What is going on here?

The plot thickens...

So I contacted Afrihost. Just sent the latency report and asked for assist. They said they reset something on their side. Not sure what but it didn't help.

But here is the interesting part I've just noticed when I run speedtest:

During the download phase I'm getting consistent sub 50ms ping.
During the upload phase it averaged between 180 and 300 ping. Sometimes an occasional timeout.
Then after the speedtest it goes back to this strange up down up down ping behavior.

I've tested this 6 times, every time exactly the same behavior. What is going on? Do I have a faulty modem from Afrihost? Going to see if this thing has a firmware update...
 
AHAHAHAAHAH!

So I could only check for updates on the device while I was running speedtest so that the Internet was stable during the update check. Else it kept failing.

No come on guys really, am I the only person in South Africa experiencing this?
 
Now that I am downloading a steam update the ping is consistent :)

So it leads me to believe either there is shaping or some sort of algorithm going on. Or my modem has got some strange power saving thing going on. Or its just faulty. Can't find a setting though.

Anyway I'm getting closer to what this is :) it really just messes up browsing whatever it is.
 
Last edited:
Yep. Steam update finished. Back to strange ping behavior, and horrible browsing experience. Even apps on my phone lock up when its doing this.

So to get good Internet latency and responsiveness I just need to be sure I'm downloading something in the background. lol.
 
Last edited:
Stevewarren said:
Dude use Hspa locker it works great.
Click to expand...

What does it do? And will it fix browsing on my Android phone as well? Seems it will only improve experience on a Windows PC...

If I google HSPA locker I get a lot of dodgy websites like ge.tt/9EKmWCl/v/91 and накачать.рф/1667-hspa-locker-v13b-by-job-314.html
and hspa-locker.software.informer.com/ (I don't trust this website either) to download from and no explanation of what it does :/

Plus it doesn't sound like HSPA locker or HSDPA locker will lock to 4G as that isn't HSDPA
 
Guy at Afrihost says its my area :/ Despite me explaining the improvement in ping when I actually download something. Plus I'm back at Melrose Arch now and still the same behavior. I'm just gonna phone them now and explain because people miss logical details in writing all the time...
 
it constantly uploads a set amount of data to a server so that there always data being sent. so like when you said you were downloading updates of steam your ping was fine. I set mine to upload 9Kbps and it locks it. without it I to would also get massive latency spikes, no it wont help with your handset but what are you going to do with your handset thats latency sensitive.

You could do it yourself using cmd in windows, just ping google before you start playing a game, not sure if you can set the amount of data you upload though that way.
 
Last edited:
Stevewarren said:
it constantly uploads a set amount of data to a server so that there always data being sent. so like when you said you were downloading updates of steam your ping was fine. I set mine to upload 9Kbps and it locks it. without it I to would also get massive latency spikes, no it wont help with your handset but what are you going to do with your handset thats latency sensitive.

You could do it yourself using cmd in windows, just ping google before you start playing a game, not sure if you can set the amount of data you upload though that way.
Click to expand...

Thanks. So apps also lock up on my phone because of this strange problem. Also browsing on my phone is affected. Only when the signal "wakes up" during a download is it fine. Also seems like a terrible waste of bandwidth to have to lock a download.

Seems I am not the only one with this problem then afterall...
 
Yeah its a mobile thing. The way I understand it is everytime you connect to a tower your phone or dongle has to go through authentication checks or something similar, Thats why if you can keep the connection constant you have a much better connection, atleast thats what I think.

You dont gave to upload that much as I said I just have to upload 9KBps to lock it. less might work for you. I do know that World of Warcraft gives me 800ms without it and 230ms with it and thats on EU servers.

I just checked theres an app on the play store called connection stabilizer, seems to do the same thing. I haven't used it but if you have an android phone you mighy want to check it out.
 
Last edited:
Lonehill sucks balls in towers. Its about time it gets some infrastructure improvements, time for providers to start delivering better service there. My vodacom goes to edge there, telkom bounces between good to no connection like your pings.

Hope any of the providers are actualy reading this
 
Stevewarren said:
Yeah its a mobile thing. The way I understand it is everytime you connect to a tower your phone or dongle has to go through authentication checks or something similar, Thats why if you can keep the connection constant you have a much better connection, atleast thats what I think.

You dont gave to upload that much as I said I just have to upload 9KBps to lock it. less might work for you. I do know that World of Warcraft gives me 800ms without it and 230ms with it and thats on EU servers.

I just checked theres an app on the play store called connection stabilizer, seems to do the same thing. I haven't used it but if you have an android phone you mighy want to check it out.
Click to expand...

Thanks very much! :)
 
Where can I find this HSUPA locker software? I'm googling with no luck to find any download links :(
 
I'm afraid it hasn't worked :( I still have the same problem. Even if I force it up to 3kb.

