Speedtest.net and Comcast


I do not use comcast. In fact, I use Clear 4g. I have been testing my bandwidth on Speedtest’s website.
http://www.speedtest.net/
and I think I found something fishy.
When I go to the speedtest website and check my Internet speed, I assume that since one of the closest servers to test with is Comcast server, I would get great results. True results of my speeds maximum capability. but instead Comcast seems to only show good results for Comcast ip addresses. I’ve tested from my clear 4g connection, my buddy’s at&t connection, My mom’s Comcast Internet connection and my work t3 connection
Houston has two test locations. Comcast and University of Houston.
Houston Comcast shows me with only 2.8 megs a second while University of Houston shows me at 4.5 megs a second.

While Dallas Frost wire shows me at 5.1 megs per second.
and Dallas Soft Layer Tech Shows me at 5.1 megs per second
Austin Grande Communications shows me at 5 megs per second
Muleshoe Texas Five Area Telephone shows me at 5 megs per second
Cedar City Utah

The issue here is that I live in Houston. I can go to any Texas test site outside of Houston, and get better results. but if I take any computer using comcast service and test with the Comcast server, you get wild high results, but test that computer on any other bandwidth test server and you will see low speeds with about 1/3 of the bandwidth results that comcast showed, not really happening.

I have done these tests at work on the T3 line and again, Speedtest’s Houston Comcast server shows my bandwidth test at 1mps per second

Take from this what you will.

Just How Safe is the Internet

safety

safety

The internet is just like anything anywhere. You don’t go into strange places and just lay your wallet on the table and walk around talking to people. Do you? You don’t just let some person walk up to you and sale you stuff that you do not need do you? When you drive through shady parts of town don’t you roll up your window? You don’t just pick up a random soda can and tilt it to get the last drop to fall into your mouth, do you? If some random person walked up to you and said “Hey, the police have your spouse and told me that if I collect $300 from you they will let your spouse out, and give them a steak and ice cream for your spouse’s discomfort”, you don’t just hand them your credit card do you?

No, you don’t do that.

Think of the internet the same way you do being out in public. Give nothing away until you are at a trusted website, in trade for something you actually came for. Do not impulse buy on the web. Do not impulse donate on the internet. Do not just throw your credit card number on any random website.

Stay away from shady areas, don’t just give out private information, and make sure your security and defense is up to date. The internet is pretty safe, unless you are just goofy and think everyone has great intentions.

Dear MSNBC News Site

I was at MSNBC’s website earlier today, and came into something that really upset me. It’s that stupid pop up thing that they have on their articles. You get like 7 seconds into reading the article and boop, this stupid thing pops up into your face trying to get you to agree to something.. What ever it is. Who reads that? We all look for the “not right now” or “close” or “no thank you” option and move on to the article we were reading. Don’t we?
Why is it suddenly okay to do a pop up again? Why is it okay to put this annoying message in our face trying to get us to agree to something or buy something, again?
Years ago that became so annoying that most advertising affiliate companies decided to make people agree not to make pop ups on their site because they didn’t want to be associated with that tact. Now, here we are again.. Dealing with the pop ups.
Sure it’s not a new window, it’s an applet. but that doesn’t make it better. It makes it annoying again.
Well I for one am boycotting MSNbC. A one man stand against websites that try and “aim for the original agenda” by redefining the trash they shoveled at us before. So I alone will never go to MSN websites. but yeah I will continue to use Microsoft updates untill windows 7 is no longer supported. I will then move to Linux because there is no way I am upping to windows 8 or anything that could potentially eventually force me to “enjoy those useful apps”.

Here’s the message I just posted in one of their articles.

Dear Msnbc
That stupid pop up you do right when we get 8 seconds into reading your article, makes me not want to read your article.
In fact I didn’t read this article after that. I searched for a spot to comment and tell you that you are a piece of internet trash for doing that.
We dealt with your stupid popups from 94 through to 98 when you were the “first to give the readers what they want” by being the first news site to stop popups. and when Yahoo continued. Now you call them aps as if we enjoy this crap.

KNOCK IT OFF!

We survived pop ups before by ditching sites like yours. Don’t make us do it again.

It won’t be long before virus writers exploit this popup just like they did the last few.

Best Websites for Current Events

Some days I just have no money to go out and have what some people call “A life”, so I look for things to do or read on the internet. Most often I find news, and then I try and find a place to talk about this news. some cases, you can do that, right there are the source.  Most of these news sites force you to register to be able to comment, or they make you link some other social website account so that you can comment, without a long registration process. In most cases, you link your social account, and you still have to sign up. That gets frustrating.

Reddit

Sodahead – Changed froma news site to something weird.

google news

yahoo – nope.. not anymore.

