Recommended Tests

ok...this is my first post and I'm posting here to find out something.

I'm supposed to have the 8meg speed from Comcast for my connection (8mb/768Kbps from what I've seen in other topics) Price isn't really a problem but I have been thinking of going to DSL once it becomes available in my area. The modem is a Motorola SB,connected via a USB Chord.

However for some strange reason everytime I test my connection I keep getting ~4mb type speed replys.

I've been on the phone with Comcast techs off and on and gotten nowhere other then told to Buy a new PC. (fyi I'm on Win98 and it seems the rest of the world is on either XP or Vista with a Powerhouse PC)

I'm wondering if the problem really is either:
A. Comcast itself with it's (pardon the term) Craptastic service
B. A. & The Area I live in having lousy-ish service
C. Something in/on the computer (It wasn't until last August I found out the true meaning towards thier "powerboost" feature and about adjusting system settings with cablenut and the like. Which only improved things from ~500Kbps-ish to now ~4000Kbps-ish
D. Comcast has me on the 4meg plan for some unknown reason

also I've already ran virus and spyware scans...I'm clean so it isn't that

but anyway.



I did the above speedtest just after registering and would really like some expert help if anyone here can help me(better then the Comcast experts atleast) The Upload looks like it's near 768,but shouldn't my download speed be at least double what it is?

Sorry in advance if this post is in the wrong place and yes I have searched but didn't really find anything that seemed close to my problem. (if somebody does find a post which describes my speed problem please forgive me  )

Also...would any of this have to do with those FCC Warnings I've heard about in the news with Comcast capping people's bandwidth or something?

oh and one other strange thing...for some reason (also since August) whenever I check my ip with windows' ipconfig...the lease information is always dated yesterday but with the current time...why is that?

example: I go online at 01/20/2008 @ 10pm ipconfig reads something like: "Lease Obtained. . . . . . . : 01 19 08 10:02:24 PM"
My system date settings are correct so it doesn't seem to be that..but what could it be if it's related to anything.

Again Thanks in advance to anyone who does help me or respond at all and sorry if I did anything wrong on this first post. And futher thanks for having such a great site to turn to for Internet Users with speed trouble. (if Only I had found this site sooner...  )

-Chandau 7

P.S.: oh I'm not running a firewall so that isn't the case either.

Welcome to TMN  Chandau 7. I have the same plan that you have with Comcast. I live in southern New Jersey and the same thing happens to me. My  upload test stay pretty stable,but my download test all over the place. I could take 5 test in a row and get reading from 2000 to 10,000. Most of the time they are in the  4000 to 8000 range. Between 5:00 pm to 10:00 Pm I can never get a good download test. My theory is that Comcast oversold the node and there is too many people on the same lines. Now on top of that Comcast has phone service, those people are also using the same lines that we are using for the internet.  You said that you are hook up to the modem using USB, Ethernet is the better way to hook up to a modem. If your computer does not have Ethernet port on the motherboard you can buy a ethernet PCI card from the big box store of your choice for under  $ 50.00

American internet is a sick joke compared to most of the world.
Comcast has poor customer satisfaction, poor connection quality, and is actually blocking selected internet traffic.
I recommend that you fight for NET NEUTRALITY!

If I remember right that harddrive that you have hook up to USB is hurting your speed too, the more stuff you have running  on USB the slower it goes. It not hard to hook up a Ethernet card it can be done in last then 5 minutes,so if you buy one from Best Buy they should be able to install it for you in no time.

Update:

Okay my upload is still Stable,yet my download is about a meg lower,what gives? I reinstalled the modem drivers just after installing the adapter...it says "made for USB 1.0/1.1"...don't tell me the USB 1.0 is still clogging and forcing me to a 4meg cap.?
or should I go look for a Network Card and directions on opening up the pc up to install it Before blaming it all on Lousy Crapcas-err I mean Comcast?


any more ideas?
(and Thanks again for any futher help)

sorry to hear that you are having a hard time with Comcast. but I had the same problem with them..I signed up for the 8Mbps package but only got 4Mbps..I tried everything to fix the problem..so after doing everything (this includes formatting my system) I decided to call them..after about 30 mins of talking and repeating everything I have done to about 3 tech people the last guy found the problem. I was connected to a hub that was many more miles away from me then it should be...So they make mistake like that..it happen to me twice when they switch the network from Aldelphia to Comcast