Odd network issues

Discussion in 'Technology' started by bfun, May 4, 2015.

  1. I got some weirdness happening on the wireless home network. It's hard to explain but here are some symptoms. Occasionally loading web pages will time out. Doing a refresh will load them again. Applications fail to connect to the internet. For example Origin may fail to log in. It will eventually connect after a few tries. Youtube videos will fail to start but will after a few tries. Here is the weirdest part. All these problems are much worse on my Apple devices. Youtube videos are almost un-watchable on an iPad but will play fine on my android tablet. On the iPad or iPhone the fail to load, stutter, and stop.

    Here is what I've done.

    I updated the firmware on the router.
    I've switched to a new DNS server.
    I've changed my wireless channel.
    Rebooted both router and modem.

    Here is what I've tested.

    Continual pings to the Internet. No dropped packets or unusual high latency.
    Internet speed test are fine.
    Router memory and CPU utilization look fine
    Traffic is low and normal

    I'm running out of ideas. Seeing dropped packet or large latency numbers would help but there is no issue there. Tomorrow I'll connect a laptop directly to the router and see if it's only a wireless problem. If it's wireless it's the router. If it's not it's the router, modem, or Comcast connection. The only time I've seen issue like this are when web filters or proxies start to flake out.
     
  2. I had these same problems on my last 2 routers... a friend recommended I upgrade to a high-end router and the problems went away. I think I just had too many WiFi devices for the cheapo units. What router are you using now?

    Although, you have Comcast. You can never rule out Comcast.
     
  3. ASUS RT-U66N Dark Knight.
     
  4. Are you using the Asus software? If you are I would consider trying Tomato on it. At the very least it might help you troubleshoot. I have the RT-AC66U and found the Asus software to be real bad. It erased itself and needed a firmware reload, which without a router I had to do from my phone. After the 2nd or 3rd time, I trashed it for Tomato. Not a single issue since.
     
  5. Yes but I've never had any issues with it.

    Two of my neighbors have said their Internet is having problems too and it seems to have started around the same time as mine. I haven't talked to them directly but I'm sure they are using Comcast. Also I noticed a new a new SSID in the neighborhood named nig**stolemywifi. I've added the stars myself. Seem a little suspicious? So I'll be trying a wired test tonight to see if I can isolate the problem to just wifi. I almost hope it is wifi because if it's Comcast I'll have a hard time convincing them that they have a problem.
     
  6. I can't speak to the other problems, but inconsistent performance with YouTube on iOS devices can be chalked up to issues with half-a**ed HTML5 implementation a lot of the time. Teh Google has never given that it's full attention.
     
  7. Have you tried pingtest.net? It will give you a pretty good account of the line quality you have to your ISP with tests for noise, jitter and packet loss.
     
  8. Well I just got home to test everything again and after 2 days the problem is completely gone. I'm going to blame Comcast.
     
  9. Based on that network name, it sounds like the homies stopped off to gank wifi from punkass bitches. They probably moved on to steal other wifi.