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Checking the Internet connection

Started by Ianab, October 17, 2021, 01:15:26 AM

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Ianab

Got an email from our ISP the other day, saying that due to "blah blah" our plan was going up by $1 a month. No big deal, it was about US $80 for 200 / 20  mbit fibre. 

But in the small print they said we could change plans if we wanted to, we are out of the 12 month contract for the fibre install / original free router etc. 

Hmmm.... our existing plan doesn't exist, and their current "Max" plan is actually cheaper if you have your own router. (we do as the existing one is compatible - I checked). So while they were quite happy to roll over our plan, and keep charging the same.. there were options. 

Woohoo. Now on US $70 plan, with these speeds.  8)



 

Tested on a server in the US, it's more like 600 / 400, but that's still pretty good. Fair to say any connection slowdowns won't be at our end. The plan also includes HD Netflix. (Just need an HD TV ::)  )

We are seeing some Starlink kits coming through the Post depot, but they will be going to more remote locations. Some places Satellite is the only real option, and it does work. But it can't compete with a fibre connection. 
Weekend warrior, Peterson JP test pilot, Dolmar 7900 and Stihl MS310 saws and  the usual collection of power tools :)

SwampDonkey

I've got 10/1 here, you're smoke'n. :D  Truth be told, I've never needed more than that for what I do. I can watch TV and send email and web surf. That's all working fine. I'm on tower. They said they put up a new 5G tower nearby in Florenceville, we'll never get those speeds here. :D Government has given them $$millions at least 3 x's for service upgrades. Never happened, money in their pocket.
"No amount of belief makes something a fact." James Randi

1 Thessalonians 5:21

2020 Polaris Ranger 570 to forward firewood, Husqvarna 555 XT Pro, Stihl FS560 clearing saw and continuously thinning my ground, on the side. Grow them trees. (((o)))

HemlockKing

Is 900mbps REALLY fast? When I got internet here it was just cable high speed he said 7/mbps(IIRC). People are saying the new fibre optic does 100mpbs? I would never need more than what I got now, plenty fast. Dial up on the other hand was not fun
A1

Ianab

Fibre can run faster than that, but 900 mbits is about as fast as consumer level connections get, and way more than we really need. ISPs may limit a fibre connection to a slower speed to reduce the cost, but 100 mbit is about the starting point now.  It's about the same speed as the house internal network.  Most internet servers, although they may have a faster net connection, it's being shared with dozens of other users. so can't actually move data that fast. But if I'm downloading new software or OS stuff(big files), no one else in the house notices. Likewise for uploading large video files, with the old DSL and a 1 mbit upload, it would cripple the internet for everyone else. Now it's not even maxing out the connection.
Weekend warrior, Peterson JP test pilot, Dolmar 7900 and Stihl MS310 saws and  the usual collection of power tools :)

chet

Be glad yer not in da UP of Michigan, Carrier Pigeons would be faster than many internet connections around here. Here's mine from a few nights ago. :(





So slow it copies sideways.  :D :D :D
I am a true TREE HUGGER, if I didnt I would fall out!  chet the RETIRED arborist

Dave Shepard

Our fiber in town is gigabit. I've seen 403/402 on my cell, and 950/946 tethered on laptop. No buffering.  :)

Recently I've seen 173/42 on 5G AT&T. I've also seen a lot of 40/.88, 42/1.3, etc. on 5G.  smiley_thumbsdown
Wood-Mizer LT40HDD51-WR Wireless, Kubota L48, Honda Rincon 650, TJ208 G-S, and a 60"LogRite!

Ljohnsaw

If I turn off NetFlix, I see 2.55mb/s down and .62 mb/s up.  DSL sucks.  I signed up for Starlink but still waiting...
John Sawicky

Just North-East of Sacramento...

SkyTrak 9038, Ford 545D FEL, Davis Little Monster backhoe, Case 16+4 Trencher, Home Built 42" capacity/36" cut Bandmill up to 54' long - using it all to build a timber frame cabin.

