Can congestion explain speeds of 90 kbps? (that’s k, not M!)

[RalphJ333]

Speeds after 5 pm have always been slower than during the day, but for the last few weeks it is so slow that many sites/pages just time out before finishing. Satellite connection strength is good (usually around 96-100), the modem checks out as ok, a reset has no effect. Hard wired via ethernet cable, only 2 computers connected, and one isn't usually doing much. No FAP.

I've been getting speeds of less than 100 kbps (~10-12 kB/s). Just what it says, kB, not MB. I have never got a speed anywhere near 1 MB as long as I've had the system.

I only ran two tests below because they take so long to run:

https://testmy.net/quickstats/RalphJ

During the day I get about twice this level (~200 kbps).  Oddly (?) sometimes I can do a file download in what seems like a better speed (30-50 kB/s) but web pages still load slowly, even if the advertising scripts are turned off with noscript. (Without that, I have to often wait 3-5 minutes for some pages to load).

Can this really be just congestion? I'm on Gen4. I've been with Hughesnet for over 10 years, and this is becoming a problem; at some point soon I'll need more speed (and bandwidth) for schoolwork.

Note: I started a previous thread, but it didn’t appear in the forum, so I apologize if it does show up and this ends up being a duplicate.

[GabeU]

@RalphJ333 

If you can, I would try to get a couple more tests in.  There is an obvious problem, as your speeds are absolutely atrocious, but they'll almost assuredly want more than what you've got run in order to make sure that it's not some sort of fluke with the ones you've already run.  

It's unlikely that it's a congestion issue.  Not impossible, but unlikely.  It's possible that the modem is having an issue, or maybe even the radio on your satellite dish setup.  It could also be some wacky thing where your system is stuck in FAP, but it's just not indicating that it is.  Whatever the case, it would be a good idea to leave your modem plugged in if you don't already, as the reps will then be able to run remote diagnostics on your HughesNet equipment if they deem it necessary, which I think they probably will.  

I'm also thinking that, with your speeds, you're on the Spaceway 3 satellite and not the Echostar 17.  Unfortunately, a lot of people, because of location, couldn't get Gen4 service from the ES17 satellite, so they had to get it from the Spaceway 3, which doesn't have the speed the ES17 does.  If it is, in fact, a matter of being on the Spaceway 3, I'm wondering if they will be able to switch you to the ES19, but without having to upgrade to Gen5.  To be honest, I don't know the whole ins and outs of that.  And, of course, if it's something they can fix, that may not even be necessary.  And you probably being on the Spaceway 3 makes it less likely that it's a congestion issue, as the Spaceway 3, as far as I know, isn't having new subscribers added to it.  If anything, it's probably losing subscribers as people upgrade to Gen5, so, theoretically, it should be speeding up, not slowing down, or at least speeding up due to dealing with less congestion, that is.  I could be wrong about the whole Spaceway 3 thing, but I'm thinking that it's your satellite.    

The reps should see this tomorrow and reply with what they want/need to do.  

[Liz]

Good morning RalphJ333,

Thanks for reaching out, we can definitely look into this for you. I see you currently have the HT1000, so I'd like to replace that first. Otherwise, your HughesNet equipment is working normally. The new modem should arrive this week. You won't have to worry about sending back the HT1000. Here are instructions on swapping your HT1000 with the latest HT2000w. Let me know how it goes!

[RalphJ333]

Thank you!

[Liz]

Good morning Ralph,

Just checking in on you, I saw that the new modem arrived July 23, but that currently your HT1000 is still connected. Everything ok?