OK trogers ... what can I do about this?

[LuckyInKentucky]

O.k. in reference to this post >>> http://forums.speedguide.net/showthread.php?t=219021 I had a tech come out today. Here are the results.

1) My attenuation is 2, and my signal strength is 32.

2) The tech pinged a server from 3 locations. First from my inside line. Next from my outside box of my home, and lastly from the RT or DSLAM. All three times my ping was in the 90's to yahoo.com.

3) He said that with the evidence that has come about he thinks that maybe the profile that I am on is to blame for my fluctuating download speeds, and my slow ping time. As opposed to a PC, Modem, or line problem.


Does this sound about right, or is he just placing the blame elsewhere?

If what he tells me is true then I can assume that no matter what changes I make to my PC .... it won't make any difference at all.

Your opinion please!

[trogers]

When I read your tracert, I do not look at just the final result - "All three times my ping was in the 90's to yahoo.com".

This was your last tracert posted:

1 1 ms <1 ms <1 ms 192.168.1.1
2 55 ms 53 ms 59 ms 68.152.xxx.xxx
3 52 ms 52 ms 54 ms 65.14.183.253
4 64 ms 64 ms 67 ms host-205-152-229-30.bgk.bellsouth.net [205.152.2
29.30]
5 57 ms 64 ms 67 ms axr00bna-so-2-0-0.bellsouth.net [65.83.239.24]
6 56 ms 66 ms 67 ms axr01bna-ge-0-0-0.bellsouth.net [65.83.238.1]
7 64 ms 63 ms 74 ms ixc00cha-pos-7-0-0.bellsouth.net [65.83.239.27]

8 64 ms 69 ms 63 ms ixc01cha-ge-0-0-0.bellsouth.net [205.152.151.65]

9 * 65 ms 62 ms axr01aep-so-3-0-0.bellsouth.net [65.83.239.28]
10 63 ms 63 ms 63 ms axr00aep-ge-5-1-0.bellsouth.net [65.83.238.36]
11 65 ms 63 ms 67 ms axr01asm-so-0-1-0.bellsouth.net [65.83.238.41]
12 160 ms 64 ms 69 ms pxr00asm-so-1-0-0.bellsouth.net [65.83.236.4]
13 65 ms 68 ms 64 ms so-4-3-0.gar1.Atlanta1.Level3.net [4.78.212.101]

14 63 ms 66 ms 71 ms ae-2-52.bbr2.Atlanta1.Level3.net [4.68.103.33]
15 88 ms 90 ms 88 ms so-0-0-0.mp2.StLouis1.Level3.net [64.159.0.57]
16 88 ms 87 ms 99 ms ge-7-1.hsa1.StLouis1.Level3.net [64.159.4.134]
17 90 ms 89 ms 100 ms 8.6.76.142

Trace complete.


Note that from hop 2 to hop 17, the total increase in ping time is

100 - 59 = 41ms

Compare it with the ping time from your comp to your modem - 59ms.

The normal tracerts posted by other members often show ping times to their modem at 6-10ms. So this was the unusual aspect in your tracert that caught my eye. If your ping time at hop 2 is at 10ms, your total ping time to hop 17 would have been 51ms.

Was there a switch of modem? Could the problem be in the compatibility between your Nic and the modem? Or could the problem be in the compatibility of your modem with the ISP's system? Your attenuation and signal strength are good. Make sure your modem is not placed near to some other electrical device such as speaker, sub-woofer, cordless phone as these have been known to affect the modem as previously posted by members.

[trogers]

An afterthought: try connecting your comp directly to your modem and do a tracert to see if ping times at hop 1 fall to normal level (6-10ms).

[LuckyInKentucky]

Sorry I didn't specify before, but the line tech that came out did a line test with his equipment, and not mine. His equipment was a laptop that was supplied by the phone company, and a tiny dsl modem the size of a pack of cigarettes that plugged directly into the phone line with no exterior power supply needed. This eliminated the possibility that it was my equipment. At that time of day it actually did worse using his equipment as opposed to my equipment on a regular basis.


At any rate .... you will be glad to know that my problem has been resolved. A good friend of mine who works for Bellsouth gave me a call tonight after discovering that I was having problems. He spent close to 2 hours on the phone with me so that we could get the problem resolved, and we did. The problem was in my profile. They had me on a 'noise profile' that was far to much for the line that I have. The fact that I live so close to the DSLAM never came into consideration when the network technicians reprovisioned my line when I was having problems a couple of weeks ago. This tiny setting on the server side of my connection has been the thorn in my side from the beginning of this grueling process. Living so close to the DSLAM I should have a very minimal setting on my 'noise profile' , and they had me on a setting that was designed for someone who lives 15,000 ft. from the DSLAM as opposed to less than 100 ft. . From what I could gather the phone technicians place too much emphasis on the noise profiles, and think they are an 'end all' to any problem where in actuality they cause more harm than good in some instances. At any rate I truly appreciate your patience with me, and helping me in this confusing circumstance. I know exactly where I will come to if I ever have a problem again, and I know where I will recommend to anyone that asks. Speedguide.net of course. :)

[trogers]

Thanks for sharing. It is rare to find someone with a problem line by being close to the DSLAM. More often, problem in speed arises by being too far.

After having the problem corrected, do your ping times at the modem revert to normal values?

[LuckyInKentucky]

Yes they do. I'm back down to 14ms from here to Atlanta, Georgia which is 8 hours away. :) My total ping time to the server I share is 42ms.