Time Warner speed fluctuates wildly

[ChitlinsConCarne]

I need help with an Action Plan for dealing with Time Warner Cable Support. They are "Parts Replacers" and "Pat Responders". In particular:

• why TestMy.Net results should be reiied upon instead of TWC Flash SpeedTest
• why All test results vary so much under normal usage conditions
• how to make them explain how they regulate my speed
  • My theory is that their methods server-side are the key - they CHANGED Something!! - as that is all that could have changed  because I changed nothing
• what actions I should require them to take
• anything else of which I am naive/ignorant that ya'll think relevant

 

I have been troubleshooting this issue unsuccessfully for over a year. At one time, my speeds were seemingly acceptable. In Summer of 2013, something changed noticeably. At that time, level one support was unable to help -

• new modemS,
• new cabing from distribution to house
• dedicated cabling to modem
• dedicated cabling to TVs

As I persisted in being proactive, I finally got to a Senior phone supporter who had the priveleges required to punch some twanger on his screen and set my Plan Speed to a Mid-Range Plan Speed (TWC has changed all their plans since). I instantly got 50Mbps+ download speed. He then punched the twanger to set it the Turbo Plan (18Mbps down) and it performed as expected until LAST Spring. Then what I describe began.

• more new modems
• more resets / restarts
• NO supervisory attention - YET <- this is why I want a STRATEGY

 

My Download Speed varies consifderably and is consistently very low when measured against my promised TWC Plan Speed. Upload is predominately right on the money.

 

Tests here are all over the chart. This latest is slightly lower at the High End and higher at the Low End than other time spans. All are welcome to look at the History:

https://testmy.net/quickstats/ChitlinsConCarne

Some of these test values are 200%+ my subscribed "Turbo Plan" and others are <20% of the plan speed.

 

I have tested with TWC's Ookla Flash based tester (the ONLY tester that any TWC support specialist(?) or onsite tech will consider. As Firefox does not load Flash, I use an old version of Safari for this. Only after a Modem hard reset and restart of my Pismo does OoklaTester reflect results consistent with my TWC Plan speeds. TestMy.Net results immediately after are consistent but in the 200-225% range of Plan speed. This last is puzzling to me.

 

When testing after some period of normal internet use - email & web browsing(mostly at Apple Support Communities - discussions.apple.com) - I get the low-end results with TWC to moderate range here. Those are the only valid results I am willing to accept.

 

TWC places blame firmly on my Mac Powerbook Pismo (old I know), but I just don't buy it. I used my Pismo at a workplace that had a dual T1 dedicated connection and everything was "instant" when browsing any website. Never any inclination to run any speedtests.

 

I thank you all in advance for any advice

 

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I have this config:

Mozilla/5.0 (Macintosh; PPC Mac OS X 10.4; rv:31.0) Gecko/20100101 Firefox/31.0 TenFourFox/G3

---

TIME WARNER CABLE

UBEE DVW3201B Advanced Wireless Voice Gateway - Firmware Version: 9.8.3012_D1

Cable Modem Information Cable Modem : DOCSIS 3.0 Compliant MAC Address : REDACTED Serial Number : REDACTED Boot Code Version : 10.2.1a Software Version : 9.9.2013R2SIP Hardware Version : 3.7.5 CA Key : Installed   MTA Information MAC Address : REDACTED CA Key : Installed

 

[coknuck]

I had problems with the Turbo. For the 3 months it was as advertised then I was lucky to get 12 Mbps. Bargained for a new Internet,phone and TV package because the prices went up $25 month.Got a better package with the Extreme Internet and now I get constant 35+Mbps no matter when I test. Food for thought. One of my Laptops uses standard installed WiFi and I only get 22-25. My other laptop using a Netgear WNA3100 Wireless Adapter gets constant 35+Mbps. Hard wired Desk top gets 35+Mbps. So I do think there can be a problem with wireless cards.

This is the laptop with the Netgear WNA3100 Adapter

 

 This is an older Acer 5620z.

https://testmy.net/quickstats/coknuck

 

Hope this helps. By the way I'm in Northern Kentucky just below Cincinnati,OH 

Plus I'm saving $10 a month more than before the price change. You need to renegotiate every year. 

 

I took to netgear off the Acer and hooked it up to the HP. now it get around 35 Mbps. The 16Mps is the HP with its installed WiFi

[Pgoodwin1]

Try taking your Pismo to a friend's house in a different area of town that has TWC and try it. If it's bad there too compared to their average speeds when you test their computers using TMN. try it at another friend's house that uses someone other than TWC if you don't see improvement at the first friend's place.

[ChitlinsConCarne]

Conuck and Pgoodwin1

 

Thanks for the advice.

 

Conuck: I was planning on renegotiating soon anyway. I am caregiver to my Mom - they have had cable since 1980s and I redid their deal as soon as I got here as austerity measure. The boost to Turbo was the fix last time - maybe this phenomenon is TWC's way of getting one to UPGRADE? If all things remain constant, and a mere twanger at the NIC does the trick (it was the fix last time), what am I to conclude?

 

Pgoodwin1: I am really not interested in off-site troubleshooting, although I see the value in having the data for comparison when dealing with support personnel (if they would believe me - which I know Level 1 phone techs and on-site service techs would not). My only joy was with a Senior phone tech.

 

It just occurred to me that one of the service techs broke a new flat TV while swapping a modem (knocked it off the table and broke the LCD) -- a Senior Service Manager came to the house to inspect it and ramrod getting a check cut. I think I'll call HIM up!!

 

Still interested in more opinions, experiences and advice.

 

Best regards

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