Old Versus New
Update on February 5, 2021 at end of article.
Internet speed seems to be a hot topic in the Village. Hot Springs Villager, Frank Leeming, has some very good news to report regarding his internet speed. This is what Mr. Leeming said:
“Suddenlink (our internet, phone and cable provider) sent us a new modem. After it was installed, I went to seven internet speed-test sites to measure and compare our new speed to what we measured last March. The results are below. If you’re curious about what speed you’re getting, just click on the hyperlinks below and take the test. As you can see, with our new modem, we’re getting better than 400 Mbps. The national goal is 25 Mbps.”
Although the Leemings have recently moved house (still in the Village), their internet speed was the same at their new location until Suddenlink installed a new modem.
Speed tests on 3-13-20 (1st numbers) & 2-4-21 (2nd numbers)
Testmy.net – 26 Mbps/3.6 440.3 Mbps /3.2 Mbps
38.5 / 3.4
Speedof.me – 79.69 / 23.37 273.47 / 43.75
Speedtest.net – 216.12 / 21.97 404.26 / 32.65
Xfinity Speed test – 216.2 / 437.9 /
Internet Health Test – didn’t work 432.6 / 43.0
Speedsmart – 220.03 / 4.54 428.72 / 15.26
Fast.com – 220 Mbps / 16 200 Mbps / 38 Mbps
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Professional IT Consultant, Dennis Simpson Weighs In
Dennis Simpson, who is entering his 28th year of IT Tech and Security and Video Surveillance Manager, had this response to Frank:
“Suddenlink (and all cable providers) use DOCIS 3.1 protocol. This protocol essentially takes “channels” on the cable systems and combines them. Until 2014 or so (when ATT ran the fiber from Benton to Mountain Pine), Suddenlink used DOCIS 3.0 and had a top speed of around 50 megs (AT BEST).
“I ran into Renee Steinpreis in 2014 immediately after the ATT fiber installation and told her to go get the new modem. When she installed the modem using the 3.1 protocol, her speed jumped four times (for the SAME monthly fee).
“Instead of 8 channel (DOCIS 3.0), 3.1 uses 32 channels. So when buying a replacement modem to use with Suddenlink you MUST have 3.1 or 32 channels.
“I have regularly measured 425 to 475 megs with the service at our rentals.
“After losing an $1100 booking at a townhouse because we ONLY had 45 meg (ATT hot spot) speed and four remote working ladies would be there (over VPN – significantly slowing the speed) I decided that cable would be best for us. It’s been great at a cost of only $60 per month with unlimited data.
“Now, the “rub” … Suddenlink (as a rule) will not come out and swap your box ‘unless it is failing”. Definition? I think if it is FAILING to give you the speed you are PAYING for it is FAILING.
“And to all of you out there thinking “I have Suddenlink and it’s NOWHERE CLOSE to that speed.” I remind you. Frank did this RIGHT. I AM CERTAIN he is on a WIRED connection and with nothing else on the circuit.
“Wireless (unless using 5.0 gigahertz) is limited to 54 megs. Using a phone or wireless device SELDOM reaches 50 megs or over because of the inherent limits of wifi.”
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Special thanks to Frank Leeming and Dennis Simpson for sharing this information with us. If you need technical assistance, Dennis can be reached via email at dennis@totaltech-ar.com or by telephone at (501) 350-0227.
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Dee Dixon
02/04/2021 — 10:44 pm
Thank you, Frank, for very useful information.
Dee
Tom Blakeman
02/05/2021 — 1:45 pm
Let me offer a few additional clarifications and comments:
1. Dennis is totally correct about the 3.1 modem protocol of internet service from Suddenlink as well as the number of channels. If you do not have a state of the art modem you will have issues. Ditto with the router. Frank is also totally correct. New is better.
2. There are actually three parts to the equipment issue, the modem, the router and the end device (phone, ipad, computer, etc). Older equipment will be the weak link in the chain. Tip: It is much better to buy your own top of the line modem and router than to depend on Suddenlink.
3. The speed your modem sees coming in is one thing. But your WiFi comes from your router. (Note: you can get a combined unit which is what SL provides.) WiFi is transmitted from the router in two signals or bands: 2.4 GHz and 5.0 GHz. The 5.0 is very fast but has short range and doesn’t penetrate room to room very well. The 2.4 has longer range and penetrates walls and doors better but is fairly slow. Either are normally enough for streaming HD video assuming you have sufficient speed from the provider to begin with.
4. A wired connection to your modem or router should be the most reliable but is not necessarily the fastest speed you might actually have available in your home. Again it depends on your equipment. I just ran a speed test on my 15 year old Dell PC which is hard wired and got only 177 Mbps. Moments later I ran a WiFi speed test on my 6.5 year old iPhone and got 235 Mbps. And then I ran another on my only 2.5 year old iPad and got 433 Mbps.*
5. As it happens, I pay Suddenlink for the 400 Mbps unlimited data service. This actually costs a bit over $100 per month because I’m not currently on one of their “promotions” which is a shell game / scam they play. A new subscriber might get the $60 per month as Dennis mentions but it won’t last. Also, when running speed tests it matters how far away the server is and how busy. Most of the speed testing services tell you which server and how far away it is.
6. Last, but not least, Suddenlink service is very subject to overload. While the tests noted above were at around Noon today I almost always get much slower speed in the 6 to 9 pm time frame. Why? Simply because the internet and Suddenlink’s capacity is similar to what happens when everybody is flushing the commode in the stadium at half time – pressure goes down.
7. With regard to cellular wireless internet (direct from your carrier over the air such as ATT or Verizon), it is as Dennis says, limited to around 54Mbps max. That’s what your phone sees when streaming 4G-LTE which is the common protocol in service nationwide. The new “5G” (not the same as 5GHz WiFi) which is now rolling out in certain metro areas is promised to be much much faster but it has limitations too. Right now we supposedly have some limited 5G cellular service in spots in the Village but we are unlikely to see much of it here in our lifetimes, assuming past implementation of all our prior communication services are any example.
* The WiFi speed tests I noted in 4. above were on the 5GHz band. My Ipad on the 2.4 GHz band clocked in at only 107 Mbps.