Help, my cable internet is moving like a 23K modem!

[Solus]

I can’t figure out what’s causing this. My wireless connection status says it’s speed is 54 Mbps and signal strength is good. Yet pages are loading like back in the days when I used free modem based connection, actually worse than that! I can barely browse a forum now. I’ve tried both firefox and even internet explorer and both are equally slow.

I don’t get what could be doing this besides a virus. Maybe it all started when
I begun downloading this huge torrent (50gb) but I’ve turned the client off
I’m sure it’s off and yet my connection speed is terrible!

Here’s what a speed test has to say: 139.9 / 58.7 KB/sec. This is ridiculous, I have to figure out a solution. I can’t even browse forums anymore. I've been typing this and all the images here haven't even loaded! Maybe something is leaching my connection but I've looked at the programs running and I don't see it.

Help would be appreciated.

 

[Macoy]

What anti-spyware programs do you use?

 

[Marc L]

If your wireless connection is like mine, I wouldn't listen to what it's saying. What it's saying when it tells you that it's connected is that it's connected to the wireless router, not to the internet itself. What you might want to do is hook your computer directly up to the cable modem itself in order to get a more accurate reading of your connection.

Also, try running Adaware and Spy-bot, especially if you've been running a torrent program. Chances are you've got a ton of spyware on your computer.

Marc

 

[Grimoire]

Here’s what a speed test has to say: 139.9 / 58.7 KB/sec. This is ridiculous, I have to figure out a solution. I can’t even browse forums anymore.

Check your wireless router and make sure no one is using it that shouldn't. If you've left it "open" like most people do, then it is possible that other people are leeching your wireless.

Get a software firewall. There are a number of free ones out there. They will tell you what applications are currently using the internet.

Try resetting your cable modem and your wireless router by powering off and then on again. Also try changing the channel on your wireless router. If there are lots of wireless routers in your area all using the same channel (such as 6), then they will all be competing for the same wireless bandwidth.

Of course make sure you running anti-virus software and anti-spyware. I use Grisoft AVG for anti-virus, and SpyBot Search & Destroy and Lavasoft Adaware for anti-spyware. Although all three apps are free, it can sometimes be a bit of a quest to actually find the free version.

Just on a side note: 139.9 KB/sec isn't too horrible. It is equivalent to 1.093Mbps, unless you mistakenly put in an uppercase B instead of a lower case one. It makes a huge difference (factor of 8).

 

[Solus]

I forgot my critical thinking and jumped the gun a bit on this one. My dad was having the same problems with the internet I found out; The problem is the ISP. Must have been maintenance or something but it things are smooth sailing once again.

A question about routers though. I am now wondering about this. The closest house to my router is over 60ft away (rough guess) the rest are way over a hundred feet away. Could someone be able to access my network from that distance? I've never bothered to put a password on the router access because no one would be close enough to tap into it. I would think?

 

[Grimoire]

A question about routers though. I am now wondering about this. The closest house to my router is over 60ft away (rough guess) the rest are way over a hundred feet away. Could someone be able to access my network from that distance? I've never bothered to put a password on the router access because no one would be close enough to tap into it. I would think?

It is possible for someone that far away to use it. It would depend on a lot of things though, such as both router and client antenna placement, power, antenna gain, angle of the antenna, weather, type of insulation in both buildings, day of the week, etc. Given that you can't know for certain, it is worth password protecting.

 

[Apathia]

I'm wondering if the name of your ISP is "Cox?"
Same story here yesterday and the day before. (Here = Tempe, Arizona)
At first I thought it was my computer, but then found others having the same issues of <dail-up speed or no access at all. Cox finaly confessed to "difficulties in the network."

 

[BenK]

Bad ISPs list, apparently Cox limits massive downloaders.

 

[Gord_in_Toronto]

. . . .

A question about routers though. I am now wondering about this. The closest house to my router is over 60ft away (rough guess) the rest are way over a hundred feet away. Could someone be able to access my network from that distance? I've never bothered to put a password on the router access because no one would be close enough to tap into it. I would think?

There are bad people who cruise around in their cars looking for open wireless router access points. They then do such things as download a load of hardcore porn. The IP address, if the authorities come looking, is yours.

Use a wired connection if at all possible. Turn on all possible security on the router (change to admin password as well) and, if you must use wireless, turn off the router or disconnect from the internet if you are not using it.

 

[Solus]

I have to thank some of you for pointing out that it would still be possible for another person to leech my wireless connection even at distances greater than a few feet. I feel really stupid but I never tried or knew about accessing my router’s control. I tried that two days ago and the password had been changed from the manufacturer's default… Fortunately I could just reset the router by pressing the switch behind it. I found out two computers had been leeching my network.

