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Peneloukle
Sophomore

Slow internet speed

I am hoping that Hughes will improve my internet speed. Below is the link to my test results. Per the instructions provided by this community, I shutoff WiFi and ran the test every 5 minutes for 2 hours. Most results are 2-3 Mbps download with a brief spike to 12 Mbps. I still have Service Plan Data. Shouldn't I be consistently getting higher speeds?

 

https://testmy.net/quickstats/Peneloukle

36 REPLIES 36

I used up the data in my plan for the month, so the speed is throttled. After moving the modem, I ran download tests for an hour and the results show download speed steady at ~3Mbps. I am more interested in the speed test results when the speed is not throttled.

I doubt that I will be able to run new tests during bonus zone time.  I will run tests in about 2 weeks when my service is restored.

GabeU
Distinguished Professor IV

@Peneloukle 

 

In situations such as yours the reps will often give token data so that the needed testing can be completed, so it's very possible that when they get back from the weekend they will do this. 

 

Additionally, that you're getting fairly consistent ~3Mbps speeds while in FAP may actually be a good sign.  🙂

@GabeU 

 

Thanks for the info. What does "FAP" mean?

maratsade
Distinguished Professor IV

It means Fair Access Policy. It throttles your speed when you go over your data allowance.

I've added some data to the account so you can proceed with the tests. No need to wait until your refresh date.

 

-Jay

I ran some speed tests yesterday between 9:30 and 10:30 pm PDT with Dish Receiver and Wireless off. Good results: ~60mbps, quite steady.

Then I turned the Dish Receiver on and ran some more tests until about 11 pm. Then I turned the wireless back on at about 11:20 pm PDT. The erratic behavior returned when the wireless was back on. Token data used up at about 10/10/20 9 am PDT.

 

Here are my results:

 

https://testmy.net/quickstats/Peneloukle?type=user_name&dateFull=10-19-2020+%2F+10-20-2020&q=Penelou...

 

What can I do to get more steady performance when the wifi is on?

GabeU
Distinguished Professor IV

@Peneloukle 

 

How is the Dish receiver connected?  By WiFi or Ethernet.  

 

When you re-enabled the WiFi, did the device you're performing the speed tests with change from an Ethernet connection to a WiFi connection?  

 

If the device you're speed testing with changed to using WiFi, but that device is getting an adequate WiFi signal, my guess would be that something that is connecting via WiFi is sapping your bandwidth, and maybe even that testing device, if it's using data for something other than the testing at the time.  You can test the WiFi signal quality with the HughesNet Mobile app.  Make sure the WiFi signal testing device is near the device you're testing the signal quality for, and make sure it's connected via the same WiFi band.  i.e. if you're testing the WiFi signal quality at your laptop's location, and you're using a phone with the HughesNet Mobile app for the WiFi signal quality testing, make sure that phone is connected to the same WiFi band as the laptop (2.4GHz or 5GHz) and that it's held near the laptop when testing.  

 

For reference, HughesNet recommends against connecting satellite TV receivers to their service due to the amount of data said receivers can use, and with no way to control it.

@GabeU 

 

The Dish receiver is connected to the Dish modem by Ethernet.

 

When I re-enabled the WiFi, the device I performed the speed tests with remained on an Ethernet connection.

 

The Hughes technician who originally set up our equipment connected the Dish receiver to the Hughes wifi. I later changed the connection to Ethernet. Also the Hughes technician placed the Hughes modem where it did not have 2 feet of space on all sides. He did not mention that it should be at least 2 feet away from anything. 

 

If HughesNet recommends against connecting satellite TV receivers to their service why would their technician connect Dish satellite TV to their service?

 

GabeU
Distinguished Professor IV


@Peneloukle wrote: 

The Dish receiver is connected to the Dish modem by Ethernet.

When I re-enabled the WiFi, the device I performed the speed tests with remained on an Ethernet connection.


That your testing device remained connected via Ethernet, but your speed immediately plummeted when you re-enabled the WiFi, almost assuredly suggests that something is sapping your bandwidth via WiFi.  

