Problem 1.
Recently I have a problem viewing streamed videos as they stop constantly to buffer. The average download speed is around 200 kb/sec. The "experts" have been to my house three times now and checked everything and tell me that everything is working as it should. The problem is worse at nights or on weekends which makes me wonder if it is a local bandwidth problem. My house is about 100 yards from the local box which apparently is fiber optic fed. Any ideas what should be done to fix this annoying problem?

Problem two.
I am trying to load the latest maps into my GPS but no matter what I do, I can't get my computer to recognize the GPS. Any suggestions?

 

Cable modem? If so it could be the box itself. I had a similar problem a while back and had to replace the Motorola cable modem.

Is the GPS driver loaded in the computer?

MikeyB

 

Not exactly cable modem. The modem is connected to the phone wires and was replaced about 6 weeks ago with no change. This same setup used to work perfectly in the past.

No, the GPS driver is not loaded in the computer. Just checked on the internet and do not see any drivers for this GPS listed. Will send and email to the company and see what they say.

 

Sounds like your ISP doesn't have enough bandwidth during peak use time. They will never admit that is the problem and tell you "everything is as it should be".

 

Mine does that occasionally. Go to your box, turn it off for about 1 min, turn on, let it load up, and try it then. I have to do this about once a month. It helps a LOT!

 

DieselJon, what box? The modem? If so, that gets turned off every time I switch the computer off.

Bigiron, thanks for that link. Never did a ping test before, but it gave me a big fat D.
Using Windows XP and 3 Gb of RAM. Not using wireless as everything is hard wired.

 

you physically turn it off with a switch? Like a power strip? Then the problem is then the phone line coming in, if its bad at night and weekends.

Interesting thing about DSL. Yeah, you have a dedicated line but from the box outside to the company, its all shared. They come out and say it ok, and really it is. The thing about it is they give NO minimum. The say "UP TO" in the fine print. Expect about 1/2 that on a regular basis.

 

Hi Mexstan,
two things that come to my mind:
- ISP offering only a low bandwidth (any new neighbours in your area?)
- Modem/Router not working properly

What kind of bandwidth does your ISP offer in your contract and what do you see now?
I don´t think the modem is the problem if it´s capable of a high bandwidth. And it has been replaced.

Did the speedtest myself and only got 4 mbit/s, I usually get 6 mbit/s. So maybe the speedtest page might offer false data (but this won´t help you I guess).

Kris

Edit: my download speed usually is around 700-800 kb/s which indicates I´m more into the 6 mbit range
Edit2: any particular pages that load slow? Youtube for example is quite slow over here. 360p quality is usually the only thing that streams ok, sometimes 480p works also.

 

Exactly. Yes, I do turn the modem off with a switch every time I turn the computer off.
I am sure the problem is with the phone line.

NL I don't think it is the modem as this is my third modem in about two years with no change. This setup used to work just fine until the neighborhood started to grow. I have been fighting with Telmex for a long time now trying to convince them that it is a bandwidth problem due to all the new neighbors and getting nowhere because they come and test the system during the day when most people are at work, so consequently it looks good. They refuse to come and test it in the evenings or on a weekend. I need ammo to go and fight them.

 

That´s definitely your ISP offering a low bandwidth to you. Did you talk to some of your neighbours? What kind of bandwidth do they get? Telmex should up their bandwidth. If it is all optical fiber then it shouldn´t be a problem.

If this fails, time for plan B (ammo)

 

Telmex tell me that I have a dedicated line, but it is obviously not working. I don't have optical fiber but as it is so close to me I am trying to persuade them to drop a line directly to my computer. Will see what next week brings.

 

There could be a problem with that line from the box to your house. Telmex should have the tools to find out. A normal copper line over a short distance should offer enough bandwidth. We can get upto 50 mbit/s with fiber optic to that box and running copper lines from there on.

I´d ask some of your neighbours what kind of bandwidth they get before getting back in touch with Telmex. If everyone else gets low bandwidth then the hardware on the side of Telmex is not capable of a higher bandwidth. If your neighbours get much more bandwidth then it might be your line.

 

Try DSLReports (www.dslreports.com) for your speed test, IIRC it's under "Tools" and then "SpeedTest II" .... plus they have some other tools on there that will help, plus some that can be used to fix XP to make it more internet friendly (DrTCP).

To fix the GPS, do you have an SD card reader that you can load the maps onto and then just plug it in?


Kris

 

First, I would check the computer. Defrag it, and run a system clean up.

If you can check your bandwidth and connection speed, do that, and compare it to what the ISP is telling you.

If that does not work, get a external hard drive, copy all of your saved info over to it, then wipe the hard drive (re-install the system disk) You will need to make sure that you have all of the driver disks for any systems you are using (MS office, the modem info, etc), but sometimes, fragments of your computer will slow it down terribly, and only a really good computer wiz can fix that stuff.

Try running your defrag and disk cleanup, that may help. Start with the simple stuff first.

 

Thanks for all the info. Forgot to mention that I know for sure it is not my computer because I have tried 4 different computers and four O/S's. Windows 2000, Windows XP, Vista and Windows 7. One computer was a brand new HP higher end laptop. All had the same problem.