Tag Archives: Internet

I Am Using ‘M-Lab’, Rather Than ‘Fast’ Or ‘SpeedTest’, To Test My Internet Speed.

by Anura Guruge
on June 25, 2024

I am paranoid. I test my Internet speed, to my desktop PC, first thing every day BEFORE I start doing any work. That way I know whether I have enough bandwidth for my demands — & my demands are exacting & high.

For the longest time, many years, my go-to option was “Netflix’s” ‘FAST.com‘.

But, I came to realize that FAST was too dependent on how BUSY the Netflix servers were. That makes sense & is OK. The readings you got with FAST reflected the load on the servers.

I have used ‘SpeedTest.net‘ for decades. They have issues & so much depends on which SERVICE you opt for. Plus, I don’t like their non-stop advertising — which to I does NOT make sense since that messes with the internet port & my PC’s workload. Basically the constant streaming of ads has to compromise — & slow down — the speeds they report.

I found M-Lab a couple of years ago. They have got better over time. I have started to kind of trust them. Their readings seems viable.

Check them out. Let me know. OK?

‘TDS TV+’ Is A JOKE — Only 30 Min. Of Live Show, NO FF On Prior Shows, Low-Definition Video Quality.

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by Anura Guruge
on January 13, 2023

Click to **ENLARGE**. I took these pictures to demonstrate the 30-min. issue.

Click to **ENLARGE**. From ***‘TDS’ Website***.

I was told, at least 3 times, that I could always go back to the START of a currently airing show. This was REAL IMPORTANT to I.

Let’s say I get up at 8:42 am & switch on CNBC (as I am wont to do). I like to go back to 8am to see what the HEADLINES were. YOU CAN’T. TDS LIED. TDS LIED multiple times. You can only go back 30-minutes. So, at 8:42 am you can only go back until 8:12 am. NOT 8 am.

I am crushed & annoyed.

They even, this morning, had the audacity to send a technician to the house who was going to show me how I can go back to the start of the show. The technician told me point-blank JUST the last 30-minutes. If someone told you otherwise you were misled. Yes, I was LIED to by TDS — multiple times.

Then there is the go back 72-hours feature on SOME channels (& it is both hit-or-miss & v. finicky).

BUT, this feature DISABLES FF & REWIND. Yes, you can Fast Forward. So you either have to watch whatever show it is from the start or just give up. We gave up. STUPID.

Furthermore, picture quality is ABYSMAL.

Picture quality on the old TDS TV was much, much better.

And it isn’t as if they can blame this on us not having enough bandwidth.

We pay the full 1 Gbps service. So, we get as much bandwidth as they deem to give us.

Not impressed at all, at all, with TDS TV+.

TDS TV+ is a JOKE.

I am actually very disappointed & upset with TDS TV+.

With The Holidays Behind Us Netflix’s ‘Fast.com’ Speed Test Seems To Have Got Its Mojo Back.

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by Anura Guruge
on January 8, 2023

Click to **ENLARGE**. Just now. See below for what it was like the week before Christmas.

As I discussed in this post, fast.com was reporting suspiciously slow download speeds in the days before Christmas & during the holiday period.

Then a couple of days ago, with the holidays behind us, I noticed — to my relief & delight — that FAST again was back to showing numbers in the range I was used to (& expect to see).

I had suspected that the slow speeds over the holidays were due to Netflix’s servers being overloaded. That theory still holds water.

Well, I will keep on monitoring — since I invoke FAST first thing every day just to make sure that my Internet connection is copesetic. Check it out yourself. Interested to hear what you see. All the best. Cheers.

Has Netflix’s ‘Fast.com’ Speed Test Got Slower Of Late — Compared To ‘Speedtest.Net’ Which Used To Be Slow?

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by Anura Guruge
on December 17, 2022

For a very many years now I have always started my day at my PC by running ‘fast.com‘ to make sure that my wired (i.e., Ethernet-attached) Internet connection is copacetic (or close to it). I am not that interested in the exact number it quotes, but the trend, i.e., that the speed is always within +/- 10% of what I have got used to getting.

Well over the last 6 weeks or so I have noticed that the speeds quoted by ‘fast.com’ have got CONSISTENTLY SLOWER! Yes, of course, this could mean that my Internet service (from TDS) has got slower. That is possible. But, here is the RUB.

