Am I Being Duped - CenturyLink Internet Question

[maidendeth13]

I just moved to New Mexico and chose centurylink for internet based on the recommendation of some neighbors.

On the phone I signed up for fiber optic 60mb/s. They would not waive the install fee since "fiber optic is super complicated to install" but said I could use my own modem/router.

I was not home for the install but my wife was.

When I got home she said that the install tech said we had to use their modem/router (it's a 2 in 1 deal) for anything over 40mb/s.

Their router is plugged into a phone jack in the wall and has a green cable running from the phone jack into the DSL port on the back of the century link modem/router.

The internet seems to work fine and speed test has given me ~20mb/s which isn't too bad. A far cry from 60 but my understanding from the last place I had internet was to expect 50% of the claimed speed at the computer. I'm a little interested in the fiber optic vs DSL though and also a little pissed that I can't use my router and have to rent theirs.

A quick search online revealed that sometimes fiber is run to the house but from there they run the internet through phone lines?

Anyone else have experience with this? Am I getting ripped off or am I getting what I signed up for?

Thanks!

[SkyHawk]

DSL is not fiber, period. What is your upload speed, that is the tell on how good your service is.

I would be looking for service from the cable company, they can offer many hundreds of Mb over coax.

If not, I would not be paying fiber price for DSL. If there is no optical cable terminating at your router, it is not fiber.

[maidendeth13]

Just did the test again. Download at 15 this time. Upload at 4.8.

Sounds like I'll be giving them another call in the morning.

I've always had cable internet but allegedly fiber was available here for almost the same price as cable so figured I'd give it a try. Maybe one of those too good to be true things...

[SkyHawk]

4.8 upload is not terrible, way better than most DSL. It is possible they have the DSLAM in your neighborhood, and fiber from there. If the price is not bad I would try it for awhile, but again I would not pay for 40Mb speed either.

[Marauder2003]

Try the Centurylink forum on dslreports.com

https://www.dslreports.com/forum/50

[Jongage]

is thatspeed on wifi or cat5 into a computer. Conduct a test plugged into the router, that is your true speed
There is FTTP and FTTN

FTTP Fiber to the house
FTTN Fiber to the node (node being the master box of the neighborhood)

Big difference

[bigmike82]

post a picture of the connection and the router please.

[maidendeth13]

Sorry for the delay. Here's a pic of the outside.



I'm not sure which one it is as I have centurylink not xfinity or qwest... I'm assuming it's the bottom box as it has newer looking cables run to it.

Inside is a green cable coming out of a phone jack and running into the DSL port in the router/modem. I will try to remember to snap a picture tonight as well as seeing if I can get into the outside box for another picture.

Thanks!

[Mute]

No way that's fiber optic.

[SkyHawk]

It could be that Qwest box. You very well may have fiber to the home with a copper DSL handoff.

In this pic, the green cables look like ground wires. In your house, the green phone cable is probably DSL.

If you can open that Qwest box, you might see the fiber cable.

Look at this pic, get back to us with the info.

[maidendeth13]

The Xfinity box is closed with a zip tie/tamper evident. If I can grab an extra zip tie from work I'll cut theirs and replace it after looking inside.

Inside the Qwest box.




As far as I can tell this is just a ground bar?




Inside






Thanks for all the help guys!

[Skip_Dog]

Regardless of the misinformation you received about fiber (to your router or to a close box in the hood) you should receive the speed you are paying for. If you pay for 60mbs and are only getting 20ish you should have them reduce your cost or improve the speed. Not sure they will be able to pull 60mbs out of that router.

[maidendeth13]

20 mbs is the speed over wifi. I'd understood that wifi is going to be significantly less than 60. What should I be getting over wifi speed wise?

[Skip_Dog]

That's about right for 60mbs hard wired to WiFi. You should connect a laptop or desk top via Cat5/6 to do a speed test and see what you get.

[Mute]

If your wifi is 802.11 AC 60mbs should not be a problem. However, I'm going to guess that the crap router century link gave you is not up to that standard. Test it with a cat 5 hard wired connection. If it doesn't come close to 60mbs then you're being ripped off. I know their fine print probably has some statement about not being able to guarantee that they can sustain that throughput, but it should at least be close and hit that mark occasionally. If it does not, then they are not meeting their end of the deal.