Verizon Users - Why NG Loads Slow

[TomFulp]

If you're a Verizon FIOS user, you may have noticed that Newgrounds is loading slowly during peak internet hours.

This is due to an issue between Cogent Communications (our bandwidth provider) and Verizon. Verizon is allowing Cogent ports to max out without adding new ones. They are citing Netflix traffic as the reason.

Is it because Verizon owns a 50 percent share of the competing Redbox video service? Or can Verizon simply not handle the load of their paying customers trying to stream video? Either way I'm missing Comcast right now.

In other news...

Newgrounds Audio Deathmatch auditions are happening now!

Artists, don't miss your chance to draw something and see it become a game.

[LegolaSS]

At 6/18/13 01:49 PM, TomFulp wrote: Artists, don't miss your chance to draw something and see it become a game.

Yes, you have to do this! its awesome!

[alternativesolution]

At 6/18/13 01:49 PM, TomFulp wrote: If you're a Verizon FIOS user, you may have noticed that Newgrounds is loading slowly during peak internet hours.

This is due to an issue between Cogent Communications (our bandwidth provider) and Verizon. Verizon is allowing Cogent ports to max out without adding new ones. They are citing Netflix traffic as the reason.

No wonder...

[Flashlight237]

So that's why Newgrounds videos are taking so long to download on my computer. I got Verizon.

[ZJ]

Man, this sucks. I was hoping that the days of Tom having to fight larger internet powers was over.

P.S. Tom are you good at Samurai Shodown yet? I'm the master now.

[Tony-DarkGrave]

I just have a verizon phone plan I use a regional interwebs provider, so I have no problem loading.

[sweet21]

I miss Comcast too....I can't watch anything anymore :\

[sweet21]

Say Tom, do you know if Youtube runs on Cogent as well? That would explain why videos load like garbage there too but only sometimes. Or maybe Google is just garbage, after all these are the same people that create unnecessary updates because of their OCD.

So what can I do about this Tom? I haven't watched anything here in weeks and I can't vote because content loads too slowly. All I can do now is vote on art and audio since those aren't too taxing. Albeit, art still loads slowly and music still buffers.

[WadeFulp]

At 6/18/13 03:26 PM, sweet21 wrote: Say Tom, do you know if Youtube runs on Cogent as well? That would explain why videos load like garbage there too but only sometimes. Or maybe Google is just garbage, after all these are the same people that create unnecessary updates because of their OCD.

So what can I do about this Tom? I haven't watched anything here in weeks and I can't vote because content loads too slowly. All I can do now is vote on art and audio since those aren't too taxing. Albeit, art still loads slowly and music still buffers.

I heard Verizon had similar issues with Google/Youtube awhile back. I had the same problem.

If you have Verizon, and experience the slow down, call them and complain.

[BrentHeMan]

At 6/18/13 03:26 PM, sweet21 wrote: So what can I do about this Tom?

Do you have Verizon FIOS?

For videos, you can set the video quality to 360p which seems to still work OK (gear icon in the lower right side of the player). For higher bit rates you can just pause the player and let the video load, but you won't be able to stream higher bitrate videos.

For SWFs and other content, you probably just have to wait for them to load.

Maybe you could also go to speedtest.net, and pick a server in the Philly area and let me know what speeds you get.

[BrentHeMan]

At 6/18/13 03:26 PM, sweet21 wrote: Say Tom, do you know if Youtube runs on Cogent as well? That would explain why videos load like garbage

Youtube was just about unusable for MONTHS at the office and for me at home (both Verizon). Videos would just freeze, and you couldn't even pause to allow them to buffer. Once the video was paused, the buffering would stop! Many people were having the same issue.

Once I was on a call with Verizon for a different issue, and they tried to blame Google for the Youtube issues but I believe them.

Youtube is working now for us but I think other people are still having problems.

[BrentHeMan]

At 6/18/13 03:42 PM, BrenTheMan wrote: Once I was on a call with Verizon for a different issue, and they tried to blame Google for the Youtube issues but I believe them.

But I DO NOT believe them, that is....

[sweet21]

At 6/18/13 03:38 PM, BrenTheMan wrote: Maybe you could also go to speedtest.net, and pick a server in the Philly area and let me know what speeds you get.

For a server in LA (nearby where I live) I get:
Download: 58 MB/PS
Upload: 32 MB/PS
Ping: 19

For a server in Philly:
Ping: 108
Download: 14 MB/PS
Upload:9 MB/PS

Based on the article this seems like a war between children that isn't going to end soon. The three websites I use the most all run like ass because two giants want to slap their dicks together. Fucking lame. My Playstation and Steam run faster than before, but somehow that doesn't matter that much to me when I have to sacrifice Newgrounds and Youtube as a result :\

[squidly]

At 6/18/13 01:52 PM, LegolaSS wrote:

At 6/18/13 01:49 PM, TomFulp wrote: Artists, don't miss your chance to draw something and see it become a game.

Yes, you have to do this! its awesome!

Us game jammers wanna see moar. Redundancy is bad :c

[BrentHeMan]

At 6/18/13 03:45 PM, sweet21 wrote: Based on the article this seems like a war between children that isn't going to end soon.

No kidding. This has been VERY frustrating for us as well, because it appears to us that the site is having problems even though it's not (at least not on that end). Plus Netflix has been rather crappy at home. It takes forever to buffer sometimes, and I haven't been getting HD lately. Unfortunately I have no alternative at home.

