Internet is capped at 120k but Test Speeds show 1meg down, 383kup

[ArcaneFeign]

Just got Verizon DSL this week. Installation was easy. However from day one I have been unable to get download speeds over 120k. Tested on multiple file downloads in browser. Speeds do not go over 120'ish no matter what. Ran the Verizon Line Test, it says I have 1.24 meg download speed and 383k upload which is great. But I have not been able to get that in actual use ever. When I try watching live video game streams (320p) they stutter and pause. If I try and watch a movie preview it constantly pauses to chache. If I try to download a video it won't go past 120k a second. If I try and download multiple files like movie previews, even from different websites, it will split the 120k bandwidth between all the file downloads. When I  load website pages it loads pictures slowly, from top to bottom, like a fast dial up modem would.

I am running vista 32 on a capable laptop. My neighbors have Verizon DSL, tried it with my laptop, was able to download the same movie previews plus more, all at once for over 700k and later was able to watch dual live game streams at 720p. I have used my laptop at multiple friends homes and never had any speed issues.

I bought my modem direct from Verizon, model GT704WGB  (Actiontec)

I called tech support support twice, neither times they were able to do anything. They ran all the line tests, made me reset the modem, unplug thw modem, they ran speed tests, made me run speed tests, we both got the same results. Yet no matter what  I do, wether downloading movie previews, watching video streams, loading basic websites or even downloading a large game demo outside of the browser the speed will not go past 120k. In the end tech support said maybe upgrading to a package past 1 meg might work... Errr...

Any help? I've never encountered something like this ever. It is truly puzzling and annoying. I don't understand how my neighbors have Verizon DSL, it work great, I try their line on my laptop, no issues, I get Verizon DSL, line tests say it works great yet I cannot get over 120k.

[ArcaneFeign]

Did some more tests today. Downloaded Google Chrome just to make sure it wasn't my web browser. Of course I didn't think it was since my World of Warcraft Update never went over 120k. On my neighbors Verizon DSL I have hit 700+k for a WoW update. Google Chrome was exactly the same. Limited to 120k.

I also did a  ftp upload test with some interesting results.

The FTP upload said it went up at 383k which was the constant average when I uploaded a 1.74 jpg to my website. However it took 37 seconds the first time and 32 seconds the second time. The math just does not add up for the speed it says it was getting.

I also used an independant website speed tester and its results were the same as Verizon, 1meg down, 380k up. No idea what to do...

[ArcaneFeign]

I apologize for multiple posts, I can't find the edit button for this forum.

Tested the internet on my much faster desktop work computer which has Windows 7 as opposed to Vista 32 on the laptop. Identical speeds, multiple large files from multiple  websites, serperately and all together. Still 120k. So I more or less know it isn't my laptop. Which again, I use my laptop at two other places regularly, no problems with internet speed there.

Switched the 10/100 cable that came with the router with an old gray one I have, still 120k.

So it isn't the browser, it isn't the laptop or my other computer.

The phone line sounds pretty much normal.

Is it worth noting I used to have Net Zero Dial up and got a cripling 5k a second?

I also live on a mountain but again, my neighbors have Verizon DSL and theirs is great.

[jmw1950 · Accepted solution]

I think you may be comparing bits per seconds to bytes per second. Most speed tests report bits per second, as doe the Verizon Transceiver stats. A lot of other things report in bytes per second. 1 byte=8 bits.

The speeds quoted from the speed tests are in fact in bits per second, so your 383k is bits per second is only about 48k bytes per second.

383/8=48 kbytes/second.

Your Jpg is 1.74mbytes.

At 48k bytes per second it should take just over 36 seconds to transfer the 1.74mb.

The math in fact works out almost exactly...

120kbytes/second =960k bits per second, or about 1 million bits per second. . .

[smith6612]

Sounds like you're confusing bits from bytes as pointed out above. You also need to clarify what package you're paying Verizon for. It sounds like you subscribed to the lowest tier, which would be the 1Mbps/384kbps package. Your neighbors if they have DSL and were pulling data down at 700KB/s and uploading at 90KB/s would more than likely be in the higher end tiers running at 7.1Mbps. Given that is the case, I would give Verizon a call and bump your package up. It will increase the bill, but your speed should go up to the same speed as your neighbor, or perhaps faster if you're going into the 1.1Mbps-15Mbps provisioning rather than the older method of doing it. That is provided that of course, your copper loop is in good shape.

[ArcaneFeign]

You have to be kidding me! If I would have realized that it would have made sense i.e. 1000 bits = 125k = the  speed I have been getting. I thought they just used bytes nowadays. Never thought it was bits. Guess it does sound MUCH more impressive on their end. Will be ordering different package pronto.

[That is provided that of course, your copper loop is in good shape.] - Should be, home is 6 years old, it was a thought though.

Thank you both! I am really thick at times! D'oh! Should have noted the kbps was NOT KBps. Grrr....

[smith6612]

It happens. I honestly have yet to see an ISP offer their packages spelled out in Bytes rather than bits. They aren't doing anything wrong by stating the speeds in Megabits, anyways since it is the standard used to measure speed of a data circuit.

Let us know how the speed upgrade goes 🙂

[timncat2]

Ever since I had Verizon DSL my speed is about 13Mbps during the day but at 7:00pm I drop down to .70-.89 Mbps and it stays that slow until about 11:30pm except weekends it is midnight. I have called and even had techs out to check my end and there was nothing wrong at my end. Then again the techs come out during the day when my speed is normal. I was told it is my router but I am sure my router does not have a timmer on it. Well, I decided to borrow 2 other routers which now I had four different routers to do this test. All showed the same slow speed during the same hours.  But yet I am told it is my router. Then I am told it is a software issue but when I tell them I have 5 computers here(one on at a time only) all have different operating systems and I still have the issue, then it comes to a puzzle to the tech on the other end of the phone. Of course my tech said it could be my phones but I only have 2 jacks in the house and no one uses the phones anyway as we all use cell phones. I unplugged all my phones a couple of times did a complete reboot of my hardware and still the same, slow speeds after 7:00pm. Now, if it is at my end, it seems to be ghost in the lines or using the phones. But I have a dedicated DSL line so if ghost are using the phone, it has no way to reach my DSL.  I know what their advertisements use to say, that speed does not change when your neighbors get on the internet with Verizon DSL. I pay for 10-15Mbps and get well below 1.5 Mbps at the same time evernight.  I do not stream videos. Maybe watch a youtube video on a subject I am looking into but that is not often at all. I even did a test with all 5 computers(2 are laptops) during the day at the same time with helpers and got the same speed on all. I got my 13.89Mbps that day as I am 4 blocks from my central office. So, has anyone figured out why this is happening to thousands of people at different times of the day?  I was told they cap us at night and several people called verizon and ask to take it off and had good success with that but I had no luck as I am always told there is no cap. Does anyone know the real reason for this slow speed during certain hours? If so, PLEASE tell me. Thank You

[smith6612]

More than likely the issue you're seeing is with congestion, NOT capping or throttling. It's something that has become well known as DSL speeds have been increased. Capacity on the DSL network hasn't exactly grown with the demand so in some cases, you'll find links in the Central Office, going to Remotes or even the DSLAM itself suffering from congestion. When this occurs, you need to get Verizon to move you onto equipment with more available capacity. The 15Mbps connection requires a Juniper ERX edge router on Verizon's end due to capacity contraints on the older Edge Router, and the DSLAM should be connected using higher capacity links over the older, non-ADSL connections.