[sudo-discuss] Recommend an ISP!!!!! + Official SR Recommendations?

Mon Nov 25 18:04:33 PST 2013

To delve a little into specifics:

The DSL speeds I typically get (fairly close to Vicky geographically, so
likely similar) are 3 Mbps download, 1Mbps upload. (An easy way to check
your speeds is http://www.speakeasy.net/speedtest/ -- be sure to shut down
other computers/devices on your network to get an accurate reading.)

For day-to-day use this is usually fine, but it's pretty frequent that I
encounter problems. I've had Sonic since July, and have been able to
manage; but since Internet is a vital part of my work, and I work from
home, I do unfortunately feel the temptation to "sell my soul to Comcast."

The upload speed is the bigger problem. When I am uploading something big,
typically a video or collection of photos, other activities can grind to a
halt. Uploading a 500MB video at these speeds can take over an hour, so
this is significant. Contrary to common belief, if you max out your
upstream bandwidth, your downstream bandwidth is maxed out as well. I share
my connection with a roommate. Higher bandwidth activities include Skype
and various other videoconferencing/screen sharing applications (which
require both upload and download bandwidth); and streaming stuff video
(Netflix, YouTube, Vimeo) and music (Amazon, Pandora, iTunes). Much of the
streaming is done on a Roku.

One thing I have tried is replacing my router with one that has Quality of
Service (QoS) functionality -- a Belkin N750. Unfortunately, when I
received it I found that it does not permit specific settings by MAC
address -- I had intended to just throttle the upload speed for the
computer I usually use for uploads -- but instead has a simple "on/off"
checkbox for QoS, so I guess it's just prioritizing stuff according to
somebody's (obscure) idea of what traffic should be prioritized. In the
simple tests I have run, though, things do seem dramatically improved: a
Skype call during an upload connected quickly and sounded fine.

In troubleshooting this stuff, I've found Sonic tech support very happy to
look at my usage patterns, in my case confirming my hunch that uploads are
the thing that maxes out my connection, but that I'd never maxed out the
download when an upload wasn't in progress. I strongly recommend asking
tech support about this before making any big decisions -- it's possible
that more intelligent routing, or just saving your big uploads for
overnight, might solve your problem.

A friend also suggested installing a "whole home DSL filter" -- it installs
where the phone line terminates *outside* your house, and then sends *two*
lines into the house -- one for DSL, and another for voice. That way you
don't need the little DSL filters on every phone. I've heard mixed reviews,
and suspect these only make a difference where there is lots of internal
wiring in the house -- and there's not in my place, so I haven't bothered
with this.

Sonic offers a feature -- I can't remember the name, and consequently can't
find the web page -- where you change your connection to drop your
downstream speed and increase your upstream speed. So in my case, maybe I'd
get something like 2Mbps in each direction (likely a little less,
actually). This is a free switch, but obviously involves a significant
sacrifice. It's probably worth trying before making a switch.

If you're willing to spend more each month -- like double -- Sonic does
offer a service that bundles two ADSL lines. But that's *really* voting
with your dollars ;) It also might be possible/interesting, if you have
friendly neighbors, to explore bundling your Internet service with theirs,
so you both share both connections. This would involve some fancy router
setup, but I think is possible. Or, if you have to go with Comcast, you'll
probably have way more bandwidth than you need -- so consider sharing it
with a neighbor and at least not sending *two* households' worth of
business their way! Or…maybe the occasional high-bandwidth need can be
addressed by temporarily tethering your cell phone for any other stuff you
have to do at the same time…?

OK, on to something a little more philosophical. (Apologies for the
jargonese that follows, I can explain in more detail if people want me to.)
Like others on this list, I think, I have four (interrelated) major
complaints about Comcast. Some are specific to Comcast, some to cable
carriers, and others apply to lots of big Internet carriers:

   - An FCC ruling that I consider a travesty, that exempted them from the
   "common carrier" laws even though they lease public rights-of-way to run
   their cables -- effectively establishing a monopoly in many areas on high
   speed Internet (There's a pretty good documentary here:
   http://barbershoppunk.com )
   - Their bundles and customer service that push you to sign up for stuff
   you might not want (like TV service) and enter into 2-year contracts.
   - Their bad record on sharing customers' info with goverment entities
   (compare Comcast and Sonic here:
   https://www.eff.org/who-has-your-back-2013 )
   - Their abysmal record on net neutrality (see barbershoppunk.com )

I want to talk about the last one for a sec, and am really interested in
what others think about this. It seems to me that the fundamental
challenges in defining "net neutrality" has been a bigger problem than I
previously thought. With the benefit of hindsight, I think it would have
been better to acknowledge upfront that network management is a
sophisticated and complex task, rather than telling the seemingly simpler
story that the Internet, absent the meddling of service providers, is some
kind of level playing field. Networks have always been managed to
prioritize one kind of traffic over another; and we all benefit from
intelligent and benevolent decisions being made in network design.

It seems to me that the simpler and more accurate way to frame the issue is
around the "transparent and ethical management of conflicts of interest
around network management decisions." It seems to me that the whole net
neutrality issue has been driven by concern around conflicts of interest,
but that the *term* conflict of interest is almost entirely absent from the
rhetoric.

Curious what others think on this last point?
Pete

On Mon, Nov 25, 2013 at 1:01 AM, Vicky Knox <vknoxsironi at gmail.com> wrote:

> I couldn't agree with you more, G. We are between a rock and a hard place.
>
>
> 2013/11/24 GtwoG PublicOhOne <g2g-public01 at att.net>
>
>>
>> How slow is it?  And "ultra-slow" for what purposes?
>>
>> The corporate data combine wants to turn the internet into a new form of
>> TV that watches everything we do, feeds us irresistible advertising, sells
>> us "experiences," and keeps us busy playing games while their cronies
>> harvest our labor and pillage the planet.  _That_, not producing & sharing
>> personal and community content, is largely what's behind the "need" for
>> speed.
>>
>> Along the way, the corporate data combine also has a direct stake in
>> making us impatient, to the point where waiting a few minutes for a
>> download or upload becomes intolerable.  Impatience plus the endemic
>> narcissism of being surrounded by our "selves" in their digital
>> representations of "personalization" and media bubbles, are key bricks in
>> the wall.
>>
>> Right now the primary choices are LMI/Sonic over copper, AT&T DSL over
>> copper, AT&T over fiber, and Comcast via coaxial cable.  There are a few
>> other options such as Telepacific and various wireless services, most of
>> them intended for business users.
>>
>> A dollar spent is a vote cast.  And a "fast" connection without network
>> neutrality, has a speed of zero for censored content.
>>
>> -G
>>
>>
>> =====
>>
>>
>>
>> On 13-11-23-Sat 1:07 PM, Vicky Knox wrote:
>>
>>  PEOPLE.
>>
>>  Though I would like to support their local business, I am sick of LMI's
>> ultra slow Sonic connection! :[ And I don't want to sell my soul to
>> Comcast. Webpass has mixed reviews. Etc., etc. Where do I go? help!!!!! I
>> just want to dust off poor old neglected Transmission and watch some
>> thought-provoking films! D:
>>
>>  This all said, I'd like to get an initial temperature check on the idea
>> of Sudo Room making official recommendations for IT services and publishing
>> those recommendations on our websites as a public service. Thoughts?
>>
>>
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>>
>>
>
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