Don P


firefighter ontheside

Haven't tested my speed on Starlink recently, so I just did it.  I got 260 down and 20 up.  That's better than I've ever seen since we've had it.  Now, it's early in the morning so I assume that has something to do with it.
Woodmizer LT15
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1998 Dodge 3500 Flatbed

Sixacresand

Quote from: firefighter ontheside on October 18, 2021, 07:47:36 AM
Haven't tested my speed on Starlink recently, so I just did it.  I got 260 down and 20 up.  That's better than I've ever seen since we've had it.  Now, it's early in the morning so I assume that has something to do with it.


 
Not only is our provider slow, it has a monthly data limits.  Does Starlink imposed monthly data limits?  
"Sometimes you can make more hay with less equipment if you just use your head."  Tom, Forestry Forum.  Tenth year with a LT40 Woodmizer,

Ianab

My understanding is Starlink doesn't cap data, but speed may vary depending on how many users at that moment and satellite positions. They claim at least 50 mbit, and that's likely why they have been limiting the ground stations to keep that level. As more Sats are launched they can deploy more ground stations, and still keep that minimum speed. Because the Sats are low orbit they only serve a small area, so there will be low use times when you might get almost exclusive use of that Sat as it passes over, so you can see much higher speeds sometimes. 


Either way it's an order of magnitude better than the geostationary Sats that Hughesnet etc use. It wont beat a Good ground based connection on speed or cost, but lots of folks cant get 5g or fibre, and those are the market Starlink is going for. Even if they get 5% market share, that's millions of customers around the world.
Weekend warrior, Peterson JP test pilot, Dolmar 7900 and Stihl MS310 saws and  the usual collection of power tools :)

Sedgehammer

Quote from: Sixacresand on October 18, 2021, 09:03:31 AM
Quote from: firefighter ontheside on October 18, 2021, 07:47:36 AM
Haven't tested my speed on Starlink recently, so I just did it.  I got 260 down and 20 up.  That's better than I've ever seen since we've had it.  Now, it's early in the morning so I assume that has something to do with it.


 
Not only is our provider slow, it has a monthly data limits.  Does Starlink imposed monthly data limits?  
Nope. Just tested mine at 4:31 central time



 
Necessity is the engine of drive

Ianab

I think they have to be able to maintain ~30 mbps to get the Govt funding for "Rural Broadband"? But that gets into all sorts of lobbying and politics. The large ISPs are never going to get fast broadband into every last corner of any country, there will always be that last house in the gully, that can't see a tower etc. But they don't like seeing "competition" get a hand out. 

But that's why the distribution of the ground stations has been slow, and labelled as "beta". Before the rings of Sats are filled there can be dropouts, especially if one Sat fails. If you are signed up for a "beta test", then that can be in the small print and you can't complain. As they get more Sats, there will be several in range at any one time and the base station will just latch on to the best one. 

They also need the downlink stations to get the signal back from the satellites and connected into the rest of the internet. The system has only gone live here in NZ and Aussie recently as they needed those local downlink stations to get the signals back to Earth. The Sats are only ~340 miles up (and travelling about 5 miles a second), so can only "see" a small patch of the Earth as they pass over it. The Sat need "line of sight" to both the user and a ground station to operate.  So there is some pretty clever tracking going on. 
Weekend warrior, Peterson JP test pilot, Dolmar 7900 and Stihl MS310 saws and  the usual collection of power tools :)

Larry

I'm on a rural electric co-op company.  They formed a company called OzarksGo to provide broadband to rural customers.  Two years ago I got fiber optic cable into my house at no charge, of course I had to sign up for a year to get it.  I get 100 mb (actual speed is 200 mb) service for $50/month.  I could get 1,000 mb service for $70.  No data caps.  In two years I had one short outage, a contractor cut a cable.  I got a text telling me of the outage and another text telling me when it was restored.  They also provide catv at a cheap rate, but I use free Pluto internet TV and get local with an antenna.

