New "user"...charter cable......having problems....plz help!

**RSJracing** · 03-19-01, 09:40 PM

Hi all. I just got Charter Pipeline the other day. My "rep" said, after I signed up of course, that they needed to install a new DS3 converter and to expect slow speeds during peak hours. What the heck is up with that? I've been testing my speeds and I can't get more than 100down (if I'm lucky) during these times. Sure, at 3am I can get up to 350down. I thought cable was spoze to be soooo great. It's as bad as my last "dial-up".
I signed for their "512k" package but I don't even get close to that.

I (try) to race online but I can't even stay connected w/ cable. It may start out ok but I've lost my connection EVERYTIME.

Is there hope for me???????? Please help!

**dbnukes** · 03-19-01, 10:06 PM

Sorry to say bud..but I said it a million times and I'll say it again..Charter SUCKS! I had it and then got rid of it. For one, they promise you all the speed in the world and then they'll cap ya. I had it for about 2 months. I had applied speed patches when I first got it and my bandwith really shot up. Then one day I come home, jump on the web and BAM! I'm capped between 100 and 300 at all times. This sucked supremely! Want some good advice? Get rid of it and switch to DSL if it is availabe to your number! By the way where do you live?

**RSJracing** · 03-19-01, 10:15 PM

I'm even more sorry to say that I'm southern West Virginia. I'd love to get DSL but these ******* rednecks probably can't even spell it.

If this isn't enough to piss a man off I don't know what is.

Can't wait to talk to my Charter Rep tomorrow!

BTW, thanks for taking the time to reply to a newbie. I didn't like what you had to say but I DO appreciate your help and time!

**RSJracing** · 03-19-01, 10:17 PM

Oh yeah, I'm "spoze" to be capped at 512.

Talk about a joke.

**PrestonConnors** · 03-19-01, 10:23 PM

I'm using a different provider (AT&T RR) but I hade that same problem...

Here's what I did to get better service (much better):

Complained a lot.
Demad to speak to the boss.
Demand all of thier equipment checked (cable lines, modems, routers etc).
Demand them to put brand new lines from the main cable tap to your house.
Refuse to pay until they meet thier requirements (a friend got free DSL service for a year by doing that).

Remember, the squeeky wheel gets the grease!

[ 03-19-2001: Message edited by: Preston Connors ]

**RSJracing** · 03-19-01, 10:27 PM

The wheel is soooooooo incredibly squeaky it's not even funny.

AAAARRRGGGGHHHHHHHHH.

Even these message icons are beginning to get on my nerves -)

I need more space.....8 icons aren't enough!

**PrestonConnors** · 03-19-01, 10:42 PM

I can't believe how falsly providers can advertise thier services and not get sued.

**RSJracing** · 03-19-01, 10:51 PM

The night is young my friend, the night is young.

SB · 03-19-01, 11:26 PM

Actually Preston Connors, that gives me a idea. I wonder how hard it would be to get some type of legislation to restrict cable companies from advertising high speed/broadband internet if they don't provide certain speeds. This "up to 100 times faster than a 28.8 modem" doesn't get it, there should be a minimum speed to advertise. I guess starting at a local level and going from there would be the best idea. Someone needs to regulate these idiots.

**RSJracing** · 03-19-01, 11:31 PM

Good call Sb. But how about we kick their butts first then we sue?

I "should" be capped at 512down and 256up. lol

Not even close. Actually, I'm usuallt faster going up.........????

:confused(

**Rosco** · 03-19-01, 11:57 PM

Post some Trace routes and pings, so we can see where the problem stems from.

**glc1** · 03-20-01, 01:36 AM

Originally posted by SB:
This "up to 100 times faster than a 28.8 modem" doesn't get it, there should be a minimum speed to advertise.

The key words are 'up to'. Only if they were absent would you have a legit gripe. It's impossible for any provider of any type of connection to guarantee 'net performance. There are too many factors. What are your actual speeds?

**RSJracing** · 03-20-01, 07:41 AM

Please don't take this the wrong way but I have no idea what the heck you're talking about w/ tracing this and that. I've checked my speed at dslreports.com a number of times. The best I've got is like 280up 160down but that was at 230am!

I relaize that it's not gonna "max" out but good grief, this is horrible.

