[Cialug] Mediacom to boost speeds

[Jeffrey Ollie]

On Wed, Apr 30, 2014 at 10:10 AM, Justin Richeson <neomatrixjr at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> Can't say I care for CL either after just over a year of service.  It at
> least stays up, but I'm definitely noticing lower speeds.  I have 12Mb with
> them (modem actually says it's provisioned for closer to 15) and it rarely
> runs close to that.  The upload is atrocious and youtube ALWAYS buffers
> (though I found that this is due to the use of content caching servers
> instead of direct calls to youtube's main servers).

I have a 20M CenturyLink service, but the upload is only 896K.  I
don't run "servers" from my house but I use CrashPlan as a cloud
backup service and it SUCKS every time I add a new batch of photos
from my DSLR.  Never mind when I take videos with my DSLR.

> I thought DSL wasn't
> supposed to have the overload issues of cable so I don't know what's going
> on there.

DSL just has *different* over-subscription problems than cable modems.

> And not that it's CL's fault but my Actiontec C1000A
> modem/AP/Router they *gave* me (free modem from guy at mall kiosk - no
> rental fee) is a POS.  It locks up regularly.  I put a server blower fan on
> it (blows air off top of modem) to keep it running mostly reliably.

I have the Zyxel version of the modem and it isn't any better.
Unfortunately CenturyLink delivers some of their faster circuits using
VDSL2 which is completely different from ADSL.  As far as I can tell
there are only two consumer-level modems out there that support VDSL -
the CenturyLink-branded ActionTec C1000A and the CenturyLink-branded
Zyxel C1000Z.  You can get a Cisco router with a VDSL2 port, but even
on eBay they are too expensive for me at this time.

What I ended up doing two weeks ago (after dealing with the C1000Z)
for over a year is to put the C1000Z in transparent bridging mode and
put a Cisco router behind that running PPPoE.  I really should have
done that a long time ago but running the C1000Z in transparent
bridging mode disables the built-in wireless access point and I didn't
want to do that until I could afford a decent wireless access point.
I got a nice tax refund this year so I went with a Ubiquiti AP and
changed the router over and have to say that I'm extremely happy with
the result.  Streaming media from my Plex server seem much much
smoother, even over wireless.  My kids are starting to acquire just as
much wireless gear as I am so having an "enterprisey" wireless system
is much appreciated.

> I'd kill for Google fiber or FIOS (if the good things I've heard about it
> are true).  No, seriously...who has to die for that to happen here in the
> DSM suburbs?  WTF do rural communities get fiber-TO-THE-HOUSE and the best
> I can do is Shittycom and LastCenturyLink?  My Grandma's farm in Northern
> IA had not one but TWO rural telco's run fiber by her place and both
> offered to do the install to the house free if it was done during the
> initial lay so they at least got the fiber from the provider they were
> already getting slow DSL from.  But I mean, they even have competition!
>  FOR THE SAME PRODUCT!  Gotta love the MC/Cable, CL/DSL monopoly here....

I think that rural telcos still get subsidies from the feds to provide
services.  Given the sparseness of the population those telcos have to
keep a higher percentage of their customers happy.  Also, Iowa is
unusual due to the large number of indpendent telcos that serve rural
customers.

> I will say one good thing about my CL service.  We had an all-day power
> outtage last winter I think.  I was home that day (made for a long day
> off).  I was surprised, but our gas fireplace still turned on, so I stayed
> home and kept that running to keep the house from freezing up.  Luckily I
> have a UPS for my PC and one that my modem was on.  I quickly killed the PC
> to keep some power in that UPS, and between the two of them my limited
> network of my modem and my tablet stayed with me all day.  Surprisingly my
> CL connection never dropped.  I don't know where the nearest connection
> point was, but it still had power.

Say what you will about phone companies, but a legacy of providing 911
service means that they know how to keep stuff running.  Depending on
your situation, there may be nothing between your DSL modem and the
central office than bare copper wires.  And the central offices will
keep running short of a direct hit by a tornado.  If you are less
lucky, your DSL copper terminates in a neighborhood pod that has some
electronics and fiber back to the central office.  That pod may have a
battery backup for the electronics, but probably only enough to
survive short outages.  Unfortunately that's the situation that I'm
in.  I'm too far from the central office to get anything faster than a
1.5M DSL without a FTTN (fiber to the node/neighborhood) setup.

-- 
Jeff Ollie