ISP recommendations for Xbox Live

xtreme_Zr2

xtreme_Zr2

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Best forum I could find to post this in without going to the OT forum.

Here is my trouble - (I hope some other Virginians can relate). My internet provider is now Shentel, used to be JetBroadband who got bought out by Shentel. I'm currently paying for the 8 MB cable internet service and feel like I'm getting extremely ripped off.

Netflix will often stop and say your internet speed is too slow to play this content, etc. I've recently started playing MW2 again and hit my breaking point. 8 shots to the chest on a guy didn't register so then I knife him and slide ride through him (who then knifes me in the back).

I've run a speedtest and got a 1.2 D/L speed, however I'm just going to switch because the issue is getting progressively worse.

Does anyone use DSL with Verizon? There is also the potential for Comcast around here, however they seem a little expensive.

For the networkers:
The cable comes into a cable modem, which then goes into a wireless router. I've got the xbox hooked into the wireless router through an ethernet cord (only one port on the cable modem).

Thanks for everyone's help.
 
1.2 DL? You are getting ripped off, you should call your ISP to complain, it's possible there is a problem somewhere. Also you are sure you aren't sharing your bandwith via someone leeching off your wireless network?

Just switched to Comcast from Verizon DSL (DSL was about 1.5, I used netflix and xbox live fine, upgraded to Comcast Cable due to getting multiple streaming methods and I didn't want my xbox live to degrade due to my wife streaming netflix). I get about 15 down / 3 up from comcast (In the boston, ma area), with the bundled internet/phone/cable promotional pricing for 2 yrs, I am paying less than when I had DSL from verizon.
 
You can read this if you want to understand the technical-side of why you are having issues.

"If you are one of the first users to connect to the Internet through a particular cable channel, then you may have nearly the entire bandwidth of the channel available for your use. As new users, especially heavy-access users, are connected to the channel, you will have to share that bandwidth, and may see your performance degrade as a result."
Click to expand...
On a DSL line, it is slower but the speed is consistent as it is not shared like with a cable modem as mentioned above.
 
[quote name='seen']You can read this if you want to understand the technical-side of why you are having issues.

On a DSL line, it is slower but the speed is consistent as it is not shared like with a cable modem as mentioned above.[/QUOTE]

Yeah, I really don't understand all the hate DSL gets. Maybe it USED to be inferior, but many places offer DSL 2.0 now, which to me seems vastly superior to cable. Where I'm at now, they offer up to 30/30 mbps DSL for $69.99 a month.

We're only on 10 mbps, but I notice it performing much better than the 10 mbps I just moved from which was through Charter cable...and it's cheaper too (we paid $54.99 a month for Charter's 10 mbps). I've run speed tests and always get the EXACT same results regardless of what time it is too. With Charter, I'd get anywhere between 6 mbps to 10 mbps depending on what time it was. I'd rather have a dedicated 10 mbps line than a 20 mbps line I get throttled on because it's overcrowded.
 
[quote name='seen']You can read this if you want to understand the technical-side of why you are having issues.

On a DSL line, it is slower but the speed is consistent as it is not shared like with a cable modem as mentioned above.[/QUOTE]


that was a big issue in the early days of broadband... article was written years ago...

with most bigger cable companies it's not a problem anymore tho.
 
[quote name='Afflicted']that was a big issue in the early days of broadband... article was written years ago...

with most bigger cable companies it's not a problem anymore tho.[/QUOTE]

Bullshit. I've experienced it personally, and here's an article from this past March claiming that it's still a problem.

http://www.high-speed-internet-access-guide.com/dsl-vs-cable.html

Shared Bandwidth / Security

Your DSL connection is never shared between your location and the nearest DSL hub or central office. The bandwidth to your Cable ISP is shared by you and all the other Internet users in your area using the same service. Cable providers insist that this won't affect your connection speeds, but many consumers complain that it does.
Click to expand...
Ultimately, it's going to depend on your location and what's available in your area. Not everybody has access to high end DSL, not everyone has access to fiber optics, not everyone lives in a place where the cable provider doesn't throttle the shit out of you, etc. But I refuse to believe that one is just "inferior".
 
