CaribServe.NET Wireless Broadband Services -- St. Maarten's Premier Internet Service Provider

Major Factors that Affect Performance

There are many factors besides the CaribServe.NET network that affect your test results, but if you are within 80-90% of your maximum speed the connection is considered to be working well.

Some factors that affect your performance are:

	Your Computer (CPU, video, and browser)
	Port Speed (for external modems/adapters)
	Internet Traffic (bottlenecks at exchange points)
	Servers - the server handling the requests may be overloaded
	Bogged down web sites - When a web site experiences a very high number of visitors, it may become unable to respond. You may receive the message: "The page cannot be displayed" or the web site will respond, but slowly. You may be able to get to and from the web site very quickly, but once at the site, processing is delayed, resulting in what appears to be slow Internet speeds.

Traffic congestion in other parts of the Internet - When CaribServe.NET connects you to the Internet, you become part of the largest network there is, the Internet, or the information superhighway. You share the same routes, routers, and backbones with other Internet users, worldwide. Sometimes these backbones (the "main lines" through which packets of data flow over the Internet) get overloaded with traffic, resulting in slower speeds when getting to and returning from web sites. It is similar to being stuck in rush hour traffic in a large city.

Your computer - If you have an older computer, the components may not be up to date. The speeds on the CaribServe.NET network may be fine. However, your computer's ability to receive and process information may happen at a slower rate. If you are running several different applications simultaneously, your computer's ability to process rapidly may also be compromised. The most common approach to resolving a slow PC is to add more memory. Remember, the faster the computer, the faster your Internet experience will be.

Your router - For whatever reason, the broadband routers today seem to need to be rebooted every now and then. We often see instances where simply power cycling the router brings speeds back to normal. If you are using a wireless router, you may be getting interference from your cordless phone. Many 2.4GHz cordless phones will interfere with the signal of a 2.4GHz wireless LAN or you could very well be picking up interference from another wireless router or device in your proximity.

Viruses, Spyware, Malware - Computer viruses can cause Internet performance to degrade significantly. Also, 'Adware' or 'Spyware' that gets onto your computer unknowingly when you download software, or visit infected sites, can also slow Internet speeds. We offer links to download sites for a few free programs that scan and remove spyware & adware from your PC. See our section on Spyware & Other Nasty Stuff in our KnowledgeBase.

If you notice your Internet connection slowing down or your router becoming less responsive, you can check your router logs for evidence of virus activity.

	Disconnect the WAN cable
	Unplug the power to the router
	Power cycle the antenna
	Plug the router's power adapter back in, watching for the WAN light to light up again. May take up to 30 seconds.
	Login to the router and click on the Status tab
	Select Log from the left column and then look to see if the log is being populated with “Out of NAT Buffer” entries.

If you see the above log entry then there is a possibility that one or more of the computers on your network has been infected with a virus (SoBIG, Nachi, Welchia, etc.). If you have a virus scanner, make sure that it has all of the updates and scan all of your computers. For an online scanner as well as removal tools for these viruses, you can the BitDefender Online Scanner.

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