Anytime before 12-1am it's like "1-2 Times faster than 56k".

What gets me is that have 2 "options". For 29.95/month they cap you at 256up and for 39.95 they give you a 512k cap. That sounded great until I tried it. It's not even close.

I would like to look into this more but to be honest, I'm a rookie and I don't know where to get all this info.

If ya got a minute to help, I'll try to get some nnumbers tonight but I need to know how and where to get them.

From what I've heard though, there's nothing much I can do besides blow up my entire neighborhood (at least the ones w/ cable).

Email me if you want.....rsjr@charter.net

Thanks fellas.

Lobo · 03-20-01, 08:34 AM

1. Go to http://forums.speedguide.net/optd.shtml and click on check connection.
2. Copy all this by highlighting everything in box with mouse
(you may have to make box smaller. To copy contents of box, highlight, then hit Ctrl & c, on your keyboard, when you return to Speedguide in reply box, with cursor blinking, hit Ctrl & v, this will copy contents in box so I may look at it. Thank you.
X out your IP Address as we don't want world to know this info

Tweaking will not fix Packet Loss
Multiplayer games over UDP
Your regular ping time
Regular PC Freezes
impotence
Spike Lagg

**jarablue** · 03-20-01, 04:23 PM

I live here in MA and use Charter. Th8ey are charging me 40 a month for poop 512kb access whereas when I was in SC and had RR I had 1.5megabit access for 30 bux a month. Charter sucks plain and simple. And oh yeah they said when they offer 1.5 megabit access that the price would be 299.99 a month. Supposedly that is for bussiness. What a joke. Was paying 30 for that in SC.

**glc1** · 03-20-01, 05:24 PM

Originally posted by jarablue:
Supposedly that is for bussiness.

If it's a business connection, it probably comes w/ QoS guarantees.

**RSJracing** · 03-20-01, 05:46 PM

TCP options string = 0204056401010402

MTU = 1420
MTU is not fully optimized for broadband. Consider increasing your MTU to 1500 for better throughput.

MSS = 1380
Maximum useful data in each packet = 1380, which is equal to MSS.
MSS is not fully optimized for broadband (although it might work well for slower connections). Consider increasing your MTU value.

Default Receive Window (RWIN) = 65535
RWIN Scaling (RFC1323) = 0 bits
Unscaled Receive Window = 65535
Note: Under Windows 9x, if you have RWIN set to any other value, and the Analyzer reports 65535 you might need to install the MS Vtcp386 fix.
For optimum performance, consider changing RWIN to a multiple of MSS.
Other values for RWIN that might work well with your current MTU/MSS:
507840 (MSS x 46 * scale factor of 8)
253920 (MSS x 46 * scale factor of 4)
126960 (MSS x 46 * scale factor of 2)
63480 (MSS x 46)

bandwidth * delay product:
Your RcvWindow limits you to: 2621.4 kbps (327.675 KBytes/s) @ 200ms
Your RcvWindow limits you to: 1048.56 kbps (131.07 KBytes/s) @ 500ms

MTU Discovery (RFC1191) = ON

Time to live left = 114 hops
TTL value is ok.

Timestamps (RFC1323) = OFF

Selective Acknowledgements (RFC2018) = ON

IP type of service field (RFC1349)= 00000000

Thought I'd mention that I talked to Charter today and I was told that the reason it's so slow is becuz of a delay in regards to installing a "new" DS3 converter(I think). They were going with Verizon but they (Verizon) said it would be another month at least, before it was set-up. They (Charter) talked w/ the people at Sprint and supposedly they will "pick it up" and should be ready in a couple days. He also told me that it was not just in my area, not my neighborhood, not my system (although perhaps we can tweak it). From what I understand, when I go bring up a web page, the request goes from my computer, to Charleston Wva then to the "net" from there. I guess the problem is in Charleston. He actually sounded "sincere, honest, nad disappointed that they're customers are having to deal with this kind of service. I don't know. I'm trying to stay optimistic.

I'll trust you guys, maybe I can make my system perform a little better either way....???? I am however, afraid of screwing something up and making things worse.

Thnaks again!

**RSJracing** · 03-20-01, 05:48 PM

Whoops.....sorry for the double post. I didn't see it the first time. I'm used to Sierra's Discussion Board where everything is on one page. Sorry all!