Is my router throttling me?

I have a Linksys BEFSR41 router I purchased *mumble* years ago
(firmware version is dated 2001, and I did the update). It's always
been a well-behaved piece of equipment. Specs say it's a 10/100
autosensing unit, 10Mb/s on the WAN side and up to 100Mb/s on the LAN
side.

I'm on Comcast Cable. Earlier this year, they increased my downstream
bandwidth from 3Mb/s to 5Mb/s, my actual throughput has never exceeded
4.5Mb/s. I just figured that line noise or something in a junction
outside somewhere was preventing me from getting the full advertised
speed, and anyway 4.5 out of 5 isn't too bad.

Yesterday, I got an email from Comcast that said that my downstream
bandwidth has been raised to 6Mb/s and to reboot the cable modem to
download the new firmware to enable the higher speed. So I did, and I
got no speed increase. Called Comcast, spoke to a supervisor and
confirmed that my modem (Surfboard 5120) has the correct firmware to
enable the 6Mb/s speed. So now that the difference between my actual
speed and the advertised speed is off by a greater margin, I'm looking
into possible culprits on my end. Scanning this group, I found this
message:

| From: Norrin Radd <(E-Mail Removed)>
| Newsgroups: alt.comp.networking.routers
| Subject: Router can't keep up with high speed connection ?
| Date: Sat, 21 May 2005 15:28:57 GMT
| Message-ID: <(E-Mail Removed)>

that seems to be asking the same question, but does not appear to have
an answer.

If it is my router, will an update to it resolve this? If so, how can
I tell what hardware version it is? The Linksys site isn't being
helpful here, and I don't want to install the wrong update file. I
also would rather not have to replace the hardware if I can avoid it,
since I'm on a tight budget.

I have not taken the router out of the loop (yet) to test because I
depend on it for half of my computer's security.

For the record, this is a WinXP Pro SP2 system. The NIC is built into
the mainboard, and is listed as "NVIDIA nForce MCP Networking Adapter",
and Windows claims it's connected at 100Mb/s (to the router).

--
Jeffrey Kaplan www.gordol.org
The from userid is killfiled Send personal mail to gordol

"Just got the word - another Lurker got his brain mulched." (Mr.
Garibaldi, B5 "Grail")

Jeffrey Kaplan wrote:
> I have a Linksys BEFSR41 router I purchased *mumble* years ago
> (firmware version is dated 2001, and I did the update). It's
> always
> been a well-behaved piece of equipment. Specs say it's a
> 10/100
> autosensing unit, 10Mb/s on the WAN side and up to 100Mb/s on
> the
> LAN side.
>
> I'm on Comcast Cable. Earlier this year, they increased my
> downstream bandwidth from 3Mb/s to 5Mb/s, my actual throughput
> has
> never exceeded
> 4.5Mb/s. I just figured that line noise or something in a
> junction
> outside somewhere was preventing me from getting the full
> advertised
> speed, and anyway 4.5 out of 5 isn't too bad.
>
> Yesterday, I got an email from Comcast that said that my
> downstream
> bandwidth has been raised to 6Mb/s and to reboot the cable
> modem to
> download the new firmware to enable the higher speed. So I
> did,
> and I got no speed increase. Called Comcast, spoke to a
> supervisor
> and confirmed that my modem (Surfboard 5120) has the correct
> firmware to enable the 6Mb/s speed. So now that the difference
> between my actual speed and the advertised speed is off by a
> greater margin, I'm looking into possible culprits on my end.
> Scanning this group, I found this message:
>
> > From: Norrin Radd <(E-Mail Removed)>
> > Newsgroups: alt.comp.networking.routers
> > Subject: Router can't keep up with high speed connection ?
> > Date: Sat, 21 May 2005 15:28:57 GMT
> > Message-ID: <(E-Mail Removed)>
>
> that seems to be asking the same question, but does not appear
> to
> have an answer.
>
> If it is my router, will an update to it resolve this? If so,
> how
> can I tell what hardware version it is? The Linksys site isn't
> being helpful here, and I don't want to install the wrong
> update
> file. I also would rather not have to replace the hardware if
> I
> can avoid it, since I'm on a tight budget.
>
> I have not taken the router out of the loop (yet) to test
> because I
> depend on it for half of my computer's security.
>
> For the record, this is a WinXP Pro SP2 system. The NIC is
> built
> into the mainboard, and is listed as "NVIDIA nForce MCP
> Networking
> Adapter", and Windows claims it's connected at 100Mb/s (to the
> router).

What are you using to measure your bandwidth? It may be network
congestion or you neighbors and others on your node. You really
should not rely on the NAT provided by your router for securing
your computer. You do have AV and a firewall like Zone Alarm?
Connect your computer directly to your modem and see what's up.

