Is Someone Hijacking My Internet Speed? A Frustrating Troubleshooting Experience

If you’ve ever faced a sudden and perplexing drop in your internet speed, you’ll understand the frustration I’m currently experiencing. I’ve been a CenturyLink fiber internet customer in the Pacific Northwest for about nine months, and after enjoying consistent speeds of approximately 950 Mbps, I’ve recently found myself grappling with an alarming decline to as low as 4 Mbps.

The Sudden Drop

My internet connection was reliable until one day, everything changed. What used to be robust download speeds began fluctuating erratically; sometimes I would see speeds of 20 Mbps, other times 100 Mbps, and occasionally a mere 1.5 Mbps. Despite this, my upload speeds remained impressive, often hitting close to 900 Mbps. With a wired Ethernet connection, we tested the performance, and it was dishearteningly sluggish. The Wi-Fi experience was even more disappointing.

Seeking Help from CenturyLink

In pursuit of answers, I reached out to CenturyLink’s customer support. A technician was dispatched and ran multiple diagnostic tests, all of which suggested that my connection should be functioning optimally. He even replaced the modem, the Optical Network Terminal (ONT), and installed brand new Cat6 cables to ensure everything was up to standard. Yet, the problem persisted.

The technician repeatedly inquired about my use of a VPN, a term I could barely grasp, and assured him that I wasn’t using one. After scratching his head in confusion, he left without a resolution. I called support again only to hear the same chorus: everything appears fine, but are you sure you aren’t using a VPN?

Strange Occurrences

To add another layer of intrigue, I’ve noticed that every time I search for something on Google using Chrome, I sometimes receive a CAPTCHA, warning me of suspicious activity. This has only deepened my concerns.

Is it possible that someone has clandestinely set up a VPN using my connection? Or could someone be “stealing” my internet? Unfortunately, my technical knowledge is limited, and I’m at a loss about how to identify or rectify this strange situation.

The Search for Solutions Continues

As I continue to navigate this perplexing issue, I want to express my gratitude to everyone who has offered feedback so far. While I haven’t yet resolved the situation, I appreciate any insights you may have. I’ll keep you updated, as it’s a restless 4 AM here and