Internet Provider Throttling

[ROO2020]

My internet provider is Spectrum. I pay for 200 mbps. I have had problems with speeds for the past 3 months. I have had 4 new routers, Asus GT AX11000, RT AC5300, and before that two Spectrum routers. My speed use to be perfect, in terms of covering 15-18 devices. Then all of a sudden, my speed drops to nothing early morning for about 3-4 hours on certain days. I have a friend that is in that business and he said they do balance the speed out for all their customers when data is high. QS bandwidth Shaping it is called. That is why you can get intermittent internet from upstream at times like I have been experiencing. Spectrum has been to my home three times since first of the year. They tell me they do not do this, but my Asus traffic analyzer shows it does. They said they can not go by third party info, only their own. I think it is BS. I know as long as they say you are paying for service to your home that is all they have to do. But, they should not be able to control your speeds at certain times of the day. Anyone else experiencing this?

 

[Klueless]

Anyone else experiencing this?

Kind of the opposite.

I contracted with Spectrum for 60 Mbps. The following Christmas they sent a modest note telling me they were increasing me to 100 Mbps - no extra charge.

Since then (about two years) I almost always show 100 to 110.

Then, suddenly, things changed. I started seeing variability. Anything from 150 to 230 Mbps. Since it's all greater than 100 I'm not complaining : -)

I forget the detail but my phone company (DSL) used to sell/tell me that even though they were slower than cable Internet their speeds didn't vary because they didn't share "neighborhood heads" (whatever that is) like Time Warner / Spectrum.

But, just for second, let's assume it's not purposeful traffic shaping. Load up something called "Ping Plotter" for a couple days. You will find that your ISP carries you through several routers (hops) before you hit the greater Internet at large. If there's a router that's being overwhelmed during peak times "Ping Plotter" can sometimes point it out. It worked for me a couple times and once I gave the ISP times, dates and which router was in question they actually fixed it.

 

[KevTech]

As far as I know Spectrum does not traffic shape.

FCC came down on this years ago.

Either do ping plotter or just do trace routes when connection good and bad.

 

[ROO2020]

Kind of the opposite.

I contracted with Spectrum for 60 Mbps. The following Christmas they sent a modest note telling me they were increasing me to 100 Mbps - no extra charge.

Since then (about two years) I almost always show 100 to 110.

Then, suddenly, things changed. I started seeing variability. Anything from 150 to 230 Mbps. Since it's all greater than 100 I'm not complaining : -)

I forget the detail but my phone company (DSL) used to sell/tell me that even though they were slower than cable Internet their speeds didn't vary because they didn't share "neighborhood heads" (whatever that is) like Time Warner / Spectrum.

But, just for second, let's assume it's not purposeful traffic shaping. Load up something called "Ping Plotter" for a couple days. You will find that your ISP carries you through several routers (hops) before you hit the greater Internet at large. If there's a router that's being overwhelmed during peak times "Ping Plotter" can sometimes point it out. It worked for me a couple times and once I gave the ISP times, dates and which router was in question they actually fixed it.

Thank you for that info. Spectrum did the same to be a few years ago, I had 100mbps, then bumped me to 200. I use to get 230 plus and average around 170 DL, 12 Upload, Ping sing digits. I will look into the Ping Plotter. My Asus traffic I am tracking now using weekly vs daily. There are some strange things going on like my Chromecast using over 500 kb at times, and I am not using it. Then NetFlix jumps, not using.I will have to figure that out. Those two are connected to my smart TV, not using WIFI, directly hardwired from router to my TV.

 

[Ronald Schwerer]

I have Spectrum (formerly Brighthouse) 100 Mbps service. I routinely get over 110 Mbps. A couple yrs ago I started noticing intermittent d/l speeds of only ~33Mbps. It would be fine some times then down to about 1/3 the expected speed.
I had previously replaced their modem twice with no effect. I got a tech out who wasted lots of time and found nothing wrong. He was suggesting running a new coax (outside) since the original was quite old. But I asked him to check the wall connection (coax goes through outside wall and has a barrel connection behind a wall plate. He removed the wall plate and the speed immediately improved. So he tightened the connection and it has been great ever since.

When the problem started, I noticed Speedtest graphs looked like it was being throttled. It plateaued right at 33 Mbps. Apparently the signal loss I was experiencing affected the demodulation is such a way to cut the maximum speed by exactly 1 third. Sorry, I'm not that versed in how a2d conversion works in the modern broadband world. Way over my paygrade. But I'm just saying to look at the feed all along the path from the main junction to your modem. It might not be Spectrum that's throttling you.

