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Jaloww's avatar
Jaloww
New Contributor II
Solved

Download speed fine. Poor/intermittent upload speed.

Hi,

Recently I've been experiencing issues with my upload speed. The download speed is fine. Sometimes when I run the cox recommended speed test, I'll have around 8Mbps upload, and 30 seconds later I'll get 2-3Mbps upload. I'm currently on Preferred 150/10. Definitely seeing more 2-3Mbps upload test results than anything close to 10, sometimes I've even gotten 0 back.

Done the whole basic troubleshooting with multiple support representatives and boy does that get old. Yes I know how to reset. Yes I know to bypass the router. No I haven't changed any set up on my end, but somehow I'm experiencing terrible upload speeds and intermittent drops.

I have an sb6183 arris modem, wrt1900ac router, upstream and downstream status look okay to me, so I'm assuming something has to be the issue from the connection to my house to the cox node, or somewhere along the way. Half the cable is new to the modem.

Was told I can't have a technician come out and take a look because I'm not renting a cox modem - really?!

Really baffled on this one, and could use some help. Most recent speed test and modem status linked.

speed test

modem status

Thanks!

bad upload speeds
download fine upload bad
intermittent upload speed
random upload speed
upload
upload speed
upload speed drops
UPLOAD SPEED POOR PERFORMANCE
  • Jaloww's avatar
    Jaloww

    Just to give some semi-closure to this, I've still been having the upload issues with Cox. Unfortunately I really need a consistent upload, so I had CenturyLink come out and wire me up so I could test both services in parallel. So far, the CL service has performed very close to the advertised speeds and I haven't had any upload problems whatsoever. Meanwhile the Cox upload is still bouncing all around the place. Such a shame, been with Cox for a long time now but it looks like I'm going to make the switch to the service that works. Here's the latest snip of the Cox upload speed jumping all around. 

    I've found testmy.net upload test to be very helpful as a sustained upload test just FYI for everyone. Choose the upload test at the top and I do a manual size that's larger to see the consistency.


    https://imgur.com/jXuxdH5

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  • oberdinger's avatar
    oberdinger
    New Contributor II

    I have been having this problem with Cox for over three years. Over 9 technicians have come out to tell me they don't know what the problem is. I recently was told that I had to swap to their modem before they would troubleshoot any farther. Once that was complete, my line was replaced from the house to the neighborhood node.

    The problem is still persistent.

    This is just something we have to live with by using Cox apparently.

    Unacceptable...

    • Jaloww's avatar
      Jaloww
      New Contributor II

      Wow, sorry to hear that. Getting 20-30% of the upload I'm paying for plus the occasional complete disconnect for upload is unacceptable. I just got off the phone and had to add the $10 complete care charge monthly to get a tech out (and to avoid a $75 fee). Tech comes tomorrow. If it doesn't get sorted out I'm having century link come out and hook me up. Hate to do it but if their quality is better I have to go with them. Such a shame.

      • oberdinger's avatar
        oberdinger
        New Contributor II

        I have been keeping a log with screenshots, dates, and times every time I realize it goes out. Which is probably the only reason they offered to change the line. Century Link doesn't offer anything close to what I require.

    • Geauxkoo's avatar
      Geauxkoo
      New Contributor

      Same. Just learned to accept that i’ll never have the upload I pay for. Many techs and linemen visits and still have poor upload. 

      • KevinM2's avatar
        KevinM2
        Former Moderator
        @Geauxkoo, I am not detecting any packet loss on your modem at this time, and your signal levels appear to be healthy. Does this happen while gaming, surfing the web, or streaming movies/TV shows? Are all devices in the home experiencing slow speeds, even on a hard-wired connection? -Kevin M. Cox Support Forum Moderator
    • ekhawaii's avatar
      ekhawaii
      Contributor

      This Upload speed thing is sure disturbing.  Today, my Cox Upload speed went back to 11+ and was in the range of 2.5-6 for over 1mo.  I'm here in OCounty to the OC server.  Have wrote to Cox but nothing.  I believe WiderM implied that the Upload test was broken....maybe it got fixed...at least for me.

      Unfortunately, for those that are truly having Upload problems, like the Gamers or Streamers, I really feel for you.  Paying for but not getting the speeds you wanted....well, frustrating.  For those of us that don't, and only use the Speedtests to check the conditions of the systems...along with tracert...ping...pingplotter, all looking for Packet Losses, well, it's sad that when we feel/see numbers that look outside the norm (and many of us are not tech types), that Cox cannot adjust.  Like I said, my Cox Upload doubled to what it was 1mo ago, and I did Nothing but check daily!   DSLReports and other testers did have numbers that differed from the Cox site....maybe it was really broken.

