What's your Internet Speed and how much speed matters? (1 Viewer)

[Stan]

I've tested it multiple times, it has always hit at least 800Mb on upload. This really helps with a lot of the remote work I do.

When I was working from home (maybe ten hours actually at the office each month) I had a 100Mb connection with Comcast. Loved tele-commuting, but will never use that company again.

But being semi-retired, I've become much more patient, don't download movies or anything huge so my exciting 3Mb with CenturyLink is actually adequate. Heck of a lot better than dial-up . The only issue is with sites that have a ton of pop-up ads and videos, but I just stop visiting them, life goes on. Sometimes I actually contact the companies in the pop-ups saying that just from the annoyance factor I'll never do business with them. Some ads have vanished, not taking credit for it, but you never know.

Oddly our local paper is the worst, but they did get rid of what I called "sliders". If your cursor just came near it, an entire ad would sweep across the screen. Had to move the cursor very carefully to not touch the "danger zone".

A bit faster would be nice, but CenturyLink just says "you're on the list" of areas to be upgraded. No time-line, could be years.

 

[Clinton McClure]

I was finally able to get 10Mbps down / 1Mbps up cable internet installed.

 

[Tony Bensley]

My ISP is an independent. They used to be really good but have tried to expand their service area too much and now they can't provide service to their core subscribers. I heard about a cable company that recently started offering cable internet in my area so I called them and they are supposed to do a site survey/install this coming Thursday and put me on a 10Mbps package for about half what I'm currently paying. I did some online research and they have pretty poor ratings but one of my friends who lives in the same city as me got their service back in the spring and said he has no complaints. Also a neighbor across the street went with their service about a month ago and said it's tons better than the provider I am using now. We'll see what happens Thursday.

I suppose your unfortunate situation with the independent isp is something that we should consider when we relocate in a few months. Insofar as the main 2 providers down London Ontario way, in my experience, neither are any great shakes, and our experience with Bell wasn't good. Unfortunately for us, our current provider, Cogeco doesn't service the London area. If we decide against the independents, it'll likely be Rogers by default.

Anyway Clinton, all the best with your new isp! Sometimes we just have to make the best of what's available.

CHEERS!

I was finally able to get 10Mbps down / 1Mbps up cable internet installed.

Glad to hear that you were able to get another isp that's able to provide you with somewhat better service for less. 10 Mbps download speed still seems pretty slow in my book, but you take whatever you can get, I suppose.

As for us, it doesn't appear that we'll be relocating out of our current area after all, at least not this year. Disappointing on my end for a number of reasons that I won't go into here, but at least we won't have to worry about finding a new provider, for the time being - Silver linings!

CHEERS!

 

[Clinton McClure]

I take any win I can.

My new service is costing me $50/mo which is still highway robbery for 10Mbps but easier to swallow than $100/mo for 6Mbps.

 

[Tony Bensley]

I take any win I can.

My new service is costing me $50/mo which is still highway robbery for 10Mbps but easier to swallow than $100/mo for 6Mbps.

$100 a month for 6 Mbps download speed?

And I thought Ma Bell was bad! When we were using them, 5 Mbps was all we could get, but it wasn't $100 for just the internet service, either!

I really HATE the way some of these companies bleed consumers dry in exchange for crappy service, just because they happen to reside in a low competition area!

Glad you were able to get a somewhat better deal, Clint. It's definitely still no great shakes, but it is what it is.

CHEERS!

 

[Stan]

I'm still at 50/50. I haven't had time to talk to Verizon about mid-contract gigabit upgrade. But practically I don't need that speed, and am ok with 50/50. And I don't really need to add another $20+/mo to my bill. Maybe this Winter when work slows down, I'll check into 1000/1000.

The worst company to deal with. Got a smart-phone and signed up with Verizon. Billed $1100 the first month for maybe 25 phone calls (I still keep a land-line for most calls). They agreed to drop it to $600 and I still refuse to pay.

For anybody reading this thread, stay away from Verizon, horrible company.

One of my best experiences was with Comcast/Xfinity, but even they eventually failed. So many providers out there, but they all suck in one way or another.

 

[Stan]

Strange thing, running Windows 10, so MS is always pushing "Edge". I thought my internet connection was the issue, massive slowdowns, freeze-ups, it was horrible. Often had to power down and re-boot just to get my laptop to run again.

Switched to Firefox, not a single problem. Even with a fairly slow connection it works great.

Edge just needs to go away. Don't know what they're doing, but it sucks.

 

[Dennis Nicholls]

Maybe it's time to refresh some of the data here.

