While looking at the weather report for my area on weather.com, I saw an ad for this SignalTech wifi booster with some text saying internet providers don't want you buying one. I was curious if it was some kind of special device or not, so I decided to click on the link. This is from SignalTech's web site:

https://signaltechbooster.com/info-21.php

Basically what it says is that internet providers throttle your router to make your internet speed become slower over time so you'll upgrade your internet package. This already sounded suspicious to me, because I haven't had this happen to me (though I tend to buy my own router and use 3rd-party router firmware, such as DD-WRT or Tomato). I suppose it could theoretically happen with an ISP-provided router, but even then it seems sketchy and I haven't heard of this happening to other people.

Next, it says that this SignalTech wifi booster "overrides what the internet provider does with your router and boosts your internet to every corner of your house". This sounds highly suspicious to me. If the internet provider is throttling your router speeds, I don't really see how a wifi device like this would be able to override what the ISP is doing to your router. Also, this is a wifi repeater; what about ethernet speed?

And to top it off, that page has a section that says "How does this device work?" and it explains what bandwidth is, but it doesn't actually explain how this device supposedly overrides any bandwidth throttling from your internet provider.

It all sounds bogus..

Nightfox

---
■ Synchronet ■ Digital Distortion: digitaldistortionbbs.com

Re: SignalTech wifi booster - Sounds suspicious
By: Nightfox to All on Mon Aug 23 2021 03:02 pm

> While looking at the weather report for my area on weather.com, I saw an ad
> for this SignalTech wifi booster with some text saying internet providers
> don't want you buying one. I was curious if it was some kind of special
> device or not, so I decided to click on the link. This is from SignalTech's

so there are morons that click those links.

> https://signaltechbooster.com/info-21.php

oh good now you're advertising for them.

> how this device supposedly overrides any bandwidth throttling from your
> internet provider.
>
> It all sounds bogus..

boy, ya think?!

got any cool links to ransomware?
---
■ Synchronet ■ ::: BBSES.info - free BBS services :::

Re: SignalTech wifi booster - Sounds suspicious
By: Nightfox to All on Mon Aug 23 2021 03:02 pm

> While looking at the weather report for my area on weather.com, I saw an ad
> this SignalTech wifi booster with some text saying internet providers don't
> want you buying one. I was curious if it was some kind of special device or
> not, so I decided to click on the link. This is from SignalTech's web site:
>
> https://signaltechbooster.com/info-21.php
>
> Basically what it says is that internet providers throttle your router to ma
> your internet speed become slower over time so you'll upgrade your internet
> package. This already sounded suspicious to me, because I haven't had this
> happen to me (though I tend to buy my own router and use 3rd-party router
> firmware, such as DD-WRT or Tomato). I suppose it could theoretically happe
> with an ISP-provided router, but even then it seems sketchy and I haven't he
> of this happening to other people.
>
> Next, it says that this SignalTech wifi booster "overrides what the internet
> provider does with your router and boosts your internet to every corner of y
> house". This sounds highly suspicious to me. If the internet provider is
> throttling your router speeds, I don't really see how a wifi device like thi
> would be able to override what the ISP is doing to your router. Also, this
> a wifi repeater; what about ethernet speed?
>
> And to top it off, that page has a section that says "How does this device
> work?" and it explains what bandwidth is, but it doesn't actually explain ho
> this device supposedly overrides any bandwidth throttling from your internet
> provider.
>
> It all sounds bogus..
>
> Nightfox
>

It reminds me of those devices that use faraway infrared rays to clean your
laundry, which they used to advertise in Mexican TV Shops.

If the ISP wanted to throttle your Internet connection for any reason, they
would do it on their end and not from the router you have in your premises.
ISPs are fully aware power users deploy their own routers.

--
gopher://gopher.richardfalken.com/1/richardfalken

---
■ Synchronet ■ Palantir BBS * palantirbbs.ddns.net * Pensacola, FL

Re: SignalTech wifi booster - Sounds suspicious
By: Arelor to Nightfox on Tue Aug 24 2021 02:57 am

>
> If the ISP wanted to throttle your Internet connection for any reason, they
> would do it on their end and not from the router you have in your premises.
> ISPs are fully aware power users deploy their own routers.
>

i dunno bout dat.
i had a friend who was a cable installer and they got ahold of an illegally modified cable modem/router combo. it pretty much gave you the fastest speed possible.
---
■ Synchronet ■ ::: BBSES.info - free BBS services :::

Hello Arelor;

-=> Arelor wrote to Nightfox <=-

Ar> If the ISP wanted to throttle your Internet connection for any reason,
Ar> they would do it on their end and not from the router you have in your
Ar> premises. ISPs are fully aware power users deploy their own routers.