I'd ask your neighbors what provider they're using and whether or not they're seeing their internet drop out frequently. Then just go with what they're using if they say it's stable and they're getting the speeds they paid for (Assuming they know that much). It's going to vary from area to area and DSL or Cable doesn't really matter. Just don't ever think about getting Satellite internet.
 
I use DSL because it's the only game in town, and I've noticed recent speedtests I only get .62M when i'm supposed to get 1.5M

Can you get DSL without a land line? I ask because when I move I'm considering it and just keeping my cell phone. It would be an extra $30 to get a land line which would make it a wash over cable.
 
[quote name='2DMention']I use DSL because it's the only game in town, and I've noticed recent speedtests I only get .62M when i'm supposed to get 1.5M

Can you get DSL without a land line? I ask because when I move I'm considering it and just keeping my cell phone. It would be an extra $30 to get a land line which would make it a wash over cable.[/QUOTE]

Where I'm at, you can (I'm with Northstate). And it's only an additional $5 to get DSL without having a landline, which to me seems reasonable (when I had Charter internet, I didn't want cable, and they charged $15 extra per month). If the only DSL you have available is 1.5 though, I don't know if it would be worth it. That is pretty damn slow and probably wouldn't give you much in terms of streaming or gaming.
 
[quote name='n8rockerasu'] If the only DSL you have available is 1.5 though, I don't know if it would be worth it. That is pretty damn slow and probably wouldn't give you much in terms of streaming or gaming.[/QUOTE]

I don't know, I was able to game and stream netflix fine with just 1.5, just not at the same time.
 
[quote name='Afflicted']that was a big issue in the early days of broadband... article was written years ago...

with most bigger cable companies it's not a problem anymore tho.[/QUOTE]

I don't know how big these guys are, but I don't think they are that big. I did another speed test this afternoon, bypassed the wireless modem and just hooked into to the cable modem - was a 1.02.

The site saves your test and last summer I recorded a 8.2 MB. I didn't notice any real trouble until this buyout from Shentel. I'm going to call them on Monday, but I'm going to be a cynic and guess they'll probably have no idea what a speedtest is...much less give it any credibility. If I don't get any answers from them I'll call Verizon and tell them I'm thinking about jumping ship and see what they can offer me.
 
[quote name='2DMention']I use DSL because it's the only game in town, and I've noticed recent speedtests I only get .62M when i'm supposed to get 1.5M

Can you get DSL without a land line? I ask because when I move I'm considering it and just keeping my cell phone. It would be an extra $30 to get a land line which would make it a wash over cable.[/QUOTE]

To answer your first question on the slow speed, I'd call technical support and ask for a level 2 technician then ask for them to do "line maintenance" specifically "locking and unlocking" your port. In layman's terms reset your internet connection from their end; that should resolve your slowness if you have had faster speeds in the past.

As n8rockerasu said, there is "naked dsl" or "dryloop dsl" which is what you are looking for; some providers do offer it but its all based on the location.
 
DSL stunk the few times I tried. But it was the old DSL and only went up to 3.0 down, and I seldom got that.

I had comcast for years, and it was ok other than outages. I didn't get much slow down. When I had 6.0 down it was usually that or above in speed tests, maybe drop down to 4.5-5.0 during peak hours when the kids got home from school etc. 12.0 down was always 10 or above.

I actually have no idea what type of internet I have now--probably newer DSL I guess. It's 10.0 down from DirecPatch--it's included in the condo fees and we just have one Ethernet jack on the wall. Works great so I've never bothered looking into the specifics of it.
 
Cable modem connectivity usually gives you the ability to have higher speeds to the Internet, as it's topping out at 60MBps in some areas, though as other people have stated, you're sharing the connectivity with people in some logical area near to your house. If you have a lot of heavy downloaders in your area or the like, your speed will drop a bit.

DSL is point-to-point between you and your ISP/telco, so it's always going to be your exclusive bandwith. FIOS / UVerse works the same was, though with fiber connections.

