Wireless internet latency

Ok, this is driving me BONKERS! I have internet service with Time Warner and I have a wireless router running the internet in my apartment.... Ever since I've had service installed here, the internet has been RETARDED slow. I've run "speed tests" on speedtest.net and I've been averaging about 3-4mbs downloads.

I even went out and bought a new wireless router (Belkin Surf). I was told I didn't need to get anything fancy if I only had an apartment. So what gives?!?!? Do I need to buy a better router to get faster download speeds? This drives me nuts because I'm always watching tutorials online and doing my school work on the computer. So a slow internet is something that gets my blood boiling.

I've also called Time Warner, and had techs come out NUMEROUS times. The internet is apparently fine. They said it could be my router. But it's brand new!

Can anyone lend some nerdy tech advice?

How fast is your connection supposed to be? Is your wireless secure or could someone be using all your bandwidth because your connection is unsecured?

It's a secure connection with a passcode. The bandwidth is supposed to be 10mbs. I got 20mbs when I first signed up, but now it's poopoo....

That should be running just fine, I think we've got just 6Mbs here and I can easily stream HD video through wireless.

Try hooking up your computer directly to the router and see if that improves the speed any, if it does then you'll know it's something with the wireless settings.

3-4mbs is "retarded slow"?!? I can stream Netflix HD on that!

Do like DarthViper said and hook your computer directly to the Time Warner box and compare that speed with your wireless speed. Then you'll know if the issue is a wireless issue or a Time Warner issue.

If it's a wireless issue, try playing around with channel settings. You're probably getting a lot of wireless network congestion from your neighbors.

If it's Time Warner, there isn't a whole lot you can do other than _____ and moan. Personally, I've found Time Warners's DNS to be awful. I've since switched OpenDNS and everything has been peachy. I don't think that's what's going on here though.

chris, seems like you have the same problem i did when i was in NYC. The server for your general area is just not big enough for all of the load that is being put on it...thus the slower than normal speeds. It took me about 2 months of constant complaining to time warner for them to finally "upgrade" their servers to increase bandwith for the amount of customers using their service in your general area. I was paying for Roadrunner Turbo which was supposed to be 20mbs download speed for my service...i was only getting like 5mbs.

It could also be the lines in your house or underground is old.

nash said:

chris, seems like you have the same problem i did when i was in NYC. The server for your general area is just not big enough for all of the load that is being put on it...thus the slower than normal speeds. It took me about 2 months of constant complaining to time warner for them to finally "upgrade" their servers to increase bandwith for the amount of customers using their service in your general area. I was paying for Roadrunner Turbo which was supposed to be 20mbs download speed for my service...i was only getting like 5mbs.

It could also be the lines in your house or underground is old.

Click to expand...

Nash most likely hit the nail on the head. Time Warner's internet does NOT give you an exact upload and download speed but usually an average. It all depends on the amount of people on your node at the time. During peak hours I average usually around 5mbs download but off hours, way late at night I can peak 20-30mbs with my business class.

Just the way of life with road runner. I would try it at different times of the day and like others said try directly connecting to the modem at different times a day to see what the problem truly is.

yup. Its the node split.
I like my Time Warner better than the DSL I used to have, but one advantage DSL always had is you experience no signal loss due to the amount of people in your immediate area watering it down

We were averaging about 0.48mbps download in my student house...just awful...

Even worse when I introduced my buddy to Torchwood and he decided to stream a whole series at once...