I'm not sure how the financing works, or if they are making money, but the service is fantastic.  Conexon is the driving company and is presently working with over 150 rural electric co-ops to bring fiber to the home.  They have a bunch of success stories under their belt already.

With covid and so many folks working from home now, we have a lot of folks moving to our area because they can couple rural living on a beautiful lake with state of the art internet.  Sorta amazing growth. 

About Conexon
Conexon works with Rural Electric Membership Cooperatives to bring fiber to the home to rural communities. We analyze economic feasibility, secure financing, manage construction, train employees, optimize business performance and determine optimal partnerships. We will be with you from a project's conception all the way through to its long-term sustainability.
Larry, making useful and beautiful things out of the most environmental friendly material on the planet.

We need to insure our customers understand the importance of our craft.

Ianab

Larry, your fibre cost is about the same as ours (once you convert the $$)

I expect that Conexion got a Govt grant for "rural" broadband, similar to what Starlink received. That likely paid much of the cost of laying the fibres. Then they rent the fibre access to your Co-op, who deal with the individual consumers. Being a Co-op they aren't out to extract the maximum profit / executive bonuses from you, just run at a modest profit. 

NZ is similar as most of the lines (copper and fibre) are owned by Chorus, which is a public listed / Govt company. The Govt gave them about a billion $ and told them to go out and lay fibre, which they have done. Plan is to have 85% of the country connected by end of next year, I think they are close to 80% available now, and it's just some small rural towns to complete. They do the install up to the junction point on the outside of your house, no charge. Then when you sign up for fibre service with an ISP, they run the internal patches, install the NTU, router etc. Again you get that for free in exchange for a 12 month contract. 
 
They only handle the lines, and rent the connections to any ISP at a fixed rate. The ISPs can then set the speed / plan cost / other incentives as they see fit. Keeps the competition pretty keen as you can switch ISP with a phone call or online sigh-up, and a couple of days wait. The larger Telcos also have cellular service (4 /5G) options, and the smaller ones often have local fixed wireless systems. Now throw Starlink in the mix and there is plenty of options. 

The pandemic really put the network to the test, especially in the first lockdown as the work / learn from home suddenly took off. But it mostly held up. 
Weekend warrior, Peterson JP test pilot, Dolmar 7900 and Stihl MS310 saws and  the usual collection of power tools :)

Jeff

So this is why you dont hear a bunch from me when I'm at the cabin.



 
Just call me the midget doctor.
Forestry Forum Founder and Chief Cook and Bottle Washer.

Commercial circle sawmill sawyer in a past life for 25yrs.
Ezekiel 22:30

Ljohnsaw

That's better than my "city" connection!
John Sawicky

Just North-East of Sacramento...

SkyTrak 9038, Ford 545D FEL, Davis Little Monster backhoe, Case 16+4 Trencher, Home Built 42" capacity/36" cut Bandmill up to 54' long - using it all to build a timber frame cabin.

SwampDonkey

"No amount of belief makes something a fact." James Randi

1 Thessalonians 5:21

2020 Polaris Ranger 570 to forward firewood, Husqvarna 555 XT Pro, Stihl FS560 clearing saw and continuously thinning my ground, on the side. Grow them trees. (((o)))

chet

Jeff yer speed is just smokin' compared ta mine lately. If I can git Judy ta hold up a spatula and ladle just right I might just crack 1Mbps. Not for long though 'cause her arms git sore.  :D
I am a true TREE HUGGER, if I didnt I would fall out!  chet the RETIRED arborist

Jeff

I was wrapped in foil with 3 point contact on my screen porch screens to get that speed.
Just call me the midget doctor.
Forestry Forum Founder and Chief Cook and Bottle Washer.

Commercial circle sawmill sawyer in a past life for 25yrs.
Ezekiel 22:30

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