--


Travis in Shoreline Washington

It is alleged that Travis claimed:

> What are you using to measure your bandwidth? It may be network

DU Meter is my main throughput meter. I also occasionally double-check
with NetStatLive. I've also run bandwidth checks with Internetfrog,
DSLReports, Speakeasy and Giganews, as well as noting the transfer
speed reported by Firefox, MSIE and WS_FTP when downloading files. They
are all consistent.

> congestion or you neighbors and others on your node. You really

According to Comcast, there are only 60 accounts on this node, and the
node can handle 128, and the reported speed is consistent regardless of
day of week or time of day, including 2:00am.

> should not rely on the NAT provided by your router for securing

I said it was handling half of my security, not all of it.

> your computer. You do have AV and a firewall like Zone Alarm?

Zone Alarm is the worst thing to happen to PC security since Microsoft,
but for completely different reasons. My firewall is Sygate Personal
Firewall (probably the last good version, since Symantec recently
bought them). SPF is always on, I use it for outbound control since to
date nothing unsolicited inbound has penetrated the NAT. My AV is
Avast 4, which I run on-demand only. To date, I have never been
infected by a virus.

> Connect your computer directly to your modem and see what's up.

Yeah, I'll probably be doing that over the weekend when I have time to
dig around behind and under my desk.

I appreciate the response, but it doesn't quite answer half of my
question, which is if it is my router that's throttling me, will
updating the firmware resolve the issue?

--
Jeffrey Kaplan www.gordol.org
The from userid is killfiled Send personal mail to gordol

"Thanks, I owe you." "Import another steak." "I don't owe you +that+
much." (Cmdr. Sinclair and Mr. Garibaldi, B5 "Believers")

Jeffrey Kaplan wrote:
> It is alleged that Travis claimed:
>
> > What are you using to measure your bandwidth? It may be
> > network
>
> DU Meter is my main throughput meter. I also occasionally
> double-check with NetStatLive. I've also run bandwidth checks
> with
> Internetfrog, DSLReports, Speakeasy and Giganews, as well as
> noting
> the transfer speed reported by Firefox, MSIE and WS_FTP when
> downloading files. They are all consistent.
>
> > congestion or you neighbors and others on your node. You
> > really
>
> According to Comcast, there are only 60 accounts on this node,
> and
> the node can handle 128, and the reported speed is consistent
> regardless of day of week or time of day, including 2:00am.
>
> > should not rely on the NAT provided by your router for
> > securing
>
> I said it was handling half of my security, not all of it.
>
> > your computer. You do have AV and a firewall like Zone
> > Alarm?
>
> Zone Alarm is the worst thing to happen to PC security since
> Microsoft, but for completely different reasons. My firewall
> is
> Sygate Personal Firewall (probably the last good version, since
> Symantec recently bought them). SPF is always on, I use it for
> outbound control since to date nothing unsolicited inbound has
> penetrated the NAT. My AV is Avast 4, which I run on-demand
> only.
> To date, I have never been infected by a virus.
>
> > Connect your computer directly to your modem and see what's
> > up.
>
> Yeah, I'll probably be doing that over the weekend when I have
> time
> to dig around behind and under my desk.
>
> I appreciate the response, but it doesn't quite answer half of
> my
> question, which is if it is my router that's throttling me,
> will
> updating the firmware resolve the issue?

My BEFSR41 with firmware 1.45.7 does not throttle my connection.
I use all 4 ports. The firmware update may fix the throttle
problem if it exists.

--


Travis in Shoreline Washington

From: "Jeffrey Kaplan" <(E-Mail Removed)>

| I have a Linksys BEFSR41 router I purchased *mumble* years ago
| (firmware version is dated 2001, and I did the update). It's always
| been a well-behaved piece of equipment. Specs say it's a 10/100
| autosensing unit, 10Mb/s on the WAN side and up to 100Mb/s on the LAN
| side.
|

< snip >


My parents were upgraded from 1.5Mb/s to 3.0Mb/s using Verizon DSL. They have two PCs
connected to a BEFSR41 v3 Router. One PC is WinME and the other is WinXP. We had measured
the download speed on the WinME PC and it looked like it was still at 1.5MB/s. Verizon
re-check their end and said all was OK. Verizon thought is was the modem and they replaced
their older model Westell modem with a newer Westell 2200. The WinME PC showed no speed
difference with the new modem. I thought that this was strange so I tried a speed check on
the WinXP PC. It showed that they were indeed getting 3.0Mb/s. The WinME PC still showed
approx 1.5MB/s. I swapped the Westell 2200 for the old modem and reset the SOHO LAN. I
then checked speeds again on both platforms and again the WinME PC showed approx. 1.5Mb/s
while the WinXP showed approx. 3.0Mb/s.

I put the Westell 2200 back into the system, reset the SOHO LAN and re-checked the speeds
again and I got the same results.

I don't know why the WinME is PC is slower but I must conclude it has something to do with
the combination of the hardware chip-sets used on the platform.

