Degradation in upload speed

[lem1]

Hello,

I have the 250u ignite package and both download and upload speeds have been reliable. I have a mixture of wired and wirless devices, all with gigabit lan cards, and/or ac wireless cards. Modem is in bridge mode and I have a decent AC router. So, my upload speed is now a max of 1 Mbps compared to the 20 - 22 I was getting. The behaviour is the same on all of my PCs. I made sure I tried each in isolation. I also reset the modem so I could look at the stats, and tried a speedtest connected directly to the modem. The result was the same.

Below is a picture of of the modem stats. To my untrained eye, they look okay. I started an online chat with a tech, but I declined to give hom access to my pc, and he said he will have to submit a ticket to engineering. My download speeds are fine, and the cable tv is working normally. Do the modem stats show anything amiss? What are the magic words to say to a tech? I do not want to give remote control of any of my PCs so that someone can empty my browser cache and reset network adaptors. There are the privacy and security aspects as well. At any rate, my issue is not PC related. Any idea of what could be causing the (very) slow upload speed?

Thanks for reading.

***Edited Labels***

[Datalink · Accepted solution]

Given that you're in a condo, the building might be connected to a Multiple Dwelling Unit (MDU) which supplies data distribution to building such as yours.  This is typically located in the utility room in the basement of the building.  It seems that for whatever reason, when an MDU problem comes up, its not so easy to resolve.  I'd call into tech support and ask the CSR to check the MDU or node, which ever is applicable to see what comes up.  There is a chance that you are connected to a neighbourhood node.  You should ask your neighbours if they are having any issues with their upload rates.  That would point to a problem that affects more than one suite.  That would also be good to know before calling tech support as it points to a bigger problem, not just one that affects you're upload rates.

[RogersSannecia]

Hi @lem1

Thank you for your post and welcome to the Forums .

This might be something our Resident Expert @Datalink might be able to assist with.

RogersSannecia

[Datalink]

As soon as one of the mods approves the graphic so that its visible, @Gdkitty or myself can have a look at it.  I might not be around later this afternoon but I'll check it as soon as I can.

[lem1]

Thanks @RogersSannecia, can you approve the graphic so that others can see it and be able to possibly help?

[Datalink]

Your downstream levels are low.  They're down at -5/-6 dBmV instead of running in the 0 dBmV range.  That might be an issue of the number of modems that you have, internet, cable tv, home phone and which port the internet modem is connected to at the splitter.  Even so, you should still be okay on the download side, in terms of data rates.  The signal to noise ratios are ok.  The upstream is actually ok, so there is no apparent reason for slow upstream rates, at least from a signals perspective. 

Are you running a CGN3 or CGN3ACSMR, as seen by the product sticker at the back of the modem?

When you say that you reset the modem, I'm assuming that you ran a factory reset to get back into Gateway mode, correct?  If so, did you run a speedtest with a pc connected to the modem via ethernet at that point?

Check the connected port LED at the back of the modem and ensure that it is amber in colour.  That denotes a 1 Gb/s connection with the connected device.   Green indicates a 10/100 Mb/s connection.  That port LED should remain amber, and never flicker between amber and green, which would indicate some issue with the ethernet cable or connected ethernet port on the router/pc/laptop. 

Are you in a house or apartment, condo, highrise, etc, etc?

If you are in a house, I would call tech support at this point and ask the CSR to check the node, which is the next device that the modem is connected to, along with all of the other neighborhood's modems.  See if there is anything going on at the node level which is limiting the upstream rates.  You could also ask the CSR to recheck the speeds that the modem is provisioned for, and ensure that it is still provisioned for 250/20. 

[lem1]

Thanks very much for your reply @Datalink. The modem is the CGN3 and I did factory reset it and then connected directly to it (wired). The light on the back is amber, but even a 10/100 Mb/s connection should give a higher upload data rate than 1 Mbps. Actually, it's only half that today. Download is still fine. There is nothing on the network uploading anything. I also disconected all devices from the network and one-by-one I checked the upload rate and it's the same dismal 1 Mbps or less. I am in a condo, and this building is Rogers only as far as cable goes. We have a contract. Should I ask the CSR to check node given I'm in a condo? I will ask them to see what the modem is provision for as well. Thanks again for your reply.