I've had DSL from AT&T with 3MBps and never had any issues with Xbox Live. I've switched to 18Mbps UVerse and also have no issues with Xbox Live.

Naked DSL is a cheaper option, since it'll be $5-$10 more than without a voice line, and the average voice line is about $20-$25 if you need voice service.

I'd echo the suggestions of the other posters in the thread, I'd have someone out to your residence and have them check the speed of the cable modem, since it sounds like you're getting stiffed on speeds. I'd have them try it in the morning, when there's less in the way of people using the service, so you get a better idea of the issues. The cable modem could be defective, which would be one possible issue for your speed problems. The technician will have a testing set they'll hook to your cable to figure out what the possible issues might be, plus, they can measure it from outside of your residence as well as inside. There could be issues with splitters, inside wiring and a number of other issues that could be causing the problems inside of your house.

If you want to swap providers to DSL from Verizon or cable from Comcast, make sure you get something with at least 3.0Mbps downstream speeds, for cable, at least 5-10 Mbps downstream. Check your options for pricing and see which one seems like the best option.
 
Good to know you can get DSL w/o a land line.

And I can stream netflix just fine, even when I'm at .62M

I did a speedtest again, and it's even slower now, .38.

COuld it be something to do with my computer/router?
 
[quote name='2DMention']Good to know you can get DSL w/o a land line.

And I can stream netflix just fine, even when I'm at .62M

I did a speedtest again, and it's even slower now, .38.

COuld it be something to do with my computer/router?[/QUOTE]

Well, if you're running the speed test from a wireless connection, it could vary greatly depending on the strength of your signal. To get accurate results, you really should plug directly into your modem. But are you sure you're reading the download speed and not the upload speed? .38 seems ridiculous. Do you have time to make a sandwich while web pages are loading? lol j/k
 
[quote name='n8rockerasu']Well, if you're running the speed test from a wireless connection, it could vary greatly depending on the strength of your signal. To get accurate results, you really should plug directly into your modem. But are you sure you're reading the download speed and not the upload speed? .38 seems ridiculous. Do you have time to make a sandwich while web pages are loading? lol j/k[/QUOTE]

Nope, it's hardwired into the router.

It seems fast enough for me. Although I don't play games online hardly.

Edit: Back up to .68M. The closest test is IA, that might make quite a difference.
 
I'm getting 2.2 down or something like that with Verizon DSL after I switched to their faster service level (at same cost, with a new contract) and have been pretty happy with that, but still oggling FiOS. It's definitely better at the high speed level, though, and will do the trick for now. Netflix seems to be working well for us now - it was very problematic at the slower speed service, which was in the 1.x range. Still, I'd vote for going with FiOS.
 
As a Marylander, Verizon DSL will get the job done, and that's about it. Nothing fancy, but it's perfectly fine for XBL and Netflix streaming. At least you know when you pay for a certain speed, you're going to get that speed (or close to it, anyways) consistently.
 
[quote name='shrike4242']
DSL is point-to-point between you and your ISP/telco, so it's always going to be your exclusive bandwith. FIOS / UVerse works the same was, though with fiber connections.
[/QUOTE]

When I had DSL the last time--granted it was way back in 2004 or 2005--it was 3.0 down. I'd get that speed in the morning and afternoon and very lat eat night.

But from like 3pm (kids home from school) through midnight or so it would slow way down to like 100-300kbps speeds. I spent a shit ton of time on the phone with Verizon, finally got upper level techs and they finally figured out it was just the local c/o servers (or whatever) in my area where over loaded.

They couldn't handle all the peak hour usage and keep speed up. They just ended up letting me out of my contract as they couldn't promise to upgrade it any time soon as that c/o wasn't a high priority area as most people had Comcast internet. That was in Laurel, MD--in between DC and Baltimore.

So unless that's changed, it is possible to get peak hour slow downs with DSL (and maybe Fios). In any case, it soured me DSL and verizon so that I'd be very hesitant to give them another chance given that I've never had much problems with outages or slow downs with cable internet.
 
[quote name='dmaul1114']When I had DSL the last time--granted it was way back in 2004 or 2005--it was 3.0 down. I'd get that speed in the morning and afternoon and very lat eat night.