 

[CooCooCaChoo]

I've got Comcast and I've never seen throttling. I get over provisioned speeds. I pay for 300, I get 320.

The only time I got less was when I upgraded the FW on my 1900P and it was wonky. Downgraded and speeds were back to normal.

 

[Klueless]

I might not be Spectrum that's throttling you.

You make some great points. Where I am we have squirrels. They chew on the outside cables. On rainy, snowy or windy days Internet speeds go down. If the tech comes out on a nice day everything looks great.

Back to ping plotter. If it shows problems at "hop 2" (the first Spectrum router) that would indicate something somewhere between the user's home router and the first Spectrum router which certainly includes cabling problems.

On the other hand the OP does suggest it's time specific. (Wait a minute, he says "early morning". Maybe it's maintenance related?)

... they do not do this, but my Asus traffic analyzer shows it does. They said they can not go by third party info, only their own.

Spectrum has their own Internet speed test. Use it. Bonus; its results will likely correlate with Asus.

 

[KGB7]

My internet provider is Spectrum. I pay for 200 mbps. I have had problems with speeds for the past 3 months. I have had 4 new modems, Asus GT AX11000, RT AC5300, and before that two Spectrum routers. My speed use to be perfect, in terms of covering 15-18 devices. Then all of a sudden, my speed drops to nothing early morning for about 3-4 hours on certain days. I have a friend that is in that business and he said they do balance the speed out for all their customers when data is high. QS bandwidth Shaping it is called. That is why you can get intermittent internet from upstream at times like I have been experiencing. Spectrum has been to my home three times since first of the year. They tell me they do not do this, but my Asus traffic analyzer shows it does. They said they can not go by third party info, only their own. I think it is BS. I know as long as they say you are paying for service to your home that is all they have to do. But, they should not be able to control your speeds at certain times of the day. Anyone else experiencing this?

How are you speed testing??

How exactly did the tech test everything in your home?

You need to eliminate your homes cabling issues out of the equation. Take your modem, and directly connect it outside to the coax cable that is coming from the ground.
Use what ever power extension cables and power strips you need to test it and power the modem and router.

 

[KGB7]

I have Spectrum (formerly Brighthouse) 100 Mbps service. I routinely get over 110 Mbps. A couple yrs ago I started noticing intermittent d/l speeds of only ~33Mbps. It would be fine some times then down to about 1/3 the expected speed.
I had previously replaced their modem twice with no effect. I got a tech out who wasted lots of time and found nothing wrong. He was suggesting running a new coax (outside) since the original was quite old. But I asked him to check the wall connection (coax goes through outside wall and has a barrel connection behind a wall plate. He removed the wall plate and the speed immediately improved. So he tightened the connection and it has been great ever since.

When the problem started, I noticed Speedtest graphs looked like it was being throttled. It plateaued right at 33 Mbps. Apparently the signal loss I was experiencing affected the demodulation is such a way to cut the maximum speed by exactly 1 third. Sorry, I'm not that versed in how a2d conversion works in the modern broadband world. Way over my paygrade. But I'm just saying to look at the feed all along the path from the main junction to your modem. It might not be Spectrum that's throttling you.

Old, bad, loose, cable and connections, is a common issue with cable internet.

 

[ROO2020]

You make some great points. Where I am we have squirrels. They chew on the outside cables. On rainy, snowy or windy days Internet speeds go down. If the tech comes out on a nice day everything looks great.

Back to ping plotter. If it shows problems at "hop 2" (the first Spectrum router) that would indicate something somewhere between the user's home router and the first Spectrum router which certainly includes cabling problems.

On the other hand the OP does suggest it's time specific. (Wait a minute, he says "early morning". Maybe it's maintenance related?)

Spectrum has their own Internet speed test. Use it. Bonus; its results will likely correlate with Asus.

Yes, I have used Google Fiber speed test, Spectrum, Speedtest, but when I know I am having low speeds when my Nest Cameras alert me, then I will test speeds. Plus if I am on laptop, notice right away that speed is slow, I will check. I use my Asus app and it tells me what is going on with WIFI if it is the router or modem. Pretty accurate.

 

[ROO2020]

Old, bad, loose, cable and connections, is a common issue with cable internet.

Spectrum put in new lines for me. I have a line for phone and its own modem and for the internet and tv a seperate line and modem due to the distance line runs.