--
Dave
http://www.claymania.com/removal-trojan-adware.html
http://www.ik-cs.com/got-a-virus.htm

It is alleged that Travis claimed:

> > I appreciate the response, but it doesn't quite answer half of
> > my
> > question, which is if it is my router that's throttling me,
> > will
> > updating the firmware resolve the issue?
>
> My BEFSR41 with firmware 1.45.7 does not throttle my connection.
> I use all 4 ports. The firmware update may fix the throttle
> problem if it exists.

Thank you!

--
Jeffrey Kaplan www.gordol.org
The from userid is killfiled Send personal mail to gordol

"There is a ship, hidden behind the palace. My guard will take you
there. In exchange for your lives, all I ask is that you and your
allies help to free my people. I can do nothing more for them. Go
now. Quickly, you do not have much time. I can feel it beginning to
wake up. Hurry, go on." (Emperor Mollari, (17 years in the future), B5
"War Without End, Pt 2")

Jeffrey Kaplan wrote:
> I have a Linksys BEFSR41 router I purchased *mumble* years ago
> (firmware version is dated 2001, and I did the update). It's always
> been a well-behaved piece of equipment. Specs say it's a 10/100
> autosensing unit, 10Mb/s on the WAN side and up to 100Mb/s on the LAN
> side.
>
> I'm on Comcast Cable. Earlier this year, they increased my downstream
> bandwidth from 3Mb/s to 5Mb/s, my actual throughput has never exceeded
> 4.5Mb/s. I just figured that line noise or something in a junction
> outside somewhere was preventing me from getting the full advertised
> speed, and anyway 4.5 out of 5 isn't too bad.
>
> Yesterday, I got an email from Comcast that said that my downstream
> bandwidth has been raised to 6Mb/s and to reboot the cable modem to
> download the new firmware to enable the higher speed. So I did, and I
> got no speed increase. Called Comcast, spoke to a supervisor and
> confirmed that my modem (Surfboard 5120) has the correct firmware to
> enable the 6Mb/s speed. So now that the difference between my actual
> speed and the advertised speed is off by a greater margin, I'm looking
> into possible culprits on my end. Scanning this group, I found this
> message:
>
>> From: Norrin Radd <(E-Mail Removed)>
>> Newsgroups: alt.comp.networking.routers
>> Subject: Router can't keep up with high speed connection ?
>> Date: Sat, 21 May 2005 15:28:57 GMT
>> Message-ID: <(E-Mail Removed)>
>
> that seems to be asking the same question, but does not appear to have
> an answer.
>
> If it is my router, will an update to it resolve this? If so, how can
> I tell what hardware version it is? The Linksys site isn't being
> helpful here, and I don't want to install the wrong update file. I
> also would rather not have to replace the hardware if I can avoid it,
> since I'm on a tight budget.
>
> I have not taken the router out of the loop (yet) to test because I
> depend on it for half of my computer's security.
>
> For the record, this is a WinXP Pro SP2 system. The NIC is built into
> the mainboard, and is listed as "NVIDIA nForce MCP Networking
> Adapter", and Windows claims it's connected at 100Mb/s (to the
> router).

Go to www.broadbandreports.com and review the cable modem FAQ. You need
to examine the modem power and signal to noise ratios at 192.168.100.1
entered into your browser. This alone might answer your speed question.
You also need to connect directly to the modem to eliminate the
questions about the router on speed tests. Changing your connected port
can be informational if you are connected to a failing port. You can
download free demo software firewalls if you are concerned about the
direct connection. I presume you already have anti-virus, updated,
installed.

When doing speed testing, choose a time that network congestion is
minimal; 2am Sunday night is a good starting point. FWIW, I use
www.testmy.net since it is the most consistent from my location, and I
like consistency.

It is alleged that Quaoar claimed:

> Go to www.broadbandreports.com and review the cable modem FAQ. You need
> to examine the modem power and signal to noise ratios at 192.168.100.1
> entered into your browser. This alone might answer your speed question.
> You also need to connect directly to the modem to eliminate the
> questions about the router on speed tests. Changing your connected port
> can be informational if you are connected to a failing port. You can
> download free demo software firewalls if you are concerned about the
> direct connection. I presume you already have anti-virus, updated,
> installed.

Updating the firmware in the router did indeed solve the issue, without
having to reconfigure anything.

> When doing speed testing, choose a time that network congestion is
> minimal; 2am Sunday night is a good starting point. FWIW, I use
> www.testmy.net since it is the most consistent from my location, and I
> like consistency.

http://www.speakeasy.net/speedtest/ provides me with the most
consistent web-based reports. According to them, I'm now up to 5.5Mb/s
down and 390kb/s up.

--
Jeffrey Kaplan www.gordol.org
The from userid is killfiled Send personal mail to gordol

"If we don't go along with this we'll change history. And the Shadows
will come out of the last war stronger than they should be. We won't
stand a chance against odds like that." (Amb. Sinclair, B5 "War
Without End, Pt. 1")