Slashdot

 

Can you add to the list ?

Facebook Down?

Everyone keeps asking “Facebook Down?”.
Well the answer is yes and no.

No Facebook is not getting hacked. Yes Facebook is running slow.
Simple reason. New changes. New additions to layouts coming and the bing merger. Looks like it is taking a bit longer and a lot more bandwidth to crawl all of us to save our information in Bing’s search.
So this is showing issue with hitting the submit to Facebook button on youtube, random news sites and friend’s sites and smart phone android/iphone/ipad apps.

go back to staring at your phone wondering why some facebooks just won’t connect.

Verizon MIFI 2200 Review

After Disconnecting my Comcast Internet and and Cable Television and moving my television service to Dish Network, I found myself in need of internet service. I obtained a temporary use of a Verizon MIFI device. Very nice looking wireless internet device. One single button. You just connect the USB cable from the MiFi 2200 to your computer and instantly upon identifying the card, it opens as a storage device, allowing you to get the drivers right off of the MiFi 2200. Installation of the drivers is less than 3 minutes. Press the lighted button on top of the MiFi 2200 until the light on the side comes on, then open the VZ access software you just installed, and then click connect in the VZ Access manager, and you are on the internet ready to go.

Verizon Wireless MiFi 2200

Verizon Wireless MiFi 2200

Though the device allows you to connect multiple devices at one time, the 3G service, I doubt would handle much more than 1 computer. I have been seeing some very low signal reception and very slow speeds.

mifi on Verizons VZ access

mifi on Verizon

mifi bandwidth

mifi bandwidth

Though the speed test results say 1mbs, sometimes I find myself waiting like I was on dial up, for pages to load. The wait for youtube videos to load is sometimes up to 5 minutes. The monthly bandwidth cap is reached in the first week, and then this slow speed gets even worse.

For someone like me, the MIFI card is a pass. Meaning I will have to pass on getting this service.

Not much different from the results I see with my cricket phone.

Test Date: May 1, 2012 3:53:34 pm
Connection Type: EvdoA
Server: Temple, TX
Download: 2127 kbps
Upload: 794 kbps
Ping: 101 ms

External IP: xx.xxx.xxx.xx
Internal IP: xx.1xx.xx.xx
Latitude: xx.xxxxx
Longitude: -xx.xxxxx

 

Full scores:
looks: 10/10
Ease of use: 10/10
Reception: 3/10
Speeds: 2/10

Final score: 6/10

Facebook Subscribers – Privacy issue

You think your profile on Facebook is set safe and private.
Have you ever made a friends request to someone and they did not add you to friends but you see their posts all of the sudden? There is a reason for that. Facebook puts you in as a subscriber to that person, by default, because you requested their friendship. So, how do you keep people from subscribing to your posts?
https://www.facebook.com/settings?tab=subscribers
Go to that page and uncheck that box. Issue resolved.
Go to Account settings.

Subscribers will receive your public posts and will not be added as friends. You can have broader conversations about public topics and keep personal updates for friends. Learn more.

facebook privacy

facebook privacy


Go to “Subscribers”
facebook Subscribers

facebook Subscribers


uncheck that box.
Every time Facebook changes their policy of privacy, they add stuff, when they add stuff they have to unlock your other settings or put an extra step in to re-hide what you hid.

This is like the hidden privacy setting for Facebook.

If you are a company/artist/performer looking to get more fans. Then check that box.

Comcast chat

**Warning: Angry Typos Ahead**

Today, I will be taking my Cable box back to Comcast. They have taken it too far
I have been dealing with my neighbor’s dog (she’s a puppy) digging up my comcast connection, for several months now.
I have received insane bills from Comcast And a few other issues that I don’t feel like looking up so here it is in Bing.

Yesterday I decided to try the chat thing, because phoning in my issue of the neighbor’s dog resolved nothing.

TruXter: My Issue: Neighbor’s dog digs up my cable, I have had you guys out a few times re-bury the line. I requested conduit, was told over the phone it would be used. Technicians all say it can’t be done.. I just now came in the house after covering chewed

analyst Dani Mae has entered room

Dani Mae: Hello TruXter, Thank you for contacting Comcast Live Chat Support. My name is Dani Mae. Please give me one moment to review your information.

Dani Mae: Hi

Dani Mae: Welcome to comcast

TruXter: hi.

Dani Mae: Thank you for that information TruXter

Dani Mae: May I know what would you like to do?

TruXter: Is there any way I can get a manager or a foreman to come out with the technician next time to bury my cable? and can you ask them not to request to come in my house anymore? the issue is in the neighbor’s yard.

TruXter: They have replaced the splice in my attic 3 times now as if that solved the issue. I need the cable in conduit or something that a dog can not bite through.

