issues with steam?!

[IDigitalDeadI]

For the past couple of weeks, i've been using an internet connection served by charter (parents thought it would be cheaper than att). Its actually slower than my previous dsl connection but thats not the main problem. Every time I start up steam, it takes a long time! When looking for games in CSS, I don't find anything! Anything that I do find has high latency and is usually in a different country. I checked my filter settings, and my firewall settings. I don't know what the problem is. I've reinstalled steam, CSS and all of my other games. What can I do? Is the modem the problem? If so, what can I do.

P.S sometimes steam works perfectly if i play with a friend until my dumb brother decides to play my xbox 360 (we plug both directly into the modem).

 

[netmare]

Is Charter Cable?

It could be many things, but the most common are (besides mis-configured things):

A weak or faulty booster/amplifier/extender (I forget what they call it). Anytime I've had 'real' issues, it's been this.

Too many people on the network around you.

A poor or degraded network or junction box.

Your folks are simply paying for a slow connection.

cg

 

[REpear]

You need to figure out what speed your parents are paying for to start. Then apply that speed to steam's configuration.

File>settings>downloads tab
choose the correct speed and location nearest you.

If you were on DSL and moved to cable your on a different type of system. DSL is based on how close you are to a junction box. Cable is SHARED bandwidth with your neiborhood area. Cable is more complex then DSL.

I never have had to have a coax line repeater installed. If you do then its because your trying to run a cord more that 100ft between junctions. Do NOT bend your coax cord 90 degrees or more you severly degrade the quality of signal. If they are bent/crimped and remain that way of more than 90 degrees you need to replace them. Unless the cord is specifically designed to bend and flex the good rule of thumb is never bend any cord more than 90 degrees if possible.

By no means am I trying to endorce phone companies or big business but usually the companies that are on top are there for a reason. Some regions have good service with a company and others horrible with the same. If your not living in a major city your basically an outcast of the internet world and will have to pay a primium to get connected.

Get a router for your network. Internet>Modem>Router>computer connections/Xbox360
Using a router will save time in the long run of not needing to unplug and plug things into the cable modem directly. It also is safer because your behind a hardware firewall. Windows firewall has holes in it by allowing so called "offical" windows processes to go through without you seeing. A true firewall blocks ALL traffic unless otherwise told to allow ABC item through.

 

[IDigitalDeadI]

I figured it out. It was windows vista all along! When plugging in my modem to my computer, vista would tard out and say that i was connecting but also connecting to an unidentified network (which i wasn't). Btw, thanks for telling me about using a router. It actually helps alot.