Internet slow without modem reset ...help!

[kevinwatkins44]

Hi, I’m new to this forum, but hope one of you will be able to help advise on my broadband speed problem.

I have a 10Meg BB connection with VM, although I only seem to achieve anywhere near this speed immediately after the modem has been reset (after a 5 minute switch off period). After a few minutes of the modem reset, my BB speed drops about 20 fold, down to something in the region of 0.5MB/s (and even slower). My modem is an ntl:home 200, and I’m using a Linksys WRT54GS router, with Vista Ultimate.

It’s getting me really frustrated! I’ve connected the modem direct to the PC using LAN, but the problem persists. I’ve therefore out ruled a router problem. Earlier in the week I called VM technical support, and they said everything was fine at their end. But considering I get my BB speed back to 10Mb/s after a reset (albeit for a few minutes only), I’m convinced I have a modem problem. The ntl 200 I’m told is fairly old. Should I try to see if VM will upgrade me to a newer modem? Will it solve the problem?

Before I give VM another call, do any of you have any suggestions of what else might be causing the problem?

Thanks.

[Welshchris]

to be honest the NTL 200 should be fine on 10mb but if ur getting problems then maybe its worth giving support a ring.

[GruntBoy]

Hi Kevin,

Your problem sounds exactly like mine. I'm in Northampton and have recently been upgraded from 2 meg to 10 meg. It's all fine after a modem and router re-boot, back up to pretty much full speed on downloads. Then after a while it drops to around 15-20k a second..

I too have a Linksys router and a NTL:200 modem.

Did you get anywhere with Virgin? As when I rung them they said there was nothing wrong their end and it must be the router.

Thanks,

Steve

[Welshchris]

have u both tried disconnecting the routers and running the connection str8 through the modem?

[GruntBoy]

That's what I'm trying now Welshchris. It seemd fine through the router for about 5 hours, then went back to being slow. If the router was faulty, why would it take that long to go slow? Althought I suppose if the modem is faulty why would that take that long..

[pumpkinsoup]

Just to say this sounds exactly the same as my problem. I have removed the router totally and just had a single laptop connected (by ethernet) to the cable modem.

After switching on, speeds start at around 7Mb/s, then as you run consecutive speed tests you can see the speed fall before your very eyes over the course of the next few minutes until speeds stabalize around the 0.4 Mb/s mark.

I would be very interested to hear if anyone gets to the bottom of this, as this is intolerably slow.

I have been in email contact with VM, but so far they have just had me report download speeds for files on their server (~50KB/s), a traceroute (looked OK to me) and a netstat -b (nothing unusual). I am now waiting for them to get back to me.

Any hints about what could be causing this would be much appreciated! (Failing modem? Incorrect modem settings? Problems down the line?)

[GruntBoy]

Connected the modem directly, left it for a couple of days and no problems..

Re-connected it back through the router yesterday afternoon, will wait and see what happens now. As not sure if it was just because it was busier as it was the weekend when it kept failing.

Anyone got any ideas how to test the router to see if there is a problem with it?

The rest of it is working fine though, as even when the internet connection was down to 20k a second, I was able to stream data to my PS3 through it absolutely fine. Also, surely if it is broken, then you'd get no data at all, rather than only 20k a sec?

[SchizoBorric]

Getting exact same issue. Not had reasonable download speed since July; max is around 1.5. I have tried connecting direct to the modem, no change so know it's not my network configuration. Engineer coming out today so hopefully the issue will be addressed.

[GruntBoy]

Thats the thing though Schizo, mine is fine after a reboot, and has been fine now for two days with a direct connection. Just checking to see if it does it again (drops down to unuseable speeds) now Ive reconnected the router...

[SchizoBorric]

Engineer just been and gone and guess what; no fault found. It worked for him at full speed. I had just tested it again about an hour before he turned up and was still only delivering 1.6Mbps. So I just know what will happen now, it'll be okay for a few hours then blam back to crap performance. He looked at me as if i was some kind of idiot even though I told him I had tested with 3 diff. PC's and all connected direct to the modem and then via router and other methods. Always the same result even after modem restarts.