I changed the router password, set it so only my MAC address and the downstairs computer could only access it, and finally to be on the extra safe side I put a network password in place. I think I'm even going to put foil around the router's antenna next.

Look at my connection speed now! Download 3867 Kb/s Upload speed 429 Kb/s
Compare that to what is was: download speed 139.9 Kb/s upload speed 58.7 Kb/sec

I can't believe I could be so ignorant about this.

What bothered me immensely is that if one those leeches downloaded child pornography my family could be assumed liable for it as the government would see it going through my router. Also I do my own banking and more importantly my stepfather does his banking online so that information is available to any wannabe hacker doing “Wardriving” (Driving around with a laptop looking for networks to access).

I spent Thursday night educating myself all about routers, wireless networks and the attacks used against them. I’m amazed I could be this ignorant, perfect for a critical thinking forum. This is what happens when you automatically ASSUME something. I assumed my wireless network was too distant to be accessed and that was the end of ever thinking about it again. Until a few days ago I never did.

I honestly (briefly) considered reopening my network in the future. With some time to study how to do it. I’m sure I could learn how to remotely access the leeches’ computers I would then teach them a lesson, by formatting their hard drive. That is sadly very illegal, it may be the moral thing to do but it’s not the LEGAL thing to do and that is all that matters to me. I think it's even a felony. Let me be 100% clear my network is permanently locked and I’m not even going to try to learn how to “hack” into the leeches computers. It’s illegal I’d go to jail end of story. I am though going to write some letters and put them in the mailboxes of those I suspect leeched my network (legal). Now if they want access they can pay me for it and sign a contact. 100$ for access again and after that 5$ or 10$ per month.

I do want to check this though... Is it legal to monitor my router traffic? I can get software that will show me what sites the leechers are browsing. That would be interesting as I could then determine which houses are doing the leeching. I'd leave my network open and just watch.

 

[Solus]

I'm wondering if the name of your ISP is "Cox?"
Same story here yesterday and the day before. (Here = Tempe, Arizona)
At first I thought it was my computer, but then found others having the same issues of <dail-up speed or no access at all. Cox finaly confessed to "difficulties in the network."

No, my ISP is Timewarner cable now (was adelphia). They are the parent company of AOL... I better not start getting lousy service all the time. I hope this isn't a sign of things to come.

 

[Solus]

Oh what a pity the poor network leecher's connection has been broken again how sad... I have a new a hobby now it's basically screwing around with my router whenever I'm online.

I'll unlock my router then I'll set it to a 100% transmission rate so the leecher can get the signal then I"ll give him a few minutes and cut him off. It's a shame I'm not easily able to read his signal, I'd like to see what he's doing online.

I want to send him a greeting though, hello leecher are you enjoying stealing my connection . Anyone know how I can do that? I could find out but it would take hours of searching to get good information. I can't understand though why I can't access all the network traffic going through my own router though. It's the stupid type of router I have.

One funny thing I've set it to endlessly ping his computer if I him see online.
I can also remotely turn his computer on on via the router setup page. I guess ghosts are messing with him.

"Oh sorry VIG-MW8 I seemed to have deleted your network lease by accident, my bad. Don't worry though there will be much more fun for you in the future as you enjoy stealing my connection so much. I can't destroy your hard drive but I can play around with you as I like (legal as long as I don't access his computer)."

Be funny if everything you browsed went to a midget porn images or whatever the filthiest thing I can find would be. I think I'll work on that one tomorrow. I know I can set it so he goes straight to an image I set. That's easier maybe I can redirect him to photo website with my letter posted.

upsidedowninternet If I can figure out how this guy did it then I can redirect the leecher to my letter.

I'll send him a message:

Hello network leecher, I see you enjoy stealing. I know where you live and I"m just screwing around with you now. You can use my router when I feel like opening it but expect strange things to happen... OR you can pay me for the use of my network 200$ to start with then 5$ a month. You will have limited usage though completely on my terms. You must also install software I send you so I can monitor your activities more easily. If you are stealing my connection by accident it's still theft and I hope you will know the right thing to do in this situation... It's actually starting to become a crime what you are doing. Well send me an email @myemail.com and we can talk about this some more, or you can continue using my network but ah you might find odd things happening... Router has a mind of it's own sometimes I can't help it.

 

[Solus]

Ok, I can change the startup script for my router all I need is a template to use and then I can insert the website that I want the leecher to visit. In this case my personal letter. I need to get that script... google help me out here.