Very slow speeds this week (April 2020)

[tj_minnesota]

Seeing very slow download/upload speeds this week... speedtest.net consistently shows less than 5mbps download... sometimes less than 1mbps.  We allegedly have a 200mbps data plan.  Is Xfinity throttling back everyone do to bandwidth use by everyone staying home?  Tried calling/contacting support.  They state due to call volumes and their employees working from home, they are only responding to emergency requests.  We do have (barely functional) internet, so I don''t put myself in that camp, yet. 

[MJK1959]

Horrible here in Eden Prairie.  3-5 mbs, paying for 100+   .  Switched modems twice - no help.  It's some sort of speed issue - and they wont aknowledge it.  I've been on hold many times and it's almost impossible to talk to a human.   Have fun getting through the robot menu to get in line.       

[tj_minnesota]

I feel better at least knowing I'm not alone. I'd be ok with them temporarily throttling back speeds to keep everyone functional, but only if they were honest and up front about it.

[bald271]

TJ, presuming you've verified the issue via hard-wire device at the modem as close to demarc as you can get, minimal or zero splitters, a next step to consider is to immediately drop your service level to the throughput-rate which you are observing.    Don't pay extra for service you are not getting!     

Another thing to consider if you want better data throughput:  eliminate VPN especially if you are using VPN to get the illusion/placebo of security.    I worked with the dude/team who invented backbone-internet VPNs - they got patent in early 1990s.   The original design-goal was for the opposite of security.  Goal was to share physical media between different customers with intentionally z e r o security for the data on the WAN wires.    One early VPN failure in the field resulted in ALL the data packets from the 2nd largest shipper being "lost" similar to a "black hole".   The cause was a VPN implementation bug that resulted in all of #2 shippers data packets being sent into the network of the 1st largest shipper in USA.   These in-the-clear packets were never processed by any host device, thankfully because the IP numbering and subnetting scheme of the two companies was fortunately different.  

Anyway, the network self-throttles when it gets saturated, no way to avoid it as there are physical limitations at the root.    Also as expected and reported in mainstream media, plenty of network 'balance' problems happened when everyone started working at home.       

[MJK1959]

All good suggestions, except I'm at Defcon 11.    My speeds are so slow, web sites arent even loading - and I am hooked up to a LAN line.    When I called (WHich is another story) they say they are not "throteling (sp?)  it back",  just saying extra traffic slows it down.  I get that, but when you should be getting 150+ and are getting 3 - there is another problem.    Hopefully, a tech is coming out today - after a week of trying to get through. (Yes - problem started a week ago)  

Here's the other story - they say to try and solve on-line - but the chat is a robot most of the time - saying they are not accepting live chats.  When you call, you get a in a robotic loop that is hard to even try and speak with a human.  When you finaly get though - it can be a 2 hr wait.    Then - they can't fix it and need to transfer you to a tech - which can be another 2 hr wait.  (If the call doesnt drop - which it did a number of times)  

I get that we are all adjusting to this - but..........  

I will give the call center reps kudos - they are trying - and are always polite and apologetic.  WHich is nice.   

[tj_minnesota · Accepted solution]

I finally got through yesterday and a tech came out. He ran a new line from the street to our house and our speed is back where it should be.

I really do have to give kudos to these folks working through the current corona-mania. The tech said a lot of Xfinity people are just taking time off (with no pay) in order to stay at home and those remaining have to take up the slack.