Roadrunner Speeds go up in Milwaukee

[kevbeck122]

That is a pretty old modem.  I'd say trade it for a new one.  I had a SB3100 that wasn't running the full potential and they gave me a SB5101 when I went in.  The first modem I had when I got RR was a 4100 and that was around 6 years ago.

[Bigdog]

I did trade it in for a new one, Ambit U10C018 and although the speed is better not where it should be (I think). I wonder if there are better modems there?

[waterhead]

I have a Motorola SB4200. Is this OK, or should I try to get a newer one?

[kevbeck122]

If you're not seeing around 7mb down/512k up for regular service on speedtest.net or speedtest.wi.rr.com then you might want to try a new modem.  The SB4200 is nearly as old as the 4100.  The 4100 and 4200 only suppot docsis 1.0/1.1... while the newer ones like the 5100 series support 2.0 (I don't think we're at 2.0 yet, since 1.0/1.1 supports up to 38mb down/10mb up).  They also have faster internal components, probably allowing for more bandwidth to come through.

I did trade it in for a new one, Ambit U10C018 and although the speed is better not where it should be (I think). I wonder if there are better modems there?

I would think that would be fine.  I think they sometimes use Ambit modems for the digital phone service too.  Maybe your signal's weak?  You could try calling TWC and have them come check everything.

[steve053]

I've rebooted my SB4100 twice and have not seen any kind of download speed increase. I'm not sure if it is the age of this modem or ? When I tried Minneapolis the speed was even less. Even speedtest.wi.rr.com was not that impressive

------------------------------------------------------------------
File size transferred : 14.75 MB (15468724 bytes)
Total time taken      : 21.95 seconds (21953 milliseconds)
Throughput            : 704.0 KB/sec [Kilobyte-per-second]
                      = 0.7 MB/sec [Megabyte-per-second]
                      = 5632.0 Kbps [Kilobit-per-second]
                      = 5.63 Mbps [Megabit-per-second]

I just got hooked up this past Friday w/ the turbo service and I'm about 2.5 down and just under 1 up. :mad:  I tried several sites and received similar numbers.

I used the online chat and was told that my traceroute was ok and the problem was on my end.  I was told to clear my cookies/temp file and reboot.  :mad:  

I was given a Motorola surfboard SB5100 modem.  Any thoughts on that one?

[Bebop]

The 5100 is one of the latest. If you are getting 2.5 down, something is wrong. I don't think cookie or temp files have anything to do with it.

[brewtownska]

steve053,

Did you self-install your service?  If so, I'm just curious what your cable route is once it's in your house.  From everyone I've talked to about this over the years, Time Warner tends to take the cable into your house, then 1 split...1 of those goes straight to your modem, the other is what gets used to feed the TVs in the house (so it probably gets split again assuming you have more than 1 TV).  If you don't have that initial split sending a strong connection to your modem, then your levels may be too low at the modem for it to work properly.

Sorry if this is the same thing Time Warner asked you on the online chat...just trying to help

Mike

[steve053]

steve053,

Did you self-install your service?  If so, I'm just curious what your cable route is once it's in your house.  From everyone I've talked to about this over the years, Time Warner tends to take the cable into your house, then 1 split...1 of those goes straight to your modem, the other is what gets used to feed the TVs in the house (so it probably gets split again assuming you have more than 1 TV).  If you don't have that initial split sending a strong connection to your modem, then your levels may be too low at the modem for it to work properly.

Sorry if this is the same thing Time Warner asked you on the online chat...just trying to help

Mike

Thanks for the reply Mike.

My cable run enters the house though the basement.  From the basement it runs to the attic with a series of splitters for service to bedrooms and living room.

That being said, we do not use TWC for television service.  The installer tapped into the line from the exterior of the house and ran a line directly into our "computer room".  I guess I could try and remove the exterior splitter and have it run directly into the house - although your comments seem to indicate it was split correctly for a strong signal.

One other question.

Does anyone know if TWC uses MAC Addy filtering for their modems?  I see that BB has a similar Motorola modem as well as a Zoom modem.  Is it as easy as plugging in a new modem, or would I have to have it added by a TWC rep?

Thanks.

