newsgroup Capped 500kbs?

[fatal_exception]

Hi this is my first post and yes it is a cry for help.

Really need some help. Im on the broadband XL package through a NTL 250 modem in the Runcorn area and the last two days I have been having some speed issues through Newsdemon. Normally I attain around 1200Kbs download.

however it seems that my access has been capped to around 500k at all hours. I can still download at full speed from web sites and other sources its just newsgroups. I have spoken with tech support with newdemon and I have changed servers and ports to no avail. Tried all the usual things ie switching things on and off.

I have just gotten off the phone to Virgin media tech support and they were not very helpful. They made no suggestion to a resolution and told me to go back to newsdemon. Heres my traceroute

Tracing to 86.4.90.214 (25 hop max).
Stand by, this will take a moment...
1 ve101.fr4.ams.llnw.net (68.142.88.65) 0.250 ms 0.179 ms 0.233 ms
2 ve5.fr3.ams.llnw.net (69.28.172.113) 0.234 ms 0.309 ms 0.239 ms
3 * amst-ic-1.inet.ntl.com (195.69.144.40) 123.213 ms 127.744 ms
4 pop-bb-a-so-230-0.inet.ntl.com (213.105.175.5) 8.320 ms 8.319 ms 8.332 ms
5 lee-bb-b-so-220-0.inet.ntl.com (213.105.175.129) 13.735 ms 14.075 ms 13.850 ms
6 bagu-t2core-b-pos31.inet.ntl.com (62.253.188.30) 14.856 ms 14.839 ms 14.839 ms
7 bagu-t2cam1-b-ge-wan34.inet.ntl.com (195.182.175.38) 15.109 ms 15.450 ms 15.103 ms
8 ubr03runc-ge02.inet.ntl.com (80.5.163.102) 17.120 ms 16.902 ms 16.623 ms
9 cpc2-runc3-0-0-cust725.bagu.cable.ntl.com (86.4.90.214) 30.452 ms 28.178 ms 30.082 ms
10 cpc2-runc3-0-0-cust725.bagu.cable.ntl.com (86.4.90.214) 43.819 ms 26.530 ms 39.983 ms

I, However have no idea what it means.

Any suggestions?

Any help woud be appreciated

[Richy99]

sounds like news demon are caing you not VM as other servies work fine, if you change it to port 80 in your news client and then restart does the speed stay the same?

are you heavy downloader?

[fatal_exception]

looks like they don't let me connect on port 80. I tried the US servers again and the speeds are incredibly inconsistant 200k to 1000k seems weird.

Yes I am quite a heavy downloader about 150 - 200gig a month

[timmymagic07]

Have you tried the blueyonder/ntl newsgroups?

If they go at full speed then it is clearly newsdemon, if they don't then maybe you have accidently capped your connection using your newsgroup software or more likely something to do with newsdemon's servers :)

[Mick Fisher]

Do a trace to Newsdemon. You'll likely find you take a different route than the one from Newsdemon. You'll probably find the trouble there.

If by chance you go through level13, you will probably find their routers saturated and dropping packets. This means some of your acks don't get through which b*****s it all up.

VM only use the cheapest routes which is why its usually crap speeds once you leave the network. Maybe Newsdemon do the same?

Open up as many connections as you can. Anything from 500k to 1.5 depending on the time and the day is about the most you can hope for from 1 slot.

[dojoman47]

Hi m8, I am from Runcorn too and I am on the same package/set up as yourself. I am using Usenetserver.com and I am having no problems with the d/l speeds. Speeds maxing out at just under 10 megs, hope you can sort it soon...

[fatal_exception]

Think its time to change, my settings are the same as what they were in newsrover 2 days ago. I also have 20 connections to the server.

Thanks for your help guys gonna give it another 2 days and if it doesnt improve gonna try switching newshoster.

[MrJDGaF]

You might want to give Giganews a try, generally regarded as the best Usenet host with 120 days binary retention and SSL encryption available if required.