That's not always the case. Having worked at several ISPs you'd be surprised
at how many rely on the CPE (Customer Premise Equipment... aka: router) to
do some of the rate (speed) shaping for them. This is why some of the ISPs
insist you purchase your router through them OR a similar router in which
they've already had a backdoor manufactured for them to use to adjust your
speed and other settings.

While it may not always be the case, it is with some. It sounds to me like
this one particular manufacturer is betting the farm per sale that every ISP
does this.

.... Old schools never die, they just lose their principals.
--- MultiMail/Linux v0.52
� Synchronet � SBBS - Carnage! Hartford, Ct bbs.n1uro.com:2300

Re: SignalTech wifi booster -
By: Brian Rogers to Arelor on Tue Aug 24 2021 09:27 am

Ar>> If the ISP wanted to throttle your Internet connection for any
Ar>> reason, they would do it on their end and not from the router you
Ar>> have in your premises. ISPs are fully aware power users deploy their
Ar>> own routers.

BR> That's not always the case. Having worked at several ISPs you'd be
BR> surprised at how many rely on the CPE (Customer Premise Equipment... aka:
BR> router) to do some of the rate (speed) shaping for them. This is why some
BR> of the ISPs insist you purchase your router through them OR a similar
BR> router in which they've already had a backdoor manufactured for them to
BR> use to adjust your speed and other settings.

I was with an ISP that gave you a router, and they said they could perform diagnostics with it. But we could also use our own router. That ISP has since been acquired by another company, and it seems they're okay with customers having their own router. I have my own router I bought and flashed DD-WRT firmware on it, and it's working fine.

BR> While it may not always be the case, it is with some. It sounds to me like
BR> this one particular manufacturer is betting the farm per sale that every
BR> ISP does this.

Even if an ISP throttles speed via the customer's router, I don't see how a wifi repeater could override that and give you full internet speed.

Nightfox

---
■ Synchronet ■ Digital Distortion: digitaldistortionbbs.com

Re: SignalTech wifi booster - Sounds suspicious
By: Nightfox to All on Mon Aug 23 2021 03:02 pm

> While looking at the weather report for my area on weather.com, I saw an ad
> this SignalTech wifi booster with some text saying internet providers don't
> want you buying one. I was curious if it was some kind of special device or
> not, so I decided to click on the link. This is from SignalTech's web site:
>
> https://signaltechbooster.com/info-21.php
>
> Basically what it says is that internet providers throttle your router to ma
> your internet speed become slower over time so you'll upgrade your internet
> package. This already sounded suspicious to me, because I haven't had this
> happen to me (though I tend to buy my own router and use 3rd-party router
> firmware, such as DD-WRT or Tomato). I suppose it could theoretically happe
> with an ISP-provided router, but even then it seems sketchy and I haven't he
> of this happening to other people.
>
> Next, it says that this SignalTech wifi booster "overrides what the internet
> provider does with your router and boosts your internet to every corner of y
> house". This sounds highly suspicious to me. If the internet provider is
> throttling your router speeds, I don't really see how a wifi device like thi
> would be able to override what the ISP is doing to your router. Also, this
> a wifi repeater; what about ethernet speed?
>
> And to top it off, that page has a section that says "How does this device
> work?" and it explains what bandwidth is, but it doesn't actually explain ho
> this device supposedly overrides any bandwidth throttling from your internet
> provider.
>
> It all sounds bogus..
>
> Nightfox
>
While it is true that ISP's do throttle your internet speeed, no Wi-Fi booster
will actually override it as it isn't the router that slows it down, it's the
modem that slows it down, which you cannot change to your own as that is what
the ISP uses to activate your internet and connect your devices to, including
your router. There is simply no way to stop the throttling of your internet
speed.
So, it pretty much is bogus, all it does is extend the range of your Wi-Fi and
that's it.

---
■ Synchronet ■ THE MIDNIGHT CAFE -- themidnightcafe.ddns.net The Last Stand For Free Speech O

Re: SignalTech wifi booster - Sounds suspicious
By: Nightfox to All on Mon Aug 23 2021 03:02 pm

Hey, my first message using SyncTERM and it worked!