My ISP is Sparklight (formerly CableOne). I just upgraded from 100 mbs down to 600 mbs down. The price only changed from $55/mo to $60/mo. I probably don't need all the new speed but that's the lowest tier upgrade on offer. I bought a new modem (Arris SB8200) on an Amazon warehouse deal which was my only other cost for the upgrade.

I think that Sparklight is trying to phase out the old heritage plans, e.g. the 100 mbs service.

 

[Clinton McClure]

Mine changed also. In the spring of 2020, we moved 15 miles down the highway from a farming community of 500 people to a 3-college city of over 60,000. I immediately signed us up for ConwayCorp internet (the local ISP) and we get 1Gbps down / 100Mbps up for $89+tax every month, purely unlimited data. I could step up to their 2Gbps package for an additional ~$35/mo but I can’t cost justify it.

 

[John Dirk]

Mine changed also. In the spring of 2020, we moved 15 miles down the highway from a farming community of 500 people to a 3-college city of over 60,000. I immediately signed us up for ConwayCorp internet (the local ISP) and we get 1Gbps down / 100Mbps up for $89+tax every month, purely unlimited data. I could step up to their 2Gbps package for an additional ~$35/mo but I can’t cost justify it.

You went from 10Mbps to 1 Gig? WOW!!! So glad to hear that. I remember when we were discussing this a few years back and I couldn't believe what you were being offered where you lived. 1 Gig is probably way more than you can actually use but you deserve it!

 

[ManW_TheUncool]

You went from 10Mbps to 1 Gig? WOW!!! So glad to hear that. I remember when we were discussing this a few years back and I couldn't believe what you were being offered where you lived. 1 Gig is probably way more than you can actually use but you deserve it!

Yeah, I get ~480Mbps down now, and that's definitely plenty... but it's really the upstream that I'd like to get more. Would definitely love to get the 100Mbps upstream @Clinton McClure gets... particularly for uploading good quality videos I occasionally share. Still, I now get ~23Mbps upstream (and it only costs me $50/month... for now), which is much better than what I used to get...

_Man_

 

[Clinton McClure]

This is typical wifi speed in the house. It’s not wired for ethernet so I use an Eero Pro setup.

 

[Clinton McClure]

I forgot to post a screen cap of speeds directly from the Eero app. This is from my Eero gateway connected to the cable modem.

 

[Johnny Angell]

Now I’m suffering speed envy.

 

[Clinton McClure]

Now I’m suffering speed envy.

One of my school mates who also lives in Conway and works at the “Fruit Stand™“ on Chenal (as he casually refers to it) just upped to the 2Gbps speed tier. He also has three kids who game online simultaneously while he’s either streaming 4K or podcasting.

 

[John Dirk]

One of my school mates who also lives in Conway and works at the “Fruit Stand™“ on Chenal (as he casually refers to it) just upped to the 2Gbps speed tier. He also has three kids who game online simultaneously while he’s either streaming 4K or podcasting.

Hopefully he also upgraded his entire network infrastructure. Support for speeds greater than 1Gig require some special planning and wouldn't typically be available in most consumer-level products.

 

[Clinton McClure]

Hopefully he also upgraded his entire network infrastructure. Support for speeds greater than 1Gig require some special planning and wouldn't typically be available in most consumer-level products.

His home was built in the 1920s and is just shy of 1300 square feet. Like mine, it’s not wired for Ethernet but does have quad shielded RG6 coax under the floors with drops in every bedroom and the living room, which is where it enters the house. I believe he’s using an ISP-supplied Hitron DOCSIS 3.1 modem/router (mine is a Hitron DOCSIS 3.0 modem/router but I disabled the wifi radio) and he has MOCA 2.5 adapters in play in the bedrooms taking advantage of his coax runs under the floor. He also recently converted a storage shed in his backyard to a recording studio and buried an RG6 coax out to it. The ISP did him right with what equipment he needed and his network is ultra fast and rock solid.

 

[John Dirk]

The ISP did him right with what equipment he needed and his network is ultra fast and rock solid.

The equipment is fine but his network would be just as robust at the 1Gig tier. Unless he has a 2nd router in service he'll never use more than that.

 

[Clinton McClure]

The equipment is fine but his network would be just as robust at the 1Gig tier. Unless he has a 2nd router in service he'll never use more than that.

Agreed. 1Gbps would be fine but who’s happy with just “fine”?

 

[JohnRice]

Agreed. 1Gbps would be fine but who’s happy with just “fine”?

I think John’s point it that they’re paying for 2Gb with no possibility of getting it.