Slow Internet Problems

A friend of mine is having some problems with his Comcast cable internet. He says Comcast advertises that he should be getting 4mb/s, yet in reality, he is only getting around 647KB/s.

We really noticed it was slow, when I "raced him" for downloading an Apple software update he told me about. I started after him, but was finished about 2 minutes before him, and I have Verizon DSL.

I connect wirelessly to the internet via a wireless G router.
My friend is connected directly to his router via ethernet. I have 5 other computers on my internet. He only has two on his internet.

What could be slowing my friend down? Cable internet should be considerably faster than DSL, correct?

Click
HERE to get a better idea of throughput.

Cable's max speed is 4mb but that is not guaranteed. Try the Modem directly to the Mac. The run the TEST again.

He will most likely need to call Comcast.

rman said:

He will most likely need to call Comcast.

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comcast is screwy. I pay for the ulta fast 6mbps connection, yet i usually get only 4mbps dl speed. there could be a number of issues causing your friend's slow connection. 1) comcast shares connections with neighbors. His neighbor might be using a lot of bandwith up (although not to this extent..it may be one of a few problems, most likely not the key factor.) 2) his cable modem might not be compatabile with comcast's network, i tried going to comcast.com to get the list for you, but their website sucks and is down as usual 3) the actual line from the ouside box to the house might have a problem with it. I had the same problem, and comcast had to come out and replace the line.

oh yea, and since dsl is dedicated solely to one user, it may be faster than cable. for example, i have comcast 6mbps cable. I switched to dsl 1.5mbps through quest (its 40 cheaper a month) and am in the process of cancelling comcast. Even though my comcast was 6mbps, i rarely exceeded 800kbps downloads. With dsl, i somtimes get faster dl speeds than that. I dont think most websites will allow a user to truly download at speeds higher than that.. i actully like my slow 1.5mpbs dsl a lot better than my "fast" 6mbps cable

Comcast speed tiers range from 4.0 to 8.0 Mbps download speed (maximum upload speed from 384Kbps to 768Kbps respectively). The speed tier received and pricing will vary depending upon the speed tier selected and the level of Comcast video service and/or digital telephone service (if any) received. Speed comparisons are for downloads only and are compared to (as applicable, to 56K dial-up, 768Kbps, 1.5Mbps or 3.0Mbps DSL). Actual speeds may vary and are not guaranteed. Many factors affect speed. - per Comcast

rman said:

Comcast speed tiers range from 4.0 to 8.0 Mbps download speed (maximum upload speed from 384Kbps to 768Kbps respectively). The speed tier received and pricing will vary depending upon the speed tier selected and the level of Comcast video service and/or digital telephone service (if any) received. Speed comparisons are for downloads only and are compared to (as applicable, to 56K dial-up, 768Kbps, 1.5Mbps or 3.0Mbps DSL). Actual speeds may vary and are not guaranteed. Many factors affect speed. - per Comcast

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its 8mbps now?

Basically it boils down to the fact cable is shared throughout the section of the city/town that you live in. If it is a busy time of day (5Pm - 10PM around here) your speeds will suffer (or your friend's speed in this case).

Try the same download at 3AM I bet you friend would kick your but

I have no experience with comcast myself but the company in my city (shaw) does slow down alot during the busy hours of the day so this isn't that unusual.

Is he using a router? If so, it may need to be reset.

ed724

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