbps, and if I couldn't have that, to cut all services off. He agreed with me, giving me what I wanted. And technicians came by and checked everything out, getting rid of those "rat nests" of wires where former tenants tapped into the landlord's connection while they were at work, and even rode the neighborhood, finding at least a couple of sloppy pirated connections that caused leakage for everyone.

While $44.90 sounds high for your area, it's the standard price for Road Runner Lite in this one. And I called AT&T to see if they could match the price, as soon as I did, there they were, trying to shove a phone line down my throat, at a cost of $29 monthly, not counting taxes or internet service. I told them that Time Warner didn't force TV service on me to have internet, why were they trying to force a phone line that I didn't need on me. I was told that to have internet, you have to have a phone line. I told the rep that they were trying to return to their former days, but now there's competition in town now. He politely suggested that our conversation was headed nowhere, and there was no need for further discussion. I agreed, and hung up. BTW, AT&T's offered speed was only 3mbps at a total cost of $79.99, plus those 12 pages of taxes & fees. Plus, AT&T has a clear "abuse clause" in their deal, if you go over a certain amount (I don't know how to calculate this), you're moved up to the next price. I don't have that, unlimited is unlimited for me, although if you use a lot, they will "throttle" you during peak usage times. I get around that by using my landlord's connection.

But $44.90 for 7mbps (including taxes & wireless router) is cheap for this area, I've looked and looked, and no one beats it. No one even comes close.
 

Core

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:))) jajaja


My internet connection is 2 Mbps and about 100$ per month!!!!!!! Do you think???? Turkey is very expensive.... :(
I like ham better anyway.... Haaaahhahahahhahaha...

Hahha....hmmm... Hohum.
 
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AT&T's Business DSL sucks, too. It didn't take us long to realize that our bill matched the next level up from the service we subscribed to, and yet we got 3/4 of the speed we subscribed to at BEST. It's not right for a company to rip off of their customers like that, but then again part of the lack of the promised speed is due to distance of your local DSLAM (Digital Subscriber Line Area Modulator), and large amounts of traffic through the lines. But still, AT&T should be able to counter this to some extent, or at least give you the speeds you are paying for, especially for businesses.
 
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It is impossible for routed/wireless to provide the same amount of relevant data as a connected line because every packet of information requires additional overhead to ensure the packet is sent securely and to the proper device.
Not true, I'm afraid.

Your average 802.11G connection, even an okay one, is faster than a 20 megabit Internet connection. Wireless provides more than enough bandwidth to thoroughly test an ISP.

//EDIT: As I read this thread further, I see there is quite a bit of misinformation being thrown around. I'll come back later today with more on that topic. This space is reserved.
 

TrainableMan

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OK, we're up to Wireless N now, so if you are going to correct my misconceptions please use the latest technology. I await enlightenment.
 
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Most users don't have N yet, so I was using G to illustrate that even an "old" technology is more than sufficient for even the most hearty Internet connections.

But, for the record, an N WiFi connection is faster than a wired BASE100 ethernet connection and, in some cases, half again as fast.
 
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I smell Big Brother...maybe I am paranoid? :)
That't the pretense of all intruders, tell you what you want to here when in fact they are the ones doing the data collecting on you. Sounds exactly like big brother.
 

TrainableMan

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So connecting ...
modem via ethernet cable to router, encrypted (and maybe compressed). transmitted, decrypted (and expanded) by the wireless network card
... in a wireless N setup is up to 1.5 times faster than ...
modem via ethernet cable to network card
... for the same amount of relevant data?

I Look forward to reading the info and supporting articles when you have the chance.
 
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