[brewtownska]

This is still a "what if" pondering, but if the tech ran the line directly to your computer room, but the other half of the line still goes to that attic mess that you're not using, does that mean all those other unused lines are leaking signal into the air?  If that was the case, I think you'll still get the traffic into your house fine, but maybe the return traffic to TWC is leaking out those other wires?  It's really up to you if you feel comfortable bypassing their split and trying a direct line just to see if it makes a difference.

As for the MAC question, I don't know what they currently do.  I do remember when I had my install in my Waukesha house (4 years ago already), after they connected everything, the tech called customer support and read off the MAC address from the bottom of the modem.  So they were definitely noting it on the account.  But I swapped out that modem (went from a Motorola SB4100 to a SB5101) late last year via a visit to the TWC store in Mayfair.  When they gave me the new modem, one of the stickers containing the MAC address was already off the package, so maybe they take that and pre-enter it on my account.  So I don't know for sure if they use that MAC address in their network settings on their end, or if it's just "noted" in my account.

Just curious, is your modem going straight to your PC or do you have a router in the mix as well?  If you have a router, you may want to take that out of the mix until you know you have a speedy connection and that everything else is working as it should.

If nothing there helps, hopefully TWC will provide you with good service to get you running to full capacity, and soon.  If by chance you just have a bad modem, you can get it swapped out quickly by taking it to the Mayfair store...just something to think about.

Good luck!

Mike

[LoadStar]

TWC definitely "provisions" the internet service via the MAC address of the modem. If the MAC address isn't registered, it won't function. Unlike other internet services like Comcast that will allow an unregistered MAC into a "walled garden" where you can self-register, TWC requires you to explicitly register your MAC address with them.

[steve053]

TWC definitely "provisions" the internet service via the MAC address of the modem. If the MAC address isn't registered, it won't function. Unlike other internet services like Comcast that will allow an unregistered MAC into a "walled garden" where you can self-register, TWC requires you to explicitly register your MAC address with them.

Thanks LoadStar.  That's what I was afraid of.  I can understand why they would do that, but it still s*@%s!

@ Mike
Yes, I do have a router (Linksys WRT54G V2.2), but I ran the tests with the router and directly connected to the modem.  Very similar results in each test.

Since it's was so crappy out when I got home from work I wasn't able to mess w/ the connection.  Tomorrow's out as well as the Mrs's has work function and I'm alone w/ the 3 year old and the chocolate lab.  Might not get to test it for a few days.

On a side note, I noticed some recent posts in the dslreports forum regarding similarily slow speeds for RR in the Milwaukee area.  Guess misery loves company.

[SRW1000]

TWC definitely "provisions" the internet service via the MAC address of the modem. If the MAC address isn't registered, it won't function. Unlike other internet services like Comcast that will allow an unregistered MAC into a "walled garden" where you can self-register, TWC requires you to explicitly register your MAC address with them.

I don't know if that's still true.  It was when I first got service with them, but I have swapped out routers and computers (troubleshooting a connection problem) and I had no problems connecting to the modem with different MAC addresses.

The provision is that there is only one MAC address bound to the modem/service, but that actual MAC address is reset when the modem is powered off and then on again.

Scott

[LoadStar]

I don't know if that's still true.  It was when I first got service with them, but I have swapped out routers and computers (troubleshooting a connection problem) and I had no problems connecting to the modem with different MAC addresses.

The provision is that there is only one MAC address bound to the modem/service, but that actual MAC address is reset when the modem is powered off and then on again.

Scott

Yes, I thought about clarifying, but didn't. TWC doesn't tie the modem to any specific customer owned equipment (never has, actually) but they do provision the service based on the MAC of the modem itself.

That is to say, you can have anything you want hooked up to the modem you get from TWC - but you have to either use the modem you get from them, or you have to get them to register the modem that you provide before you can use it (and TWC really REALLY doesn't like to provision service to customer-owned modems, but I understand they are required to now by law).

[psubill78]

I'm in Kenosha, and pay for the "turbo" package...

Should I be seeing more than 768k up?

Seems like not everyone was upgraded!?!

[Tom Snyder]

I'm in Kenosha, and pay for the "turbo" package...

What's your speed down?