But from like 3pm (kids home from school) through midnight or so it would slow way down to like 100-300kbps speeds. I spent a shit ton of time on the phone with Verizon, finally got upper level techs and they finally figured out it was just the local c/o servers (or whatever) in my area where over loaded.

They couldn't handle all the peak hour usage and keep speed up. They just ended up letting me out of my contract as they couldn't promise to upgrade it any time soon as that c/o wasn't a high priority area as most people had Comcast internet. That was in Laurel, MD--in between DC and Baltimore.

So unless that's changed, it is possible to get peak hour slow downs with DSL (and maybe Fios). In any case, it soured me DSL and verizon so that I'd be very hesitant to give them another chance given that I've never had much problems with outages or slow downs with cable internet.[/QUOTE]

That is completely opposite of my experience. I saw that with cable internet, but I've never seen that with DSL. DSL has also been pretty much rock solid for me with very, very few downtimes. I can't even remember the last time it was down. It's been years.
 
Yeah, I'm sure it's just something that varies by area.

My cable internet would slow down some during peak hours. But it wasn't any problem going from 6.0 or above to 4.5 or from 12.0 to 10.0 etc. So I didn't mind.

The only times I had issues with cable internet is when there were problems in external wires in the area that were causing slow downs and outages and it taking several calls and visits to convince them that it wasn't a modem or internal wiring issue. But I really only had that at one of the 4 or 5 places I've lived and had cable internet.

And I do think the slow down thing with the DSL was an isolated incident. It was just a problem at one c/o location in one town that was overloaded and was not a high priority to upgrade as they were working on installing fiber optics etc.
 
[quote name='shrike4242'] I've had DSL from AT&T with 3MBps and never had any issues with Xbox Live. I've switched to 18Mbps UVerse and also have no issues with Xbox Live.[/QUOTE]

How do you get 18 Mbps UVerse? I only see options up to 3Mbps on their website. Possibly varies by the area? I'm not exactly in the boonies, being in the OKC area.
 
Yes, speeds provided by ISP very by areas.

When I was in the DC areas in summer 2009 I could only get up to 8 Mbps from Comcast. When I moved to ATL that July I got 12 Mbps for less than I was paying for 8. Same with DSL etc. Just a matter of where they've upgraded their networks first.

Smaller cities like OKC and DC aren't going to often get upgrades until after the much larger metro areas have gotten them as they'll focus on where they have the most customers first.
 
[quote name='crunchewy']That is completely opposite of my experience. I saw that with cable internet, but I've never seen that with DSL. DSL has also been pretty much rock solid for me with very, very few downtimes. I can't even remember the last time it was down. It's been years.[/QUOTE]

Yeah, same here. When I had Charter cable internet, it would just go down randomly. It used to drive me nuts because I'd waste time cycling my router and modem, checking connections, etc, only to discover that it had nothing to do with me. We'd have stretches of up to 12 hours with a dead connection.

And then any time I had a speed issue or reported drop outs (ie. their modem losing its connection), they'd treat me like an idiot and tell me to buy a new router. I guess everyone has their own horror story with ISPs though. Like finding a good garage, you just gotta ask around and figure out who has the best service in your area.
 
Yep. ISPs generally have awful customer service, and it just completely varies by area (even with in the same city or metro area!) on who has the most reliable service since it's all dependent on the quality of the wiring in the neighborhood, whether the local servers you're connected to are upgraded or overloaded with users etc.
 
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[quote name='HydroX']How do you get 18 Mbps UVerse? I only see options up to 3Mbps on their website. Possibly varies by the area? I'm not exactly in the boonies, being in the OKC area.[/QUOTE]UVerse speeds depend on the area that you're in and the distance you are to the DSLAM/CO. UVerse is ASDL2+, with fiber from their network to the DSLAM/CO and then copper to the premises.

Someone else in the St. Louis area that I know also has UVerse, though only up to 6MBps.

