Help Please – Download Speed < 8 Mbps on Gen5 for WEEKS

[newtonf]

Well I’m back again – for a few days my download speeds had recovered to normal (15-30 Mbps), but now I am back to less than 8 Mbps. My "work day" download speeds are now generally less than 8 Mbps and often around 1 Mbps! Early mornings and very late evenings speeds can be as high as 30, but I don’t work at night or before 8AM. Simple, low resolution, 5 minute, YouTube videos take 10-15 minutes to watch. This has been going on since January 3d. Here is what I have done to chase this problem down:

1. Rebooted modem and checked speed = no change
2. Powered off modem for 10 minutes = no change
3. Repeated above wired directly to my modem (HT2000W) = no change
4. I have run 90 download speed tests using testmy.net since January 3d and my average speed is 8.18 Mbps!
   1. You can see my test results at https://testmy.net/quickstats/stanleytpig
5. I contacted Hughesnet support via chat on January 3d (Lulu Carette, case number 108575566), checked everything I was told to check, did everything I was told to do, the chat took over an hour after which time I was told that I would be raised to engineering level support and that I would receive a call within 72 hours. I remaind at home avaliable 24 hours a day for SEVEN DAYS and did not recieve a call duing that time.
   1. Over two weeks later I received a call back, but I was not home and the caller left a call back number. I called back the next day only to fine that the “call in code” had expired and I could not speak to anyone.
6. I have also tried the speed tests on the Hughesnet website which yielded very weird results, like taking 3-4 minutes to download the 12 meg file and speed results given are > 200 Mbps! Not possible! Web speed tests range from around 1 to 4 seconds – mostly greater than 2 seconds

My system is: Gen5 (EcoStar-19-NAD); Gateway ID 15; Beam ID 71; Satellite Receive Signal Strength 99, modem HT2000W, two Windows 10 PCs (wireless and/or ethernet); 30/50 Meg plan that costs $87/per month.

I have been with Hughes since 2001 – that’s 17 years and I have literally done everything that I can think of to make system work as advertised (e.g., highspeed internet and at least 60% of the advertised 25 Mbps, or 15 Mbps and 8 Mbps is not even close).

It would be really nice if someone could fix this problem – perhaps one of those talented techs like Liz or Amanda could be cajoled into looking into my problem – I would greatly appreciate it.

Regards to all - Skip

[GabeU]

@newtonf

I'll tag the reps so that they will be sure to see your post.  

@Liz

@Amanda

With this said, as of recently there is a problem with testmy.net, so please start using another test.  You can use any that you like (speedtest.net is a popular one), but please avoid fast.com, as it not only causes the Video Data Saver to engage, meaning it will never show a speed higher than 2-3Mbps, it uses a LOT of data when running a test with the Video Data Saver off.  

[newtonf]

GabeU, thank you for tagging the reps and suggesting speedtest.net. I downloaded the desktop version and will begin tracking speed with it. I did one download so far and compared with testmy.net within 3 minutes, speedtest = 13.37 and testmy = ~25 Mbps. Speeds seem faster this morning, but time will tell.

thanks again - Skip

[GabeU]

---

@newtonf wrote:

GabeU, thank you for tagging the reps and suggesting speedtest.net. I downloaded the desktop version and will begin tracking speed with it. I did one download so far and compared with testmy.net within 3 minutes, speedtest = 13.37 and testmy = ~25 Mbps. Speeds seem faster this morning, but time will tell.

thanks again - Skip

---

Actually, coincidentally enough, testmy seems to be working properly over the last couple of days, at least for some (maybe all?) on the ES19 satellite, so your result from them may very well be accurate.  Accuracy is the reason they've had people using testmy for quite some time now.  Hopefully it continues and we'll be able to use testmy on a regular basis again.  

I tried the speedtest desktop app, and though it seemed to give accurate download results, my upload results were really skewed.  Sometimes it was showing that I had upload speeds of 18Mbps or so, which isn't possible.  But, the online version seems to give some people issues, so the desktop app is a decent alternative, at least for download speeds.  Speedtest being a little temperamental is another reason why I hope we can soon start using testmy.net again.  

[newtonf]

Hello everyone,

I have not been testing with both Speedtest and testmy.net since GabeU suggested that I try Speedtest on Thursday January 25th. Since that time my download speeds have returned to "normal" and YouTube videos play without stopping. Speedtest is reporting download speeds around 15 Mbps and testmy.net (25 Meg file) run within 2 minutes is reporting ~30 Mbps. This is consistent across around at least 10 comparisons taken between 25 and 28 January, at various times of the day. 

I will recheck on Monday, but for now with respect to my HughesNet connection, everything appears to have recovered.