  • JonathanJ's avatar
    JonathanJ
    Former Moderator
    @Jaloww

    Are you experiencing this a certain time of day on all sites or a particular site? Also, try running a traceroute the next time you experience an upload speed issue and post the results.


    Jonathan J
    Cox Moderator
    • Jaloww's avatar
      Jaloww
      New Contributor II

      Hi Jonathan,

      No, this issue does not appear to be at a certain time of day. I've tested very late at night (2am-3am), in the morning (9am) and during the afternoon (2pm). Same issues happen at all times of the day.

      Here is a recent trace

      https://ibb.co/QP2B939

  • bearone2's avatar
    bearone2
    Contributor III

    it's something with your modem/router.

    no, they're not going to send someone to resolve issues with your equipment.

    • Jaloww's avatar
      Jaloww
      New Contributor II

      Hi bearone,

      I highly doubt it's the modem or router. Just to be sure, I just ordered a brand new modem (arris sb6190), changed the incoming signal from the street to a different coax run in the house and connected to that one. Still getting the upload irregularities. Router not an issue right now because for all of these tests it's bypassed. Something else is up..

  • Janet01's avatar
    Janet01
    New Contributor III

    https://imgur.com/a/YxjCAWVThis is the best thing I have found to prove that something is wrong with something that Cox has to fix and it is not your equipment.

    SO DSLreports has a tool that you can use to push a constant upstream to see if your internet can support that speed. I have 150 download and 10 upload plan. The image I have attached has task manager open on the left and the dslreports tool open on the right. Using the 6.2 Mbps I have a constant buffer issue and the speed can never hold up to what is being requested. Now if I lower the request to anything below 3.0 Mbps I have no issues and hold that constant upload speed. I have been running in loops with support and techs coming out tell me something is wrong with my devices, because the meter tool they use shows the speed tests as perfect. So what I think is happening is the devices they are using are set to run the speed test at somewhere below 1 Kbps and there for not even trying to push enough speed through to see if the cable can actually handle it. So what is the point in paying for a higher plan? Download on the other hand works just how it supposed to and gets the speed that should. I have a technician coming on Tuesday and have asked specifically that it is a Cox technician and not a 3rd party or contractor so that the issue is directly taken up with Cox. We'll see what happens. I hope this helps people who are stuck in that annoying loop of calling tech support and having tech come out and them tell you everything is fine and when your the one paying for the service and know it is not what it should be.

    Here is the link to it.

    https://imgur.com/FyJgECD

    Edit: This is all on Cox equipment. Brand new out the box modem that was installed when tech came out yesterday with the exact same problem.

    Edit 2:

    This is about 2 hours after my initial post.

    I now have these results on the exact same cable, exact same device, and exact same modem.

    I do not know what is going on.. there's no way one hour it looks like the first test and the next it looks like the second.

    Heres link: https://imgur.com/a/v6e1LtP

    https://imgur.com/a/v6e1LtP

    Speed test results compared to Task Manager:

    Link: https://imgur.com/ChbY3u4

    https://imgur.com/a/pj7gpAU

    After running speed tests on multiple different sites the results being shown do show lower than what task manager is showing. Cox's speed test to be specific does show extremely low values and could really be broken.

    This still does not explain the huge 360 that it just pulled within the span of 2 hours though.

    Edit 3: After about another hour everything has been silky smooth. If something changes I'll update.

    Edit 4: No change in the connection after some more tests, but the screen shot below is from a new computer being on my network and speedtest.net reads the correct values for what Task Manager shows. Not really sure why though... same cable, same modem. Only difference is what is listed as the source where the connection is being ran from "ONENET".

    https://imgur.com/a/aybTt6n

    I then waited about 5 minutes for the laptop to get recognized closed the browser and went back to run another speed test and this time it shows "COX" as the source and the results are now displayed at the low values. But Task Manager is showing the values as being what they are supposed to be.

    https://imgur.com/a/VFZkBeY

    I do not really know what this information means. If a Cox support person would like to take the information I have found and do something with it your more than welcome.

    Edit 5: So had Cox come out today 11/26. I just so happen to get the same tech that came out the last time. Showed him my screen shots and what I had found through my testing and that there are some irregularities. Advised another tech would come out in 5 business days or so and check the tap to see if anything looks wrong there.

