download speed dropping

anyone know about download speeds suddenly dropping radically shortly after logging into a streaming video site? that site told me the problem is with my provider. the provider tells they have some problems and are working on it. Also I have read elsewhere that providers are restricting bandwidth to "power" users to spread it around to more customers. Is this related? How do I keep my speeds up? I am using cable internet and a netgear wireless router and a motorola modem

 

In short your cable company is correct, if you use to much for to long they start to limit you more and more, now judging on how you asked the question i am assuming that you have some technical background knowledge, so here is what i suggest to try. open command prompt, and run it as an administrator, if using Windows 7. now in the command prompt type the following commands without the leading number, and quotes of course and in the order i listed them.

1 "ipconfig" (please copy this text and save it into a notepad file and attach it to your reply.)

2 "ipconfig /Release"(there is a space between the g and /)

3 "ipconfig /renew"(there is a space between the g and /)

4 "ipconfig /flushdns"(there is a space between the g and /)

5 "ipconfig /registerdns"(there is a space between the g and /)

Then restart your computer, this should help, if not call your cable company back and see if your modem is outdated and tell them that you would like them to reset your modem, they can force it to reset remotely.

Hope this helps

 

If your getting traffic shaped from your isp, theres nothing you can do to prevent/stop that from happening other then switch isps. Generally machine speeds dropping are from one of two factors, an infected computer localy, or damage to line equipment that provides you with internet. I would suggest running through the malware thread and getting your machine checked out, and assuming your isp has checked out your link, if not thats another route to go down.

 

if by "shortly" you mean 5 minutes into it, i don't think it's your provider. A power user is the top few percent of users for a provider. Are you talking about streaming on something like netflix or a video share site? Something that streams in very high def? Do you have this on more than 2 hours per day? Do you use your connection intensely? by that I mean in the order of 30 HD movies streamed per month, more than a few hours of online gaming per day, use that would put you in the top tier of users?

I maybe sound doubtful because I am doubtful. Who is the ISP? Are you using any of their connection software? I'm particularly NOT fond of Comcast and their suite of *ehem* "tools". My brother and I have twin laptops that I configured. His connection is supposed to be several times faster than mine, but his laptop crawls. I have to go there and uninstall the comcast tools again.

 

You might might to check out http://broadband.mpi-sws.org/transparency/bttest.php called Glasnost
Where you can test your ISP for traffic shaping.

 

Wow! ok all, thanks for all that! I will try these in the order i have received them. That seems to follow the steps most logically. Let you know how it goes