---
■ Synchronet ■ THE MIDNIGHT CAFE -- themidnightcafe.ddns.net The Last Stand For Free Speech O

Hey Nightfox;

-=> Nightfox wrote to Brian Rogers <=-

Ni> I was with an ISP that gave you a router, and they said they could
Ni> perform diagnostics with it. But we could also use our own router.
Ni> That ISP has since been acquired by another company, and it seems
Ni> they're okay with customers having their own router. I have my own
Ni> router I bought and flashed DD-WRT firmware on it, and it's working
Ni> fine.

Our ISP now, communistcast, supplies a router by insistance. They throttle
bandwidth by the router. You may buy a linksys or motorola comcast modified
router but it must maintain the backdoor for them to adjust it to your account
settings/bandwidth. Also note that many of the stock menus are deleted by
design specs of comcast. A tech friend of mine at Cisco confirmed this for me.

Ni> Even if an ISP throttles speed via the customer's router, I don't see
Ni> how a wifi repeater could override that and give you full internet
Ni> speed.

You're absolutely correct. Perhaps lan speeds may improve but not lan->wan.
When it comes to bandwidth, you're only as fast as your weakest link.

.... When in doubt, tell the truth.
--- MultiMail/Linux v0.52
� Synchronet � SBBS - Carnage! Hartford, Ct bbs.n1uro.com:2300

Re: SignalTech wifi booster -
By: Brian Rogers to Nightfox on Tue Aug 24 2021 08:05 pm

BR> Our ISP now, communistcast, supplies a router by insistance. They throttle
BR> bandwidth by the router. You may buy a linksys or motorola comcast
BR> modified router but it must maintain the backdoor for them to adjust it to
BR> your account settings/bandwidth. Also note that many of the stock menus
BR> are deleted by design specs of comcast. A tech friend of mine at Cisco
BR> confirmed this for me.

Interesting.. I had Comcast internet years ago and I was able to use my own router with it.

Nightfox

---
■ Synchronet ■ Digital Distortion: digitaldistortionbbs.com

Hey Nightfox;

-=> Nightfox wrote to Brian Rogers <=-

Ni> Interesting.. I had Comcast internet years ago and I was able to use
Ni> my own router with it.

I figured out a way to do it. I have to put the CPE into bridge mode and then
feed the lan port to a wifi router which I run DD-WRT on. If I don't ssh and
vpn clients will time out after 5 minutes of in activity just using the
communistcast CPE. It shouldn't act like this but it's by NBC's design!

Yes you -may- use your own router in conjunction with theirs but you -must-
use their device to directly interface with their dmarc.

.... Let me just say, the Dyson Ball Cleaner has a very misleading name.
--- MultiMail/Linux v0.52
� Synchronet � SBBS - Carnage! Hartford, Ct bbs.n1uro.com:2300

-=> Brian Rogers wrote to Nightfox <=-

BR> Our ISP now, communistcast, supplies a router by insistance. They
BR> throttle bandwidth by the router. You may buy a linksys or motorola
BR> comcast modified router but it must maintain the backdoor for them to
BR> adjust it to your account settings/bandwidth.

Around here, they're barely able to keep up with advertised speeds. They do
keep selling their "intelligent" features of xFi, but there's no way in hell
I want them in my network.

I'd rather bridge and have my own router in place.

I've been having stability problems with my internal network and the wifi
drops, as well as being slower than I expected. I suspected the newer
version of DD-WRT that I'd installed on my router.

Linksys has a neat trick on their WRT routers - it has two separate system
images, and if it fails to boot 3 times, it switches to the other image. No
more bricked routers.

I booted back onto the factory firmware and noticed the following:

DD-WRT:
Wired: 475 mbps
Wifi: 17 mbps

Factory:
Wired: 200 mbps
Wifi: 80 mbps

I think I'll stick with the factory firmware for now, but am in the market
for new routers. My Linksys was free with a referral program from them and
my Netgear Nighthawk was $5 at Goodwill. It's about time for a change. :)

Also note that many of
BR> the stock menus are deleted by design specs of comcast. A tech friend
BR> of mine at Cisco confirmed this for me.

Ni> Even if an ISP throttles speed via the customer's router, I don't see
Ni> how a wifi repeater could override that and give you full internet
Ni> speed.

BR> You're absolutely correct. Perhaps lan speeds may improve but not
lan->wan. When it comes to bandwidth, you're only as fast as your weakest
ink.

