[TriLUG] Request for help: residential internet service provider options.

[Scott Chilcote via TriLUG]

On 05/25/2016 10:24 AM, Steve Holton via TriLUG wrote:
>> Just for giggles, have you tried any other DNS servers, for comparison?
>
> Excellent suggestion. But yes. I've rotated through the list with no
> appreciable change.
>
> My pingtest goes to Windstream's DNS server because I at least they can't
> blame ping-loss on other people's network.
>
> Our DSL has been broadly acceptable for several years, it's only recently
> that it has collapsed.
>
> I've discounted physical layer problems because the service seems
> acceptable during bankers hours, and because I can't get Windstream to look
> at it anyway.
>
> Thanks.
>
> On Wed, May 25, 2016 at 10:58 AM, Brian McCullough via TriLUG <
> trilug at trilug.org> wrote:
>
>> On Wed, May 25, 2016 at 09:31:42AM -0400, Triangle Linux Users Group
>> discussion list wrote:
>>> Hi all-
>>>
>>> I'm in a monopoly-provider location (Windstream DSL on the Hwy 42-side of
>>> Harris Lake) and for the past two weeks I've been seeing 20-30% packet
>> loss
>>> (for pings to their DNS server).
>> Cutting off the rest.
>>
>> Just for giggles, have you tried any other DNS servers, for comparison?
>>
>> I might suggest 8.8.4.4, one of Google's main addresses.
>>
>>
>> Incidentally, although I didn't do any exhaustive testing such as you
>> are, I was very satisfied with my BellSouth DSL service, after they
>> finally fixed the drop from the pole.  Unfortunately, I have been less
>> than completely happy since they forced me to get U-Verse instead, over
>> the same copper.
>>
>>
>> Brian
>>
>>
>>
You can find out definitively how much one of several public DNSes will
help using namebench from googlecode.
http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/16372/find-a-faster-dns-server-with-namebench/

This utility will perform several speed comparison tests and give you an
indexed table of the results.  I run it from time to time and update my
resolv.conf files.  Very helpful.

    Scott C.

-- 
Scott Chilcote
scottchilcote at ncrrbiz.com
Cary, NC USA