‘Speedtest.net‘, which was notorious, for its lower speed readings now give me a higher number than ‘fast.com’ — as you can see above. What makes that even more puzzling is that speedtest.net is RIDDLED with interactive ADs which have to be sucking up some bandwidth!

I suspect 2 things:
1/ Speedtest.net is quoting INVALID, over-inflated numbers to make it MORE attractive, i.e., if it quotes high numbers people will go back because they like what they are seeing. So, I am taking the new, faster speedtest.net reading with a large grain of salt.

2/ All speed test apps. are contingent on the load at the server. If the server is busy it can’t pump out & measure data as fast as it could if it was less busy. I think the issue could be that the Netflix servers have got more congested. That is plausible.

Bottom line: I no longer have a speed test I trust!

P.S., I have always believed that TDS’ own speed test is totally corrupt. Doctored from scratch to report over-inflated speeds so that customers can’t complain that their service is slow. I refuse to use it.

TDS Telecom: 5-Hour Internet, TV & Phone Outage In Parts Of New Hampshire On May 25, 2022.

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by Anura Guruge
on May 25, 2022

Click to **ENLARGE**. My Tweets overlaid over TDS Outage Page.

The worst part of today’s 5-hour outage was that TDS Telcom REFUSED to tell me what the problem was. I just wanted to know whether it was a cut cable, a server that was down, a data center that was in trouble. They refused to tell me.

That at 1pm they were telling me that they will give me another update at 5pm was SCARY.

Luckily the Internet service came back at 3pm — albeit at half-speed. We are crawling along.

I pay for the full 1Gig service. I was NOT even getting half that when they resumed service.

I called again. They are sending a service technician tomorrow morning.

TDS used to provide outstanding support.

Not so, anymore.

The support I got today was unaccepatable.

They do NOT communicate.

You can’t reach them on Facebook or Twitter.

A shame. A shame.

TDS Telecom: Internet Outage On February 10, 2022 Starting At 00:03am.

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by Anura Guruge
on February 10, 2022

Click to **ENLARGE**. From ‘***downdetector.com***‘.

To be honest it wasn’t a big deal, BUT I like to keep track of all outages so I have a record. SMILE.

It transpired just after mid-night, about 3-minutes after.

I have been with TDS Telecom (& ‘Union Tel.’ they had acquired) for 15-years. So, I can honestly say I know them & their ‘moves’ quite well.

That it happened right after mid-night was a HUGE clue to I. This used to happen quite often in the past.

They schedule cut-overs or reboots for mid-night. Basically, when they need to restart some of THEIR equipment they wait until mid-night assuming that most of the customers will be in bed by then. I have always thought this annoying. It would be better it they waited until 2am or 3am. But, c’est la vie.

It would also be nice IF they send us all an e-mail saying that there will be a SCHEDULED OUTAGE (for x-hours) starting at midnight. Well, I never got one. Like I said, I know TDS quite well.

This could have been our local folks doing an update. Most times they don’t want to tell the folks higher up about such disruptions. So they try to do it ‘on the sly’. Whatever.

I checked all my ‘stuff’ & made sure that I was OK & that this was a genuine TDS outage. Then I went to bed. The Internet was up this morning. I didn’t even have to recycle my TDS modem. That is good.

My 1G service seems to be a TAD slow. I will monitor it & let TDS know if it persists.

FREE ‘HBO’ & ‘Cinemax’ Preview With ‘TDS’, Over Thanksgiving (& Beyond): Nov. 24 to Nov. 29, 2021.

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by Anura Guruge
on November 24, 2021

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Click to **ENLARGE** & read here. From ‘TDS’ via e-mail.

This is a GOOD deal. Thank YOU ‘TDS‘ — & yes, we have ‘TDS TV‘ & also get our 1G Internet & landline from them.

From what I recall TDS does these previews a couple of times a year — & yes, I think they try always have one around Thanksgiving. That is cute & nice.

So, IF you have TDS make sure to avail yourself to this deal. No credit cards. HBO & Cinemax channels will appear in your guide. I can’t remember which channels — but I think they are in the ‘2000’ or higher range. Start at 2000 and look around.

Enjoy.