BR> ... When in doubt, tell the truth.
BR> --- MultiMail/Linux v0.52
BR>  Synchronet SBBS - Carnage! Hartford, Ct
BR> bbs.n1uro.com:2300

.... The strongest steel is forged in the fires of a dumpster.
--- MultiMail/DOS v0.52
� Synchronet � .: realitycheckbbs.org :: scientia potentia est :.

Hello poindexter;

-=> poindexter FORTRAN wrote to Brian Rogers <=-

pF> Around here, they're barely able to keep up with advertised speeds.
pF> They do keep selling their "intelligent" features of xFi, but there's
pF> no way in hell I want them in my network.

Me either. I've caught them making changes we specifically told them NOT to
do, such as turn on the wifi port for their security system - which we do NOT
use. This makes our CCast router quite insecure having it on w/o a password.
I can't afford this.

pF> I've been having stability problems with my internal network and the
pF> wifi drops, as well as being slower than I expected. I suspected the
pF> newer version of DD-WRT that I'd installed on my router.

Comparing Linksys to others however, I've found their wifi support to be
very weak in general, no matter the firmware.

pF> Linksys has a neat trick on their WRT routers - it has two separate
pF> system images, and if it fails to boot 3 times, it switches to the
pF> other image. No more bricked routers.

Sort of like Dorothy's slippers? tap 3 times to leave Oz for another land <G>

pF> I booted back onto the factory firmware and noticed the following:

pF> DD-WRT:
pF> Wired: 475 mbps
pF> Wifi: 17 mbps

pF> Factory:
pF> Wired: 200 mbps
pF> Wifi: 80 mbps

pF> I think I'll stick with the factory firmware for now, but am in the
pF> market for new routers. My Linksys was free with a referral program
pF> from them and my Netgear Nighthawk was $5 at Goodwill. It's about time
pF> for a change. :)

You seem to lose a LOT no matter which you're using here. LAN wise, you
should get the full bandwidth based on your type of 802.11. Even 80Mbps seems
low depending on your type of wifi. Also your wired is cut by more than
50%! I'm running CAT6 to a T-link extender and I'm getting exactly what
I should be getting from it.
Wired: 600Mbps
Wifi: 65Mbps

My wifi is faring a tad better than the 54Mpbs it should be getting. The wired
side is spot on. We used Linksys for a good 20 years, different models, but
got away from it with this upgrade and went for a NetGear 6400 when we changed
last year. It's holding up pretty good all things considered. One thing I know
it doesn't care for is my instance of xmpp. I have to take that offline if I
reboot the router for some reason. Otherwise it's been doing its job nicely.

.... Not Gay, not Conservative, not "Politically Correct." Just ... ME!
--- MultiMail/Linux v0.52
� Synchronet � SBBS - Carnage! Hartford, Ct bbs.n1uro.com:2300

Re: SignalTech wifi booster -
By: JonathanMcKey to All on Tue Aug 24 2021 02:49 pm

> Re: SignalTech wifi booster - Sounds suspicious
> By: Nightfox to All on Mon Aug 23 2021 03:02 pm
>
> Hey, my first message using SyncTERM and it worked!
>
yay!

---
■ Synchronet ■ The Cave BBS - Since 1992 - cavebbs.homeip.net

-=> Moondog wrote to JonathanMcKey <=-

Mo> Re: SignalTech wifi booster -
Mo> By: JonathanMcKey to All on Tue Aug 24 2021 02:49 pm

> Re: SignalTech wifi booster - Sounds suspicious
> By: Nightfox to All on Mon Aug 23 2021 03:02 pm
>
> Hey, my first message using SyncTERM and it worked!
>
Mo> yay!

Lound and clear here.
.... MultiMail: The best bbs around telnet://sbbs.dynu.net 2025 ssh 2026.
--- MultiMail/Win v0.52
� Synchronet � FTP Networks, over 170,000 downloadable files & online games --> sbbs.dynu.net 2

-=> Brian Rogers wrote to poindexter FORTRAN <=-

BR> My wifi is faring a tad better than the 54Mpbs it should be getting.
BR> The wired side is spot on. We used Linksys for a good 20 years,
BR> different models, but got away from it with this upgrade and went for a
BR> NetGear 6400 when we changed last year.

A Netgear 6400 is my $5 Goodwill access point in my current setup. I may
switch places with it this weekend and make it the gateway router to compare
speeds with the Linksys.

.... Powered By Celeron (Tualatin). Engineered for the future.
--- MultiMail/DOS v0.52
� Synchronet � .: realitycheckbbs.org :: scientia potentia est :.