TruXter: The cable box is in my neighbor’s yard. 6 feet of cable gets dug up with in just house of the tech’s burying it.

TruXter: hours*

Dani Mae: To answer you suggestion about a manager, I believe that is not possible since only technician process that

TruXter: Someone needs to come out and over see this. This is the very last time I will let this happen. I will change services. I am sick of this.

Dani Mae: And about your request about conduit

Dani Mae: We do not have that, but we only can drop bury your cable line

Dani Mae: For conduit, you can buy that at your local store

TruXter: I can’t watch tv while the dog chews on the line. I can barely surf the internet that I am paying crazy fees for. this is nuts.

TruXter: You mean. with all of the customers that this company has, I am the only person?

Dani Mae: I understand that, where is your cable lines now placed?

TruXter: why did it cost me $200 to get my house connected? they used wire that I already paid for to begin with.

TruXter: the cable box is in the neighbor’s yard. 6 feet from my fence.

Dani Mae: I see, please inform the owner and let them contact Comcast, so we can schedule them.

TruXter: The neighbor and I buried the cable last time while the tech watched.

TruXter: This needs to be fixed, and someone who can make these guys give me the service I am paying so much for.

TruXter: needs to make sure it’s done.

Dani Mae: Sure

Dani Mae: Have you tried calling 1-800-XFINITY (934-6489)

TruXter: can you check my records and see I have done this several times?

Dani Mae: Sure

Dani Mae: It shows here that Drop bury has been completed as requested already

TruXter: ….

TruXter: and dog dig has already happened.

Dani Mae: Would you like to request another drop bury?

Dani Mae: And have you called already for a schedule?

TruXter: yeah sure. and when he is done, can you send him back three hours later to replace the line again because the dog is just going to dig it back up. and tell to take a lunch and come right back… Or send someone with authority to look at this and see it is a slop job and someone is milking your clock at my expense.\

TruXter: Thank god I run a website and have a good camera. This is my final month. you people are leeches.
Type Here:

After this. I called Comcast to solve the issue of the lightly buried cable in the yard with a big puppy who digs a lot, and to understand why just last month I was told that on this bill, my bill would be reduced, yet it’s still at regular $88. When she told me this month my bill would show the changes I asked why she said “because you already paid this month”. Ok. Makes sense.
So I call and start asking why my bill isn’t reduced. The lady that answered, forwarded me to another person who I assume is their “quick excuses guy”. because this dude was just out to win an argument.
I asked why my bill was regular price, and the guy said that it was because I owe $160 for not paying last month’s bill. I told him he was nuts and explained that I paid $160 last month also, and 160 the month before, and keep getting told I am late on my bill. The guy said and I quote “we bill for service before you receive service”. My eyes rattled in my head. I explained to him that every month I have been going through this, and I have not have had service. Since the dog eats my cable. The man said “then you need to speak to the neighbor” and I flipped out on him. “No, you need to get your stuff straight because I am a customer and you are providing a service, you are asking me to make this an issue between the neighbor and I. You can’t tell me that will all of the customers you guys have, I am the only person with this issue. ” Considering how many houses have dogs, there is a really good chance this has been issue on many occasions.

Now understand, the last time I talked to a technician, he was watching me and the neighbor bury the cable ourselves while he just stood there telling me I should kick the neighbor’s dog and cover the spot with rat traps. The neighbor didn’t like that, and I didn’t like that. I asked the Comcast technician why they don’t just bring 8 feet of conduit and get this over with he said and I quote “Job security, we always make sure each other has work”. At my expense no doubt.

Comcast. Your service has done me no service and I will forever refuse you. I will warn everyone I know, just how you treat Customers and how your answering team and all of your help team, are the trashiest people you can have work for you. When you guys go out of business, you might want to worry about the scum you hire, and possibly the way you treat them and tell them to treat you customers. I love your bandwidth, I hate your bandwidth cap, and I hate that your basic cable is lower resolution than any other broadcast. Local resolution from antenna is 740p minimum where I live, your basic cable is less than 480i. That is pathetic and nothing justifies charging for that.

Can’t say I will miss you when you are gone.

 

**Update**

Just got off the phone with comcast. Called to cancel my service. Man asked me why I was cancelling service. I rattled on for 15 minutes . taking maybe three breaths while trying to think of everything that has gone on since I signed up.
He was like “yeah, I would leave also, Sorry this has happenned to you, you will be receiving a credit soon”.
and that was it. no telling me I am wrong, no selling me a bigger bundle.

Doin it right. for once.

 

**Update 2**

 

Logged in to see my Comcast bill information and to make sure that all of the statements were true, that I would recieve a credit to my account and got a notice to provide a valid email address.  but in back I could see my bill. Lots of junk going on back there. Of course I tried three different ways of handling that page so I could see the bill. They all signed me out instantly.