 

I would take a look at all of your WiFi connected devices, and any built in data usage apps on them, to see what it is that might be the culprit(s).  In case it may help, as people can actually forget devices that are connected, especially if they are seldom used, you can see all of your connected and disconnected devices on this modem page.  Those shown on that page are devices that have connected to your HughesNet modem since the last time the modem was plugged in.  The "disconnected" devices are ones that were connected, but are not now.

 

It may even be a good idea to turn all of the WiFi devices off (even unplug them if they're plugged in to power), then run a couple of tests.  If your speed looks good, start turning those devices back on, one by one, and running a test or two before and after each one.  This way, by the process of elimination, you may find the source of the problem.   

 


@Peneloukle wrote:

If HughesNet recommends against connecting satellite TV receivers to their service why would their technician connect Dish satellite TV to their service?


The installers are sub contractors, and often the only thing they do is installs.  Unfortunately, some of them don't really know a whole lot about HughesNet itself, nor, in this case, that satellite TV receivers can use data for more than just on-demand viewing.  With this said, many of them do know that they shouldn't be connected, as I've seen people ask in here if what the installer said about not connecting them is true.  

 

I should add that, while I have seen people say that their Dish receivers ate a lot of their data, I have seen a couple that stated that theirs didn't.  So, there is the possibility that yours is okay.  When it comes to DirecTV receivers, however, they're pretty much ALL data hogs.  LOL.  I made the mistake of connecting my DirecTV receiver one time just to test "on demand" to see what it was like.  I immediately saw my data levels start dropping.  I watched as one, two, three, then four GBs of data were drained from my Bonus Zone data bank in a relatively short amount of time.  I then disconnected it, never having actually seen what on-demand was like with it.

@GabeU 

 

thanks for the input. 

 

@GabeU said "I made the mistake of connecting my DirecTV receiver one time just to test "on demand" to see what it was like.  I immediately saw my data levels start dropping.  I watched as one, two, three, then four GBs of data were drained from my Bonus Zone data bank in a relatively short amount of time."

1. Thank goodness I don't have DirectTV!!

2. How did you "see" your data levels dropping? Did you run testmy.net after connecting the DirectTV?

maratsade
Distinguished Professor IV


He was probably checking with the Usage Meter.

 

 


@Peneloukle wrote:

 

2. How did you "see" your data levels dropping? Did you run testmy.net after connecting the DirectTV?


 


 

GabeU
Distinguished Professor IV


@Peneloukle wrote: 

2. How did you "see" your data levels dropping? Did you run testmy.net after connecting the DirectTV?


I can't remember exactly which way I was viewing it, as in the HughesNet Usage Meter that maratsade surmised or on the Home page of the System Control Center, but whichever it was I kept watching my data levels.  At that time I had already read about the DirecTV receivers chewing through data, so when I decided to try the on-demand I also knew to watch the data, just in case.  It's also what prompted me to try it late at night, so that it wouldn't affect my regular plan data.   

 

After making the WiFi connection I entered into the on-demand section of the receiver, which had "unlocked" and become available because of the new connection, but I hadn't even started looking through the available titles yet.

GabeU
Distinguished Professor IV


@Peneloukle wrote: 

The modem does not have 2 feet of clearance on all sides. I will relocate it. How far away from the tv and Dish should it be?


Like with the general clearance, at least two feet.  The two feet of clearance is to both ensure that the modem won't be hampered by residual signal interference from nearby electronic devices and to give it enough space to remain well ventilated in order to keep cool.

GabeU
Distinguished Professor IV

@Peneloukle 

 

Are you deliberately choosing a multithread test for your download tests or is the system automatically doing this for you?  If so, it would be best to stick with a single threaded test from a specific server, such as with your upload tests, for all of the tests, as running them multithreaded can again introduce possible sources of issues.   The idea for the troubleshooting tests is to get the most basic, streamlined result across all of the tests you run for that purpose, with the parameters for all tests being the same.

@GabeU I did not deliberately use multithread. I will try to do some single thread tests tonight.

GabeU
Distinguished Professor IV


@Peneloukle wrote:

@GabeU I did not deliberately use multithread. I will try to do some single thread tests tonight.


How weird.  

 

I'd check the top of the testmy.net page to ensure that it shows "Multithread off".  

 

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