Just sods law I guess.

Will keep an eye on it for rest of today.

Cheers Schizoborric:mad:

[GruntBoy]

My connection has now been fine through the router since Monday. I can only assume this means there's not a problem with the router..

Be interesting to see if it happens again this weekend, as that would tend to point to it being a traffic problem Virgin's end IMO.

[pumpkinsoup]

Well, I finally got Virgin to send out an engineer and my problem has been solved: a failing power adapter to the cable modem.

The thing that has really irritated me is the response from the support department. I first contacted them using the web form on the internet, and after initial contact requesting a traceroute I heard nothing more from them for over a week.

In the meantime, I found the Virgin Media support newsgroup, and the extremely knowledgeable and helpful support staff on there immediately (within a couple of hours) recognized a problem with my SNR and arranged for an engineer to come out in a weeks time (I was going on holiday).

So off I went on holiday, turning my cable modem off along with all the other appliances in my house.

When I got back from holiday I had 3 seperate emails from the web support team:

1. The first just said sorry it's taken so long to get back to me, could I give them a call to discuss the problem (not really, that's why I contacted you via the web site)

2. The second said my traceroute indicated a problem with the ethernet cable and I would need to replace that (wrong!)

3. The final email said they had checked the power levels and SNR on my modem and everything was fine. This was the one that really got me mad -- it's clearly a complete lie, the modem had been switched off for 5 days when they sent the email!

Anyway, my advice to anyone trying to resolve an issue like this is to use the newsgroup to contact virgin media support. The guys on there are competent, knowledgeable and efficient. The support people you end up with if you go through the web form seem worse than useless!

[Coupo21]

hello i found this forum i have had this probelm for 4-6 weeks now and is really irriatating me. i phoned ntl up and some aabroad call centre tried blaming my netgear wireless but it cant be as i have directly connected an ethernet wire to the modem to my laptop and still runs mega slow. they then told me to go on speed test.net and do a speed test for internet connection but the internet was that slow it wouldnt even do a test.

our modem is 5-7 years old. could i need a new one?

they say everything is fine at they end and i think thats all they are trained to say as things are clearly not ok at my end.

has anyone got any help or advice.

by the way i have a 10 meg connection and its running slow on 2 of our pcs and 2 of our laptops

[pumpkinsoup]

hello i found this forum i have had this probelm for 4-6 weeks now and is really irriatating me.

Sounds like the same symptoms I had, and a new modem resolved my problem.

My advice is to get in contact with the support team via the newsgroups:

http://www.virginmedia.com/myvirginmedia/newsgroups/setting-up-outlook-express-exntl.php

I received fast, excellent support from the virgin media guys on there.

I received slow, poor support when attempting contact via both telephone and email.

Good luck!

[Coupo21]

thanks i will try that, how much is a new modem pls. i will try later on tonight

[counterfits434]

try using ie and booster settings

https://www.cableforum.co.uk/images/local/2009/10/33.jpg

[Kolara78]

Hi,I have same problem and this my friend is from more-than 1 year.Look at this...http://www.speedtest.net/result/591230795.png My one contract is for 10MB/S. but like you can see the speed is very slow.Was speak with Virgin and the point is just one day 9.5MB/S speed,same after that.I am from oversea(eur.country)and find very-difficult to deal with Virgin customer care.So after 20-30 calls no changes. :mad: Should cut them after my contract is finish and I WILL

[Coupo21]

right well i have reset my netgear router back up and i have changed it from 62 bits to 128 bits and its going slightly faster because on 62 bits i was downloading at the speed of 2kb/s and now i am averaging between 20kb/s and 30kb/s and this is on a program called GRABIT where i have have been told by my mate it meant to download fast and i have read this.

if anyone can help with regards to this i would be most greatful thanks.