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Comment by isilofi | Hacker News Reader

Non-techie notices "internet is slow" because their youtube video is blocky or pages load slowly. Non-techie goes to ISP to complain. ISP upsells to a more expensive plan.

The actual reason in almost all cases: non-techies are clueless about their slow and shitty WIFI. Picking empty or less busy channels, using 5GHz, using gasp cables, all black magic and never done.

Sometimes the upselling actually helps because the better plan comes with a maybe-better AP...

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I live with the shitty wifi because the yak-shaving that comes with "ok, I will set their router to be pass through, now I need to install openwrt on that 100$ recommended router, and run a cable behind my drywall upto the second floor, and install anothe openwrt and bang goes a weekend and really I am only do that once I order a second line because taking out my family's internet for the whole weekend because I will fuck it up at least once ..

ok.

Next month honest

> their slow and shitty WIFI

I'm still embarrassed about the time I called my ISP and complained that the new Xmbs package they just installed is capped at only Ymbps only to realize I had run the speed test over wifi (back in the wireless-g,maybe n days)...

Yeah, the Comcast sales reps spin ridiculous tales about how much speed you need. People who don't know better are fooled by this, and end up paying way too much for speeds they don't remotely need.

When I had the fiber connection for my new internet run to my house, I told the tech I want the router/modem combo installed in the basement.

The guy strongly insisted I not do it, but then when I persisted I had to sign two waivers acknowledging that my wifi will probably be shit and the basement is a terrible spot.

I was just using their router/modem as a pass through, but man, they really don't want people putting routers in their basement. I can totally understand why too.

And some techies regret our choice to have both a Mikrotik AP and walls. You can have decent WiFi and one of those, but not all three.

That'll teach me to stay consistent.

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