[Datalink · Accepted solution]

Given that you're in a condo, the building might be connected to a Multiple Dwelling Unit (MDU) which supplies data distribution to building such as yours.  This is typically located in the utility room in the basement of the building.  It seems that for whatever reason, when an MDU problem comes up, its not so easy to resolve.  I'd call into tech support and ask the CSR to check the MDU or node, which ever is applicable to see what comes up.  There is a chance that you are connected to a neighbourhood node.  You should ask your neighbours if they are having any issues with their upload rates.  That would point to a problem that affects more than one suite.  That would also be good to know before calling tech support as it points to a bigger problem, not just one that affects you're upload rates.

[_0101_]

Datalink, if you dont mind me reviving this topic, I wanted to ask you about older modems and older Rogers plans.  I'm not at the modem right now but I know it was a wifi gateway that I run in bridged mode with my own wifi router.  Recently I  found that the upload speed on speedtest.net is barely 1Mbps, and usually less. (I hope I get the units correct)  Download is the same as I always remember it, about 36Mb, but will peak at 70 at the start of the test.  The upload was nearly 2Mb just a few weeks ago, and if i recall, my plan had that as it's rated speed, but it's an old plan I grandfathered into from a few years ago.

Could my upload have been changed by Rogers without me knowing, and is that allowed? Or with your tests you described above, could I tell if it's a connection problem that only affects upload and not download?  Worst case is that I need to call in I guess but any suggestions for me if/when I do call?

[Datalink]

Were those speeds tested over an ethernet or wifi connection?  I ask that as there are two issues afoot.  The wifi rate between the modem and your pc or laptop, and the wired or ethernet rate that the modem can deliver.  If that was a wifi rate can you connect via ethernet to your router and run a speedtest at http://speedcheck.rogers.com/en.html or the www.speedtest.net Toronto Telus server.  If we find that the delivered wire rates are slow, it will be time to call tech support to run a signal check on the modem and determine if there is any problem with the signal levels or with the neighborhood node, which the modem is connected to.  There could be an issue with either one.  You can, if you prefer, also log into the modem, navigate to the STATUS..... DOCSIS WAN page, copy the downstream and upstream tables and post them into the thread.  If they're bad enough, I would have you call tech support as the next step.  

For the wifi side of the house, can you take a read thru the following post # 47 regarding the use of inSSIDer to check out your wifi environment.

http://communityforums.rogers.com/t5/forums/forumtopicpage/board-id/Getting_connected/message-id/307...

Armed with a little knowledge about the signal levels and the wifi environment, it will be easier to arrive at a point where the problem is understood.  From there its either a cable signal issue, or a wifi signal issue or a mixture of both.  Since you're running an older modem, I'm guessing that your router might be slightly old as well.  Please correct me if I'm assuming incorrectly.  It might be running a 2.4 Ghz network, and these days, given the large increase in modems and router in use, its becoming increasingly difficult in some areas to run a 2.4 Ghz network with any success.  I've given up on running a 2.4 Ghz network and have shifted just about everything up to a 5 Ghz network where there are few other modems or routers running.  

So, can you:

1.  have a look at the back of the modem for the product sticker and let us know what it is.  It will be something like, DPC-3828 or CGN2, or other.  

2.  run a speedtest and let us know what the results are

3.  let us know what your internet plan data rates are

4.  load inSSIDer onto a laptop and have a look at your wifi environment.  Post an image somewhere so we can have a look at it if you need help with the interpretation.  Just be sure to blank out the network mac address and name.

5.   indicate if you are in a house or apartment, condo, highrise, etc. 

The modem signal levels should be at or near 0 dBmV on the downstream with a signal to noise ratio of 36 to 40 dB.  The upstream should be in the 36 to 40 dBmV range. If you find for example that the downstream are down at something like -10 dBmV and the upstream are somewhere up beyond 45 dBmV, it will be time to call tech support to get the CSR run a signal check and possibly arrange for a tech visit.

I don't believe that your plan and therefore the data rates would have changed at all without specific direction from you.

[nl2]

My Rogers speedtest upload results have gone from ~45-50 mbps down to <20 mbps since the firmware on my 3552 upgrade to 4.5.8.21. My download speed has also dropped from ~700 mbps to ~500-600 mbps. Only saving grace is that the lan dropout problem has been corrected.

My modem is in bridge mode and a test PC is directly attached to lan port 1 for each testrun. The only changing factor with each testcase would be on Rogers end and the time of day.

My modem signal is within specs. My choices are to accept that this is as good as it gets for Rogers Gigabit internet service or waste more time with Rogers technical support.