    • ekhawaii's avatar
      ekhawaii
      Contributor

      The DSL Tools/Stream Test is curious.  Never been here...I seem to get the Upload constants under the Other button to give me at least or better thru-put.  A F5 refresh seems to change the random server location.  Sometimes, the lower constant speed produces a 2x indicator or more.

      I'm not too sure I understand the Download numbers from Utube..etc.  I'm guessing that even if I get download speed test of 200+, the server sites containing the actual downloadable data will only transmit an way lower numbers.

      I have use the TaskManager tool too..useful as a backup check or ethernet.

      • Janet01's avatar
        Janet01
        New Contributor III

        Check the edit I just made. It is a complete 360 within like an hour.

    • nRGon's avatar
      nRGon
      New Contributor II

      janet01 How do you set up this constant upload speed test, do you have a link for that specifically? I'm having the SAME exact issues in Las Vegas and they're bsing me the same way.

      • Jaloww's avatar
        Jaloww
        New Contributor II

        Just to give some semi-closure to this, I've still been having the upload issues with Cox. Unfortunately I really need a consistent upload, so I had CenturyLink come out and wire me up so I could test both services in parallel. So far, the CL service has performed very close to the advertised speeds and I haven't had any upload problems whatsoever. Meanwhile the Cox upload is still bouncing all around the place. Such a shame, been with Cox for a long time now but it looks like I'm going to make the switch to the service that works. Here's the latest snip of the Cox upload speed jumping all around. 

        I've found testmy.net upload test to be very helpful as a sustained upload test just FYI for everyone. Choose the upload test at the top and I do a manual size that's larger to see the consistency.


        https://imgur.com/jXuxdH5

    • Zurq's avatar
      Zurq
      Contributor II

      Keep calling cox, file FCC complaints, escalate it, do everything and anything to get your problem on there radar, do EVERYTHING, you have to keep pushing it, like I did. I did everything and then some, constant calling them everyday for weeks and finally got the right person and they sent a tech out and he monitored my network for days and kept me informed and then he came to my house and we talked and troubleshooted it till it was fixed.

    • JonathanJ's avatar
      JonathanJ
      Former Moderator
      @Abaker1992

      I apologize for the experience and would love the opportunity to investigate your concern. I completely understand your frustration as sometimes there are situations that are not handled in the best possible way. If you somehow find the willingness to email our team, please send your account details to cox.help@cox.com.



      Jonathan J
      Cox Moderator
  • wigllysz's avatar
    wigllysz
    New Contributor II

    Having the same issues here in CT for about 1-2 months.

  • CokeZero's avatar
    CokeZero
    New Contributor

    Been having this problem since last month. Can't Twitch stream from around 5pm to even as late as 11pm my upload speeds take a huge dive from 35-38mpbs to 1.50-12mpbs and it jumps all over the place. I had a technician come out two nights ago and said all the readings were fine and was told that since it's a shared line it has it's slowdowns around that time of day. This happens almost nightly.

    It's difficult to stream earlier as I get home from work around the same time. It's unacceptable to be paying so much money for Gigablast internet where I have to wait until morning/afternoon to have acceptable upload speeds. I've already swapped out my first modem (Cox's own Panoramic Wifi Modem) with a new one at a Cox Solutions store, I've swapped ethernet cables to CAT6 ones, I've resetted my modem so many times and still nothing. Is there anything left to do to get the speeds I pay for on a consistent nightly basis?

    Speed Test

    • JonathanJ's avatar
      JonathanJ
      Former Moderator
      @CokeZero

      When or if this happens again please run a few traceroutes one on google, twitch and any other site so we can take a closer look.


      Jonathan J
      Cox Moderator
      • CokeZero's avatar
        CokeZero
        New Contributor

        Thank you for replying. Is there a specific program/tool/site I can use to run a traceroute?

  • chmod777's avatar
    chmod777
    New Contributor III

    I have been having an upload speed issue as well for several days, maybe weeks. I'm in the Orange County, CA region. I already made my own thread before I noticed this one, but I have been getting anywhere from 1-10 Mbps upload speeds lately, used to have no problem hitting 30 (Ultimate tier).

  • Calik0's avatar
    Calik0
    New Contributor

    Apparently Cox deployed some underhanded rogue tactics and switched Preferred 150/10 into Preferred 150/5. I received zero notice about this and feel scammed. What can anyone do with 5 up? This is a joke. Verizon please come to my town.