Hey poindexter;

-=> poindexter FORTRAN wrote to Brian Rogers <=-

pF> A Netgear 6400 is my $5 Goodwill access point in my current setup. I
pF> may switch places with it this weekend and make it the gateway router
pF> to compare speeds with the Linksys.

If it's a version 2, you can load dd-wrt in it.

.... What If Area 51 was where all the missing odd socks turned up?
--- MultiMail/Linux v0.52
� Synchronet � SBBS - Carnage! Hartford, Ct bbs.n1uro.com:2300

-=> Brian Rogers wrote to poindexter FORTRAN <=-

-=> poindexter FORTRAN wrote to Brian Rogers <=-

pF> A Netgear 6400 is my $5 Goodwill access point in my current setup. I
pF> may switch places with it this weekend and make it the gateway router
pF> to compare speeds with the Linksys.

BR> If it's a version 2, you can load dd-wrt in it.

It's already running DD-WRT. I'm a big fan.

.... Remove specifics and convert to ambiguities
--- MultiMail/DOS v0.52
� Synchronet � .: realitycheckbbs.org :: scientia potentia est :.

Hey poindexter;

pF> It's already running DD-WRT. I'm a big fan.

Nice, as am I. It gives you menu items the default OS fails to give you.

.... Old preachers never die, they just ramble on, and on, and on, and on....
--- MultiMail/Linux v0.52
� Synchronet � SBBS - Carnage! Hartford, Ct bbs.n1uro.com:2300

Well, that's probably true. Several of my friends noticed the significant
change in their speed during the last months without any reason. The weather
was ok, they paid for everything too, so the problem was pretty mysterious for
them. It seems that providers want us to pay more for their services. But do
they have any right to slow down the internet manually? I don't think so. So
maybe it's better to use VPN or proxies in this case? I've found at
https://bestvpnprovider.co/vyprvpn-review/ a review about a good VPN that can
be a solution to this problem. At least, I guess so.

---
� Synchronet � Vertrauen � Home of Synchronet � [vert/cvs/bbs].synchro.net

Re: SignalTech wifi booster - Sounds suspicious
By: marymitch to Nightfox on Wed Sep 08 2021 12:10 am

ma> Well, that's probably true. Several of my friends noticed the significant

It would be good to quote what you're replying to. What's probably true?

ma> services. But do they have any right to slow down the internet manually? I
ma> don't think so. So maybe it's better to use VPN or proxies in this case?
ma> I've found at https://bestvpnprovider.co/vyprvpn-review/ a review about a
ma> good VPN that can be a solution to this problem. At least, I guess so.

Using a VPN won't increase your internet speed. If your internet speed is being limited by your ISP or is limited by your router, something like a VPN isn't going to help.

If anything, a VPN slows you down a bit, because with a VPN, your internet traffic gets routed through additional servers.

Nightfox

---
■ Synchronet ■ Digital Distortion: digitaldistortionbbs.com

Re: SignalTech wifi booster - Sounds suspicious
By: marymitch to Nightfox on Wed Sep 08 2021 12:10 am

> Well, that's probably true. Several of my friends noticed the significant
> change in their speed during the last months without any reason. The weather
> was ok, they paid for everything too, so the problem was pretty mysterious
> for them. It seems that providers want us to pay more for their services.
> But do they have any right to slow down the internet manually? I don't think
> so. So maybe it's better to use VPN or proxies in this case? I've found at
> https://bestvpnprovider.co/vyprvpn-review/ a review about a good VPN that
> can be a solution to this problem. At least, I guess so.

can you please quote
---
■ Synchronet ■ ::: BBSES.info - free BBS services :::

Hey Nightfox;

-=> Nightfox wrote to marymitch <=-

Ni> Using a VPN won't increase your internet speed. If your internet speed
Ni> is being limited by your ISP or is limited by your router, something
Ni> like a VPN isn't going to help.

Your fastest speed is as fast as the slowest link in the chain. If your edge
connection to your ISP is only 128Kb then that's going to be your fastest
speed. You're not going to gain a thing by changing routers as you mentioned.

Ni> If anything, a VPN slows you down a bit, because with a VPN, your
Ni> internet traffic gets routed through additional servers.

Also some (not all) VPNs have a slightly lower MTU (maximum transmission unit)
which may slow users down as well. Good call.

.... "42? 7 and a half million years and all you can come up with is 42?!"
--- MultiMail/Linux v0.49
� Synchronet � SBBS - Carnage! Hartford, Ct bbs.n1uro.com:2300