Do Thai Isps Employ "rolling Black Outs" To Cheat On Bandwidth?

[ballzafire]

Really, REALLY getting tired of the flaky internet here.

There is NO excuse for the constant slowdowns (less than dialup speeds, at times...) to outright multi-hour outages.

It's almost as if they have all oversubscribed their bandwidth then instituted some kind of "rolling bandwidth blackout" to make up for it.

Anybody else share my theory? For the record I have Maxnet (a.k.a "MaxNOT"!)

Grrr...

[wpcoe]

Interesting theory.

My latest roadblock was something else, however. I'd be surfing the web, and an instant later couldn't open a single web page. Router reported that ADSL link was up, as was PPPoE link. Couldn't access web sites (or e-mail) for three hours on Thursday, four hours on Friday, and seven hours on Saturday. FINALLY, after ten calls to 1103 (I subscribe to TT&T Maxnet), a "tech" called back and gave me DNS server numbers to input. Bingo. Instant access.

Prior to all the madness which began around June, I had been using OpenDNS but when TT&T blocked access to them, I set DNS server info to "automatic."

Apparently TT&T is either playing with its DNS server settings, or there have been recent (and frequent) crashes in their system.

Amazing that they cannot even maintain DNS servers. Especially when they block use of third-party DNS servers. TiT.

PS: The currently working DNS servers she gave me are: 202.69.137.137 and 202.69.137.138

[elkangorito]

I'll bet my left knacker that it has everything to do with overselling bandwidth...it makes sense in Thailand, doesn't it?

I'm stuck with the worst of the worse...TOT. For the last 3 to 4 weeks, I've experienced internet "blackouts"...usually after about 6pm & lasting up to about midnight & mainly during the week. It is not constant or predictable. I actually thought it was schoolkids hogging the bandwidth with online games at internet cafes but a walk down the road one night during a "blackout" proved me wrong. The internet cafe(s) was (were) empty, which may have been attributed to the "blackout".

On many other occasions, I find that I can access webpages for a few minutes & then everything goes dead for 5 or 10 minutes. If I insistently click on a link (many times), it seems to come back to life briefly before plummeting into deadness again. This can go on for hours.

On other occasions like tonight, everything is wonderful (touch wood).

I'm using OpenDNS.

Edited November 29, 2009 by elkangorito

[trogers]

Interesting theory.

My latest roadblock was something else, however. I'd be surfing the web, and an instant later couldn't open a single web page. Router reported that ADSL link was up, as was PPPoE link. Couldn't access web sites (or e-mail) for three hours on Thursday, four hours on Friday, and seven hours on Saturday. FINALLY, after ten calls to 1103 (I subscribe to TT&T Maxnet), a "tech" called back and gave me DNS server numbers to input. Bingo. Instant access.

Prior to all the madness which began around June, I had been using OpenDNS but when TT&T blocked access to them, I set DNS server info to "automatic."

Apparently TT&T is either playing with its DNS server settings, or there have been recent (and frequent) crashes in their system.

Amazing that they cannot even maintain DNS servers. Especially when they block use of third-party DNS servers. TiT.

PS: The currently working DNS servers she gave me are: 202.69.137.137 and 202.69.137.138

I think they are probably upgrading their filtering and surveillance software in their DNS servers.

[livinthailandos]

i've read a few postings and I can only go on a few things

1. For maxnett, what package from maxnett do you have. DO NOT get indy as its mostly just for domestic internet usage. You should be using premier package as this is more fitted for international usage

2. TOT ( never had the level of problems most users have but still not has fast as my good old maxnett

3. as far as blocking DNS Servers like opendns, my opendns still works. i remember for opendns you should input the dns numbers into your router and your computer to. Just make sure you put both DNS numbers

4. Your speed on internet also depends on the DSLAM and how near or far you are from it.

5. Your internet speed also depends on the quality of the telephone lines ( not the one in your house )

6. Internet pentration usage in a area

7. Firefox has a way to make more connections to a website in about:config

8. Remember we are in web 2.0 which means more images, shockwave flash, javascripts etc, if you want to see some idea of being faster 2 ideas disable images & javascript or change to a better internet browser that renders pages faster like google chrome

If the ISP's here can't even fix basic problems with their internet, how does anyone seriously expect them to even know how to maintain a DNS Server.

hope that helps a little I have no problems with maxnett on my end I get a constant rate of 250 kbps download all the time

[ballzafire]

As I write this, my connection has inexplicably gone back to what appears to be 'normal' speed. It's as if the floodgates have been 'reopened' or something.

This is what I was talking about -- the "on again, off again" nature of the Thailand Internet beast.

Not crossing my fingers that things are fixed now, either. This is only a temporary reprieve. That I know...

(Package: Maxnet Premier)

Edited November 30, 2009 by ballzafire