JPsDad

If it's about extending the range of a Wi-Fi network, I recommend using a pair of AV500 or AV1200 capable HomePlugs, where one unit has Wi-Fi built in or with a Wi-Fi access point.  The way these work is that the primary unit connects to the router providing the Internet connection and the second unit connects with the primary unit by sending data over the electrical wiring.
 
I have had little luck with Wi-Fi range extenders in the past as while they seem to work great at first, after a few days they tend to crash out or lose connectivity with the main Wi-Fi access point.  I've seen this happen across multiple brands such as TP-Link, D-Link and Netgear including with other people.  
 
Another significant issue with Wi-Fi range extenders is that they cut the bandwidth in half as everything is repeated back to the main access point over the existing Wi-Fi network.  For comparison, a HomePlug or wired Ethernet based approach to bring Wi-Fi to another area can actually double the bandwidth as each Wi-Fi access point can operate on independent channel numbers.  For example, a set-top box streaming in the area with the second Wi-Fi access point will not consume any bandwidth provided by the main access point, although obviously the overall bandwidth is physically limited by the main Internet connection. 

Well, just got home with my pci adapter.
Got it fired up and definitely an improvement.

Im still not at 30+ down but Im clocking 19+ consistently with no hanging, skipping etc.

It may be the new modem/router combo unit.
I dont care what anyone says, there are huge performance gaps in Comcasts rental equipment.
The first modem I had when I moved in here a few years ago I was 12mbps consistently. It died and I got a different model. The brand is Ubee dont know model. Thats when I went from 12mbps that morning to 33mbps an hour later with the new modem. THAT one broke (my kids' fault) and they gave me a different model made by whoever.
I went from 33mbps at 2pm to 14mbps at 4pm with the new one.
I told them that one didnt work (lol) and they gave me another Ubee like I had. Back to 33mbps that afternoon again.
So now with this new combo unit, from experience, Id say thats what the issue is as far as speed.

Again, I dont pay for the 30mbps package so Im not going to pursue it on their end.
Im getting solid tests with no skipping and the numbers are over 19mbps, so Im happy.

There is a great community here and its actually been a pleasure dealing with this particular tech related issue.
Thank you again CA3LE, Pgoodwin1, mudmanc4 and tdawnaz.


If I have any changes that you good people should know about, I will definitely be back to cry for help again.

Shawn O. Cape Coral, FL.

First, welcome back! Been a while since you've logged in. One of the first 1000 members, I'm glad to see you're still visiting.

Under certain circumstances the progress bar can lag... which doesn't effect the outcome of the test. I've seen this on VNC and on Android 2.x phones. When I've seen this it never pauses, then turns into a fluid progress bar (meaning that it moves smoothly). It will pause then JUMP... as if the browser couldn't keep up with the java used to update the progress. Regardless of how the progress bar updates the flow of data is uninterrupted. On the other hand you might have an issue that's causing this. If it pauses, moves, pauses... then the bar fluidly moves for the remainder of the test... I'd bet that there is something wrong.

First thing I would check would be MTU. You're on Bell South, which is DSL (right?)... PPPoE. Which means that the optimal MTU for your computer and router is 1492. Optimal MTU for cable Internet and most other providers is 1500. When I was on DSL for a while I was having a similar issue... my equipment was configured for my previous cable connection (I'm back on cable and don't miss fiber DSL at all, okay... the upload was pretty awesome. My connection on cable is much more stable and is especially much better for gaming. Plus, my nick is CA3LE... lol.) and changing the MTU resulted in a drastic difference. Like night and day. Check this out... CA3LE March to April 2010 -- you can see where I fixed it and stabilized my connection. (note that some of the results in that query are unrelated... TMN didn't have the filtering and identifying options back then so I can't narrow the search down to exactly the related tests. Only pay attention to the Qwest.net results). It's a very important setting and can have a profound impact on your performance. An easy way to tune your TCP stack in windows is with Speedguide.net's TCP Optimizer. But your router may also need to be configured correctly for PPPoE, it may have an MTU setting or may just ask you what type of connection you have. If you're coming from a different provider it's pretty common for this to be incorrectly set.