 

[KGB7]

Spectrum put in new lines for me. I have a line for phone and its own modem and for the internet and tv a seperate line and modem due to the distance line runs.

Did they run new line from the green utility box?? Its the dark green metal box or light teal box, that is shared by your neighbors.

Or did they run a new line, from with in the house only??

Did you see tech perform a speed test with his equipment??

 

[ROO2020]

Did they run new line from the green utility box?? Its the dark green metal box or light teal box, that is shared by your neighbors.

Or did they run a new line, from with in the house only??

Did you see tech perform a speed test with his equipment??

Yes, on green box, the techs say there is no problem with line in the house based on their test, and yes I have watched each tech run the test. Problem is this happens early morning and when they come it is usually afternoon and the speed is fine. It baffles me that it happens early morning 4-5am range till up to around 9-10am. There is one neighbor on box with me and I have a seperate connection by itself and my phone is on splitter with my neighbors internet.

 

[KGB7]

Yes, on green box, the techs say there is no problem with line in the house based on their test, and yes I have watched each tech run the test. Problem is this happens early morning and when they come it is usually afternoon and the speed is fine. It baffles me that it happens early morning 4-5am range till up to around 9-10am. There is one neighbor on box with me and I have a seperate connection by itself and my phone is on splitter with my neighbors internet.

Found this on Spectrum Website.
https://www.spectrum.net/support/general/network-management/

So yes, Spectrum is managing and balancing your speeds. And there is nothing you can do, its part of their policy. Unless you want to take them to court and sue them, not much you can do.

Link to their policy.
https://www.spectrum.com/policies/terms-of-service.html

 

[ROO2020]

Yes, on green box, the techs say there is no problem with line in the house based on their test, and yes I have watched each tech run the test. Problem is this happens early morning and when they come it is usually afternoon and the speed is fine. It baffles me that it happens early morning 4-5am range till up to around 9-10am. There is one neighbor on box with me and I have a seperate connection by itself and my phone is on splitter with my neighbors internet.

When I call it in, (early morning) the tech person says I am loosing packets, when the tech comes they claim there are no notes on that. I really believe it is the lines coming onto our neighborhood, it has been over 20 plus years since they laid lines. AT&T came in 5 years ago laid new lines. One of the tech told me off record that is what he thought the problem was up stream. We only have about 120 homes and many left Spectrum went with AT&T. AT&T is to slow for what I need. I send a lot of large files, photo's etc. My neighbors do mostly emails, etc.

 

[ROO2020]

Found this on Spectrum Website.
https://www.spectrum.net/support/general/network-management/

So yes, Spectrum is managing and balancing your speeds. And there is nothing you can do, its part of their policy. Unless you want to take them to court and sue them, not much you can do.

Link to their policy.
https://www.spectrum.com/policies/terms-of-service.html

KGB7 Thank you a lot I will look this over. See my last post on this. Concerning neighborhood lines. Someone else on this said Spectrum or any Cable service can not control speeds that the FCC stopped that. I can not find that is true from my research so far.

 

[KGB7]

KGB7 Thank you a lot I will look this over. See my last post on this. Concerning neighborhood lines. Someone else on this said Spectrum or any Cable service can not control speeds that the FCC stopped that. I can not find that is true from my research so far.

You can file a complaint with FCC. But it will take a very long time for them to do anything about it. You would have to send letters, after lettres, after letters, dozens and dozens for FCC to even flinch.

If you have free time, contact all your neighbors and their neighbors, who use Spectrum and get 100-500 signatures and send it to FCC.
But FCC is Federal Gov and you are a spec on their map.

Best of luck.

 

[KGB7]

KGB7 Thank you a lot I will look this over. See my last post on this. Concerning neighborhood lines. Someone else on this said Spectrum or any Cable service can not control speeds that the FCC stopped that. I can not find that is true from my research so far.

You can also try this forum. Lots of great help and info on this site and subforum for each ISP. This site has been around for like +20 years, lots of info and knowledge there. They have testing tools for your internet as well.

https://www.dslreports.com/forums/all

Subsection for Spectrum; https://www.dslreports.com/forum/charter

 

[ROO2020]

You can also try this forum. Lots of great help and info on this site and subforum for each ISP. This site has been around for like +20 years, lots of info and knowledge there. They have testing tools for your internet as well.

https://www.dslreports.com/forums/all

Subsection for Spectrum; https://www.dslreports.com/forum/charter

Thank you for your help and time.

 

[KGB7]

Thank you for your help and time.

You are welcome. Ill send you a bill in the mail.