I would need a program like that, but with download instead of upload.

Again as I do a steam game update I am now able to post and work just fine and the pings are consistently low.
 
Look at this.

During and after steam game update. It is clear to see... :(

Reply from 197.242.89.170: bytes=32 time=37ms TTL=51
Reply from 197.242.89.170: bytes=32 time=52ms TTL=51
Reply from 197.242.89.170: bytes=32 time=42ms TTL=51
Reply from 197.242.89.170: bytes=32 time=45ms TTL=51
Reply from 197.242.89.170: bytes=32 time=50ms TTL=51
Reply from 197.242.89.170: bytes=32 time=42ms TTL=51
Reply from 197.242.89.170: bytes=32 time=55ms TTL=51
Reply from 197.242.89.170: bytes=32 time=51ms TTL=51
Reply from 197.242.89.170: bytes=32 time=43ms TTL=51
Reply from 197.242.89.170: bytes=32 time=44ms TTL=51
Reply from 197.242.89.170: bytes=32 time=49ms TTL=51
Reply from 197.242.89.170: bytes=32 time=47ms TTL=51
Reply from 197.242.89.170: bytes=32 time=40ms TTL=51
Reply from 197.242.89.170: bytes=32 time=45ms TTL=51
Reply from 197.242.89.170: bytes=32 time=42ms TTL=51
Reply from 197.242.89.170: bytes=32 time=49ms TTL=51
Reply from 197.242.89.170: bytes=32 time=52ms TTL=51
Reply from 197.242.89.170: bytes=32 time=55ms TTL=51
Reply from 197.242.89.170: bytes=32 time=45ms TTL=51
Reply from 197.242.89.170: bytes=32 time=45ms TTL=51
Reply from 197.242.89.170: bytes=32 time=40ms TTL=51
Reply from 197.242.89.170: bytes=32 time=40ms TTL=51
Reply from 197.242.89.170: bytes=32 time=52ms TTL=51
Reply from 197.242.89.170: bytes=32 time=48ms TTL=51
Reply from 197.242.89.170: bytes=32 time=46ms TTL=51
Reply from 197.242.89.170: bytes=32 time=1059ms TTL=51
Reply from 197.242.89.170: bytes=32 time=36ms TTL=51
Reply from 197.242.89.170: bytes=32 time=1021ms TTL=51
Reply from 197.242.89.170: bytes=32 time=48ms TTL=51
Reply from 197.242.89.170: bytes=32 time=530ms TTL=51
Reply from 197.242.89.170: bytes=32 time=39ms TTL=51
Reply from 197.242.89.170: bytes=32 time=425ms TTL=51
Reply from 197.242.89.170: bytes=32 time=51ms TTL=51
Reply from 197.242.89.170: bytes=32 time=404ms TTL=51
Reply from 197.242.89.170: bytes=32 time=1064ms TTL=51
Reply from 197.242.89.170: bytes=32 time=45ms TTL=51
Reply from 197.242.89.170: bytes=32 time=1067ms TTL=51
Reply from 197.242.89.170: bytes=32 time=46ms TTL=51
Reply from 197.242.89.170: bytes=32 time=1057ms TTL=51
Reply from 197.242.89.170: bytes=32 time=45ms TTL=51
Reply from 197.242.89.170: bytes=32 time=288ms TTL=51
Reply from 197.242.89.170: bytes=32 time=1033ms TTL=51
Reply from 197.242.89.170: bytes=32 time=57ms TTL=51
Reply from 197.242.89.170: bytes=32 time=1070ms TTL=51
Reply from 197.242.89.170: bytes=32 time=40ms TTL=51
Reply from 197.242.89.170: bytes=32 time=1122ms TTL=51
Reply from 197.242.89.170: bytes=32 time=48ms TTL=51
Reply from 197.242.89.170: bytes=32 time=1074ms TTL=51
Reply from 197.242.89.170: bytes=32 time=61ms TTL=51
Reply from 197.242.89.170: bytes=32 time=1073ms TTL=51
Reply from 197.242.89.170: bytes=32 time=43ms TTL=51
Reply from 197.242.89.170: bytes=32 time=603ms TTL=51
Reply from 197.242.89.170: bytes=32 time=1075ms TTL=51
Reply from 197.242.89.170: bytes=32 time=44ms TTL=51

Going to wait and see what their tech support says. Else take it directly to one of their offices to check.
 
Their tech support re-did something to my account, re-provisioned SIM and everything. Still same problem :(

I replied this morning with another ping test and if I should bring the device in to an Afrihost office for them to check. No reply since... lets wait and see.
 
This is the reason why I paused my Afrihost Mobile. My connection just got to a point that I could no longer use it. I had to manually turn if of and the back on again. I just hope that Afrihost will fix this issue, that is to say, if they are going to
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top
Sign up to the MyBroadband newsletter
X