Need Tech Support!!

[Ian]

Okay INTERCOT peeps ... I am having an incredibly annoying issue with my 'Net connection/router.

Last weekend I all of a sudden noticed a DRAMATIC decrease in my download speeds. I'm talking I was at like 22-25mbs downloads and all of a sudden I was at like 2-4mbs. I tried the usual reboots and all that and nothing helped. Called Comcast and they had me bypass my wireless router and all of a sudden speeds were fine again.

Okay figured I needed a new router. Got one. Hooked it up. Same problem. And even more baffling was that, shortly after I installed it, I ceased being able to log in to the router. It just refused to accept the default login and password. Called NetGear's support and after an hour of speaking quasi-English to someone they told me I had a bad router. Took it back to Best Buy. Bought new router. Same EXACT problem, including the sudden inability to log in to the router!

I'm pretty computer savvy, but I'm stumped. My first thought was a virus, but I've run scan after scan and they've all come back clean. :confused:

[Hammer]

Hey, Ian :hi: !

I don't think it is the router. Do you have Comcast Triple Play? I ask as it would make a diffence. I think you eMTA has an issue and Comcast needs to fix it, probably by replacing the equipment.

Email or PM me if you have any issues after calling Comcast.

[bcornette]

How many systems (PCs, internet enabled TV\ DVD, tablets, etc) are plugged into the router?

Are they plugged in directly to the router or is there a hub/ switch behind it?

Is the router a WAP? Wireless access point.

If it is a WAP is it secured? someone may be piggy backing and crushing your bandwidth (doubtful but possible)

If your bandwidth is fine on the other side of your router and replacing the router doesn't help I would do the following.

1. unplug all devices from the router
2. disable wireless on the router, if applicable
3. reboot the router and any other networking devices (hub or switch or wap)
4. plug each device in 1 at a time and test the bandwidth between each device. I use the site speedtest.net

The above steps will narrow down the issue to a bad device tht could be flooding the network with bad packets.

[Fangorn]

Ian,

I had a similar issue (minus the not being able to log in part) after I replaced my router a few months back. It worked fine for a few days then suddenly the speed dropped to the the 2MBPS range. After some digging I discovered the router had a "Quality of Service" (QoS) setting that acts as a governor on the router. The default setting was 2 MBPS. Once I changed that to something greater than the 30MBPS speed I'm paying Comcast for, and reset the router, my speed instantly jumped back up to the 30MBPS range. I have no clue why it took several days for that setting to go into effect - I suspect something hinky (that's a technical term) on Comcast's end triggered it.

It may not be the same issue, but it's worth a look through your router settings.

As for the login thing, that's just weird. Is the computer you're using to login to the router wired into the router or wireless? My experience is that the control PC should actually be plugged into the router, not wireless. I have run across a couple of brands that require this for security reasons.

Live long, and prosper!

Steve

[BrerGnat]

We had that problem when we moved into this house. We had brought our own router, that had been working fine in our old place. For some reason, though, it would just not work the right way here. We called the cable/internet company, and we decided to let THEM deal with it, by using their router. We pay like $5/month to "rent" the router. Seemed to be a good compromise rather than being aggravated all the time. But, I'm willing to pay for such conveniences. The tech who installed everything said that all routers don't work with all equipment. Apparently, our old one wasn't compatible.

[DizneyRox]

Change the default password/login over a wired connection to the router to something different than what you are using now. Should be secure (letters, numbers, special characters, etc). You may need to reset the modem to gain access.

I don't trust Netgear, been using Linksys and Asus with better success. I also don't trust Best Buy, never know what you're going to get, luckily you were able to return the other one, next time you may not be so lucky.

QoS is a possibility, but I don't think that's usually any sort of default. I'd be surprised... If someone else is administering your router, then yeah, they could set that up.