We're going to open tickets with Verizon but otherwise I'm not sure there is much we can do. I can't wait for Google Fiber.

[BumFodder]

At 6/18/13 03:53 PM, BrenTheMan wrote: We're going to open tickets with Verizon but otherwise I'm not sure there is much we can do. I can't wait for Google Fiber.

I cant wait until we get decent internet in the uk

[Viper]

At 6/18/13 01:49 PM, TomFulp wrote: If you're a Verizon FIOS user, you may have noticed that Newgrounds is loading slowly during peak internet hours.

This is due to an issue between Cogent Communications (our bandwidth provider) and Verizon. Verizon is allowing Cogent ports to max out without adding new ones. They are citing Netflix traffic as the reason.

Well that makes a lot of sense and clears some things up I suppose.

Is it because Verizon owns a 50 percent share of the competing Redbox video service? Or can Verizon simply not handle the load of their paying customers trying to stream video? Either way I'm missing Comcast right now.

I guess the only people who know for sure are the people working for Verizon.

In other news...

Newgrounds Audio Deathmatch auditions are happening now!

Woo!

Artists, don't miss your chance to draw something and see it become a game.

Looking forward to seeing submissions for this.

[TomFulp]

At 6/18/13 03:26 PM, sweet21 wrote: Say Tom, do you know if Youtube runs on Cogent as well? That would explain why videos load like garbage there too but only sometimes. Or maybe Google is just garbage, after all these are the same people that create unnecessary updates because of their OCD.

YouTube was having their own issues with Verizon but I think that's solved now, unless it's still cropping up.

Until they fix it, you can try logging in during the early hours EST - it still runs pretty well then!

[Madara]

At 6/18/13 01:49 PM, TomFulp wrote: If you're a Verizon FIOS user, you may have noticed that Newgrounds is loading slowly during peak internet hours.

I have Verizon, and Newgrounds loads just fine? Router difference or something?

[Malachy]

You guys can't file a complaint with somebody like the FCC? I know net neutrality isn't exactly law of the land anymore but I thought that there were still some rules against intentionally throttling services like that.

[karategangster]

Think I might have found a simple solution for Verizon customers, something called "iLivid"?

[VicariousE]

At 6/18/13 01:49 PM, TomFulp wrote: If you're a Verizon FIOS user, you may have noticed that Newgrounds is loading slowly during peak internet hours.

I'm only relaying second-hand knowledge here, but it may have to do with the delicate nature of the data nodes the phone company uses to disseminate data, not unlike an electrical transformer.

Add to that: damage from Hurricane Sandy, and the wettest June the Tri-State area's seen since the Civil War :| Water is the ultimate solvent, and isn't very friendly to electronic gizmos. My guess is they have thermal sensors in the nodes, and they're doing their best to keep temperatures in the green. Or Verizon is just being a nanny-state minded turd.

[Blordow]

In Australia, I'm with Dodo. Newgrounds fails to even load half the time for me. I have to wait it out and then try reloading to browse the site, then it just does it again minutes later. Quite frustrating cause I can onlybrowse NG for a couple of minutes at a time. Never used to have problems until I moved and changed providers.

[Holon]

At 6/18/13 01:49 PM, TomFulp wrote: If you're a Verizon FIOS user, you may have noticed that Newgrounds is loading slowly during peak internet hours.

I'm using FiOS Quantum, so I don't really experience any slowness except for around when my parents come home and begin streaming their Chinese entertainment.

Though last night, around 1 AM, I did notice that Hulu Plus was experiencing lag, which really killed my anime experience. Does that also have to do with that Netflix/Redbox thingie?

[Kajenx]

It's a conspiracy!

Honestly, though, these days companies only seem interested in doing business by becoming monopolies... I blame Apple.

[Kajenx]

At 6/18/13 10:58 PM, Holon wrote: Though last night, around 1 AM, I did notice that Hulu Plus was experiencing lag, which really killed my anime experience. Does that also have to do with that Netflix/Redbox thingie?

No, it's the gods of good taste telling you to watch Adventure Time instead.

[Swackman]

Guess I should be really glad I have Bright House......

[BlackJoke]

.....lol

[hiimcody1]

At 6/18/13 01:49 PM, TomFulp wrote: If you're a Verizon FIOS user, you may have noticed that Newgrounds is loading slowly during peak internet hours.

This is due to an issue between Cogent Communications (our bandwidth provider) and Verizon. Verizon is allowing Cogent ports to max out without adding new ones. They are citing Netflix traffic as the reason.

Is it because Verizon owns a 50 percent share of the competing Redbox video service? Or can Verizon simply not handle the load of their paying customers trying to stream video? Either way I'm missing Comcast right now.

In other news...

Newgrounds Audio Deathmatch auditions are happening now!

Artists, don't miss your chance to draw something and see it become a game.

We too are having problems with Cogent at work. Only our issues end with Comcast overloading their links. Who's your provider? We do InterNAP.

[hiimcody1]

At 6/19/13 09:57 AM, sonicfreak14 wrote: We too are having problems with Cogent at work. Only our issues end with Comcast overloading their links. Who's your provider? We do InterNAP.

Obviously you said Cogent, but I think you know what I mean