[NMLUG] speaking of Comcast... saturated upload kills connection

[js at jasonschaefer.com (Jason Schaefer)]

I have been looking into this problem for some time now and have tested 
it using about 5 different modems+connections+configurations. When you 
upload  some place with higher download than you, 75-99% of packets are 
lost to or from any other connections. Same thing happens, of course, 
when someone downloads from you with a higher speed than your upload. I 
have used ftp, ssh and http to transfer files. Im using ping from a 
third host to verify the packet loss. Example: If a friend is 
downloading files from my computer I have to kill their transfer to get 
back on irc, check mail etc. If I am away I have to wait, for however 
long, to ssh in. Its that bad and its not just me.

Comcast has sent people out 3 times. They test signal strength and the 
modem and make a bunch of calls and tells me its my internal networks 
fault. In other words they are not responsible for anything but the 
modem... so naturally.  No one has a clue:-( They put me in contact with 
the manager and he had to clue what I was even saying, so he asked if I 
would write up some details. I haven't heard back. I think it must be an 
inherent problem, being a shared network. They insist this is not the 
case and they have NEVER seen it before. Has anyone else seen this 
problem? If you have cable give it a try and let me and, more 
importantly, comcast know what you find.

Jason