Interesting aside - On Friday January 26th I received an automated recording from HughesNet telling me that, and this is a not and exact quote but close enough; "We understand that you have been experiencing problems with your service and we are looking into the problem. Others are also experiencing speed issues and we are making global changes that should affect all or our Gen5 customers." Again this is not a direct quotation, mostly because the the message that was left was almost unintelligible. This was not an accent issue, it was a substandard recording. Not meaning to be sarcastic, but HughesNet is a communications company and I think that automated recordings should be clear and concise. Still, I appreciate the call, and the acknowledgement of a system wide problem.

[JeffG]

I would kill for 8 Mbps! I've had the service (Gen 5) since last November, only about 3 days with anything over 1 Mbps. 4 calls and an email into Tech, spoke with two "supervisors" only to be strung along. Last contact was Jan. 11th, I was told they would address my issue in 2-3 weeks. Ya, right. Needless to say I'm very disappointed but in my area there is no other option other than Dish but I already have Direct TV bundled with Wireless and they don't offer internet here. 

[newtonf]

JeffG, Gabe provided a link to a different speed test link speedtest.net 

You might try testing it out at different time during the day. So far this morning I'm getting around 13Mbps, which is pretty good compared to the last few weeks.

If I get my slow download resolved I will post the progress and any solutions.

Good Luck - Skip

[JeffG]

Speed Test Smeed Test, slow is slow, I've tried 6 differnt sites including the Hughes Site. Just did Speedtest.net, result of three tests is download speeds 0.53~0.54~0.58Mbps respectivly. I have yet to be able to stream video from any source at any def setting, even 460. I have read too many others on this forum with the same issue, Hughes MUST step up and fix this!

JeffG

[newtonf]

JeffG, sorry to hear that. I, like you, live in an area that only has internet access via satellite,or very bad telephone lines. I have been with Hughes for 17 years now and, as you can imagine, during that time I have experienced my share of download and data issues. I have tired tech support via telephone, chat and email and have had positive results (correction of an issue) using this support avenue less than 30% of the time. Generally the telephone support people are well intentioned, but they seem only to endlessly follow scripted flow diagrams, eventually give up, and then pass me on to "another level" and/or "engineering."

That being said, I have found the best way to get positive and informed attention/action is through this forum. You may have already done this, but if not, I suggest that you open a new message string specific to your situation. I know it will be a pain, but give plenty detail (e.g., what system you are using, modem, data plan, computer type, wired or hard wired connection, speed test results, how long you have been trapped with poor performance, AND any Case Numbers you have). Fortunatly, GabeU an Associate Professor on this forum seems to monitor what is going on and he should see your post. He is very thoughtful and has provided me with valuable advice. He is also able to ping forum moderators and get their attention. Hughesnet people like Amanda and Liz also monitor this forum, they are sharp and have always been helpful with my technical issues.

Good luck

[newtonf · Accepted solution]

Hello everyone,

Since January 26th I have run 15 download speed tests using testmy.net (average = 30.4 Mbps) and 14 using Speedtest by Ookla (average = 15.1 Mbps) and it appears that my download speeds have returned to normal. This is way, way, way up from the 91 testmy.net tests I ran between January 3d and 25, which averaged 8.2 Mbps.

I do find it interesting that testmy.net tests were twice as fast as Speedtest (based on the average) - note tests were performed in pairs, using the same computer and run within 2 minutes of each other. This result appears to be the inverse of what others have reported when comparing testmy.net and Speedtest. Possibliy the servers chosen are responsible for the difference, as testmy.net seems to be using a site in Dallas and Speedtest is using a site in Los Angeles (approx 100 miles north of me).

Anyway all that being said, I am happy that I things are back to normal, at least for this Hughesnet user. I don't know how the correction was implemented, but I appericate the help from those on this forum and any of then unknown "engineers" that have worked on this issue. I will mark this discussion string Corrected and begin a new string, if the problem returns.

To those still chasing speed issues, I wish you luck and suggest you continue working within this forum to resolve your specific issues.

ciao for now - Skip

[GabeU]

@newtonf

I, too, am seeing a recent improvement in speeds.   It may just be coincidence, but hopefully everyone who's been affected starts seeing the same thing soon.  🙂 

[Yaker69er]

My speed is even lower than this recently. And continues to get worse 😞

[newtonf]

I can idendity what you are going through.

Below is a recommendation I provided to another Hughesnet user having similar problems:

"I have found the best way to get positive and informed attention/action is through this forum. You may have already done this, but if not, I suggest that you open a new message string specific to your situation. I know it will be a pain, but give plenty detail (e.g., what system you are using, modem, data plan, computer type, wired or hard wired connection, speed test results, how long you have been trapped with poor performance, AND any Case Numbers you have). Fortunatly, GabeU an Associate Professor on this forum seems to monitor what is going on and he should see your post. He is very thoughtful and has provided me with valuable advice. He is also able to ping forum moderators and get their attention. Hughesnet people like Amanda and Liz also monitor this forum, they are sharp and have always been helpful with my technical issues."

Good luck.