AT&T is supposed to be upgrading their network as time goes on, as they're not putting anything else into DSL except maintaining it until they can get UVerse out across their entire network. Once that happens, speeds should be going up across the board. That's supposedly a multi-year plan, though something to look forward to for the future.
 
I get pissed off everytime I see Verizon telling me that they are "upgrading their networks to FiOS" with the implication being that DSL is going away... except that it's a "voluntary upgrade". Hmm. Of course I'd love to upgrade to FiOS... just bring that price down and you've got a deal.
 
[quote name='crunchewy']I get pissed off everytime I see Verizon telling me that they are "upgrading their networks to FiOS" with the implication being that DSL is going away... except that it's a "voluntary upgrade". Hmm. Of course I'd love to upgrade to FiOS... just bring that price down and you've got a deal.[/QUOTE]

I don't know what they charge for FiOS but I have been actively checking on it for the past 4 years or so and it still isn't available in my area :cry:

I would love to have those speeds though. Instead I'm stuck with my cable ISP.
 
I love my fios. It's a little expensive, sure, but my wife and I can watch 2 simultaneous HD netflix streams and both be browsing the internet as well with no noticeable slowdown.

also a good router, and the correct settings (router side and PC side) can make all the difference in internet speeds.
 
[quote name='mang9432']I love my fios. It's a little expensive, sure, but my wife and I can watch 2 simultaneous HD netflix streams and both be browsing the internet as well with no noticeable slowdown.
[/QUOTE]

And I was just going to post that I wondered what people (aside from pirates) needed the crazy high speeds for! Good example!

Myself, I have had 6, 12, and 10 Mbps over the past couple of years and really don't notice much difference. Other than some 360 DLC, I hardly ever download anything over 10MBss--some itunes updates etc. are more like 100MBs I guess.

Streaming video on Netflix I never noticed any difference. All speeds got full 4 bar signals on HD content with no buffering after starting.

But I've mostly lived alone (did have 2 roommates back when I had the 6mbps internet, but I don't think either used Netflix etc.) so I hadn't thought about the simultaneous user issue.
 
[quote name='seen']To answer your first question on the slow speed, I'd call technical support and ask for a level 2 technician then ask for them to do "line maintenance" specifically "locking and unlocking" your port. In layman's terms reset your internet connection from their end; that should resolve your slowness if you have had faster speeds in the past.

As n8rockerasu said, there is "naked dsl" or "dryloop dsl" which is what you are looking for; some providers do offer it but its all based on the location.[/QUOTE]


Thought I'd post an update. You hit the nail on the head with the level 2 support, had to go through level 1 first, do a power cycle, etc. and then sent me to level 2.

Upon the L2 looking at it, he said it was definitely a problem on their end. He was extremely surprised at the speedtest we did over the phone (1.3 down) and forwarded it along to the network engineers. I mentioned the unlocking ports from their end and he said they don't ever throttle on their end (LOL), then quickly apologized for the poor choice of words. They seemed extremely friendly though, which means he is genuinely extremely friendly, or it was like an OH fuck moment, this guy's internet is extremely screwed up.

He said they'll typically get to these things within a few hours, I'll post back when I know more.
 
We can stream netflix on our 2.x DSL just fine, but if somebody tries to browse the web at the same time it's dog slow. This happens not infrequently in our house, especially with two kids who often want to watch SpongeBob or scooby doo. :) So, yes, I'd like FiOS. I'd say cable, but I'm done with Comcast and I'm not going back. Ever.
 
Now that I think about it, I don't really need more than 3M.

I'm usually the only one in the house that uses it at a time, I'm not a pirate that DL's shitons of stuff, I hardly ever play games online. When I DL stuff, it's hardly ever more than 300Megs on XBL. Does playing anything other than an FPS even take up that much bandwidth?

Streaming is just fine with Netflix, I don't need HD and don't have an HDTV anyway. I usually watch it on the Wii.

Did another speedtest and got 1.11M at 7:30 pm. Crazy.
 
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Keep in mind that speedtest.net and the like only give an estimate of actual speed. For example if the test server is swamped at the time you run the test that will affect the result. It gives you the idea, but it's not perfect.
 
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