My Comcast Bill

My Comcast Bill

 

I have no idea what is going on below that point. Could be a pot of gold, could be a bag of chewed up rubberbands.  The reason I am trying to log in is to see if  I got the credit I was told I would get, since they ripped me off of last credit, and to see if I upset someone enough they decided to change my bill up and really stick it to me. You can’t doubt people anymore in either direction. Good or bad.
Needless to say. I have not been able to scroll all the way down. That stupid pop up asking me to show another email address blocks my view.

 

**update 3**

 

All devices were taken back the day I posted this. No arguments, no denying anything. In fact i think the little lady behind teh counter kind of wanted me.

here is their big technical wall of tv screens updated from earlier this year.

ghettovision

ghettovision

Now here is what comcast says I was supposed to pay last month.

comcast bill

Comcast bill

Now… If that was in fact what I was “supposed to pay”. Then why in the blue hell would I pay this ?

comcast payment

Comcast payment

It’s as if the kid I was trying to get help from but only wanted to argue with me, decided to make it look like I am a moron and don’t know how to internet. Now, understand, my bill is usually $79 before “additional charges”. So um. $200 minus 141, but this month’s bill is only $88.06 ? What? Which idiot in that establishment is going to show me how this works, and which idiot in that company is going to translate what that guy said, to non bull %^&*  and make it make sense?

But I have to thank him for showing me I needed to open my mind. I love direct tv and uncapped 4G Internet.

 

 

Dear Verizon Fios

Are you not in Houston?
No matter what address I type into the Verizon Fios website to see what deals are in my area, I get a notice saying that I can’t be found.

Come to Houston please. 25/25 bandwidth would crush Comcast and take half of their unsatisfied customers away.
Every person I ask information about Verizon Fios, responds with “What’s Verizon Fios?”. I tell them the deals I see online and they look at me in disbelief.

Tell me Verizon, Do you have Fios in Houston area?
I need to get away from Comcast and I need to now.
I have done months with no service because they didn’t bury the line properly. When I finally got help from them, I got offered $20 discount for last month only. Not the previous 8 months. From the start they stuck me with a $200 install fee, to use my wires. After I called about it, the girl who barely spoke English (but still answered the English line[I pressed 1 for English]) told me “I can do nothing, your bill is your bill

The alternative is AT&T, and they are worse with customer than Comcast, and that’s a big statement. I can’t quote anything because I left their cell phone plan almost 10 years ago and vowed I would never go back again.

I am considering ditching all internet and television (except local broadcast) April 1st because of circumstances here. Which leaves me letting go of quite a few websites.

Please. Tell me Verizon, are you sporting Fios in Houston?

1 Voice Squelched

I was writing a book a while back “How the internet was won” .
I was explaining what I see happening and what could happen with the internet. Most of it was just me posting ideas and hoping I would go back later and clean it up. but now. I have lost the heart to even try. Because it is all coming true. From monopolizing the internet on us, to spying on us to learn how to confine us. To us making our own internet and hiding in what I called “the outweb”. but it came to a flaw. The way they persecute everyone and say that freedom fighters are identity thieves, The outweb would have been everyone who wanted freedom, but also surrounded with dirty people that no one really wants to associate themselves with. The problem there is we would be forced to censor the outweb, or all be considered “one of them”. You know that mainstream media would have said it was full of graphic illegal images and a bunch of corrupt death fetish freaks.

I’m crushed to say, the whole sopa thing, was just a name to use while they enslave the internet, one group of people at a time, in a manor that doesn’t scare everyone. Since Sopa failed, everything they had in plan, is happening anyway, using other laws to make it happen anyway.

All of these illegal arrests. all of the illegal deportations. All of this seizing of personal property from people who are not even in the country that is persecuting them.

Television tells you now what is cool. Don’t believe me? look at a Facebook. It sucks everyone complains about it yet everyone is still there. And everything on Tv and on the radio promotes Facebook. While Facebook gets your information willingly from you. Where you go, what you do, what you like, who you associate with.

April first 2012, I will be disconnecting myself from the internet. I can’t partake in this free realm gradually become just a media input device. I’m dropping my phone. I am dropping my computers. I am closing down all but three of my websites. They are paid in full for the next seven years. So they will still sit as they are.

Soon, there will be no place for people in countries with insane government, to say “hey, someone helps u, our country isn’t like the mainstream media says it is we are being mistreated” Soon there will be no place for you to sell your own personal music online and make a an income on your works, without signing with some major label that will end up making three times your income while you still make exactly what you would have made without them, because after all, we all know who controls all of this anyway. Don’t we?

I will be back next year to see how things went.

1 voice squelched.