Here's a topic very similar to this one... Hanging while testing - I think his issue was resolved with a new NIC. So that could be the issue too.

A little side information, TestMy.net is different than the rest.
If you test on the majority of other Internet speed tests out there you may not see this effecting your results... because they've designed their tests to ignore the worst part of your results. I personally don't understand the mindset behind that, it shows where their interests lie... hint, they don't work for your best interest. TestMy.net on the other hand just calls it how it sees it. If there is a pause in the flow of information, it's reflected in the results.

Say that you download a 10MB file and it takes 10 seconds. Let's say that there is an extra 2 second pause at the beginning of that download. You might not notice it because once the download starts to flow it's going fine...... but does that mean that the 2 second pause never happened? Hell no! Even though it might have happened without you noticing, it still happened. In turn effectively dropping your speed for that download by about 17%. Now, let's say that you were downloading only 1 MB at the same speed, then the issue is compounded and effectively drops your speed by about 67%. I've had users, especially satellite users, that tell me that I should design the test to start the time after the speed has picked up... but wouldn't that defeat the purpose of the test? If your connection has pauses and blips, that's important information to know. It's the reason that you came here... right? You might stabilize at 8 Mbps (in our theoretical scenario) but that doesn't mean that's your real speed. Issues that cause that kind of problem make a HUGE impact on browsing speed, VoIP, gaming... etc. Ignoring that crucial information is exactly what most speed tests do, something TestMy.net will never do.

I agree totally, raises a brow as to why, considering how high the probability of manipulation this file has. If I had to place a number on how many of the machines I get in where either the host file and or the browser proxy settings have been used to get the machine connected to a botnet , I might have to say nearly 50% of them.
It is simple once you take a few to learn how to use it. Maybe a good thing would be to start a new thread discussing it.

phree c00ki3s... that's cool.



Don't you just love how I tell you the truth here... it helps rather than hurts.

You've just seen first hand the difference between TMN and other Interent speed tests. This is for multiple reasons.
The other guys test your speed under the most ideal circumstances... they've removed many of the variables that are the Internet. Personally I believe that you're not here to know your speed under ideal conditions... you're here to test your Internet speed. How can you test your Internet speed if you're not even truly going out on the Internet? The tests that providers and the people that work for the providers best interests host are hosted within your providers network... TMN is a test that stands for the best interests of the consumer.

For more details please read https://testmy.net/legit-speed-test.php

Other speed tests run through third party protocols. These often bypass issues that you may have with your browser and OS configuration. They're also, in their own admission, often guessing... and adjusting the results based on guesses because of the poor protocol choice they've made. You didn't come to test your Internet for a guess, right?

For more details please read https://testmy.net/ip...la-speed-tests/


TestMy.net is the only speed test that works the way it does. Your results along with countless others prove my point... results elsewhere often can't be trusted. Especially if the provider is involved, which is often the case. They have a vested interest in showing you that your connection is fine and that the problem is with the website you're trying to visit. It cuts down on service calls and saves them money. Personally, I could care less about how many service calls those guys have to send out... your connection should work the way that your provider advertises. I'm here to hopefully keep them honest. TMN is a third party with no vested interests in the outcome of the results.

Having said that, this wasn't Cox's fault. This was a problem with settings on your end... a fault of your operating system. As you found, it's a simple fix with SpeedGuide's TCP Optimizer. Seems to me that the providers would keep much happier customers if they just sent them to TMN in the first place rather than having their customers have to figure it out on their own. It used to be standard operating procedure before many of them realized that hosting their own tests made them look better. Although I still think testing out to the Internet is better information the information on how your connection runs within their network is also useful... but only if the test being used is based on sound testing principals. If they're using Flash... like all of them are... the principals aren't sound. You saw the difference first hand, help me spread the word... people need to know this stuff.