Slow Internet During Peak Hours - What Can I Do?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around issues of slow internet speeds and connectivity dropouts during peak hours. Participants explore potential causes and solutions, including hardware configurations and physical connections, while sharing personal experiences related to their internet service providers (ISPs).

Discussion Character

  • Technical explanation
  • Debate/contested
  • Exploratory

Main Points Raised

  • One participant reports significant internet dropouts and slow speeds during peak hours, suggesting a potential bandwidth traffic issue.
  • Another participant inquires about the use of a wireless connection and suggests that interference from nearby devices could be a factor, recommending a change of wireless channel.
  • A participant confirms they are using Wi-Fi and mentions interference from cordless phones, but also states that the issue persists when connected directly to the modem.
  • There is a discussion about the possibility of physical connection issues, with one participant sharing a past experience where a faulty cable was identified as the problem by a technician.
  • Another participant expresses uncertainty about whether a technician is necessary, given the potential for bandwidth-related issues.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express varying opinions on whether the issue is due to interference, physical connection problems, or bandwidth limitations. There is no consensus on the root cause or the necessity of a technician's visit.

Contextual Notes

Participants mention different configurations and experiences, indicating that the problem may depend on specific circumstances such as the type of connection and environmental factors. There are unresolved questions regarding the effectiveness of potential solutions.

Who May Find This Useful

Individuals experiencing similar internet connectivity issues, particularly during peak hours, may find the shared experiences and suggestions relevant.

Mentallic
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After having just set up my modem, I noticed that it was dropping out a lot and the speed tests I conducted were far under the minimum expected by my broadband plan. However, the dropping out ceased and download and upload speeds came back to normal from midnight all the way till mid afternoon.
It seems that my net just gives up during peak hour. Not only is it incredibly slow, but it's erratic and often drops out every half an hour till about midnight again.

I had called up my ISP on the first day, and after we figured out that my router was not to blame, they said they will be sending in a technician to take a look at the problem, but now that I realize it's because of the bandwidth traffic, is there any reason for the technician anymore? Would he possibly be able to do anything about the problem, or is it just something I'm going to have to live with?p.s. It dropped out again while I was trying to post this thread. It sure is annoying...
 
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Are you using a wireless connection? If so, you might be experiencing interference from other nearby routers (or cordless phones, or whatever). You can change the wireless channel in your router's config settings. I have had this problem in the past, such that my connection was almost unusable during some hours. After switching channels it was much improved.

If it is not wireless, there could still be an issue with your physical connection even if it is only happening during some hours. I once had a similar issue with a cable modem connection. It turned out that the cable coming to my house from the street needed to be replaced.
 
jbunniii said:
Are you using a wireless connection? If so, you might be experiencing interference from other nearby routers (or cordless phones, or whatever). You can change the wireless channel in your router's config settings. I have had this problem in the past, such that my connection was almost unusable during some hours. After switching channels it was much improved.
I am using wifi and there are cordless phones near the modem and router, but I've also connected directly to the modem and it still drops out, so my router isn't at fault. Regardless, I"ll do some research on changing the channels.

jbunniii said:
If it is not wireless, there could still be an issue with your physical connection even if it is only happening during some hours. I once had a similar issue with a cable modem connection. It turned out that the cable coming to my house from the street needed to be replaced.
How did you figure out the cable needed replacing? Maybe I should get a technician after all?
 
Mentallic said:
How did you figure out the cable needed replacing? Maybe I should get a technician after all?
Yeah, I had a technician come out. He did some tests and was able to narrow it down to the cable from the street.
 
jbunniii said:
Yeah, I had a technician come out. He did some tests and was able to narrow it down to the cable from the street.

Thanks, I'll get a technician to see if he can hopefully improve its performance, and to settle my family because they're not very happy with it.
 

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