Unraveling My Internet Mystery: A Quest for Answers

Is someone secretly siphoning my internet connection? In a bewildering turn of events, my once lightning-fast CenturyLink fiber internet, averaging around 950 Mbps, has plummeted to an agonizing 4 Mbps. Despite reaching out to my internet service provider (ISP), they seem equally puzzled. Allow me to share my experience and seek your insights.

For the past nine months, I’ve enjoyed high-speed internet at my home in the Pacific Northwest. My download speeds were impressive, often reaching close to a gigabit, while upload speeds remained robust. But one fateful day, everything changed. My internet speeds unexpectedly dropped significantly. I was lucky if I could get 4 Mbps at times! Speed tests have become a rollercoaster ride: one moment I see a reading of 20 Mbps, then it jumps to 100 Mbps, and soon after it plummets to a dismal 1.5 Mbps. Strangely enough, my upload speeds continue to soar, occasionally hitting 900 Mbps, while my download speeds struggle to keep up.

In my desperation, I contacted CenturyLink customer support. A technician came to my home, executed a battery of diagnostic tests, and concluded there was nothing wrong. He proceeded to replace my modem, swap out the Optical Network Terminal (ONT), and even run new Cat6 cables. Despite these efforts, the same issues persisted. We were conducting tests using an Ethernet connection, but I found the performance even worse over Wi-Fi. The technician asked me repeatedly, “Are you sure you’re not using a VPN?” To be frank, I barely understand what a VPN is, and I certainly don’t think I’m using one. After scratching his head in puzzlement, he left without a solution.

I called tech support again, and the responses remained consistent: “Everything is fine,” and once more, the repeated question about my VPN usage. To add to my confusion, I’ve recently encountered a bizarre issue where Google prompts me with a captcha while searching, citing suspicious activity.

Could someone be using a VPN on my connection? Is there a possibility that my internet is being “stolen”? Given my limited technical knowledge, I’m at a loss as to what steps I should take next.

I should mention that I primarily use Mac devices for my internet activities.

Update: While I have yet to resolve this puzzling situation, I genuinely appreciate all the feedback so far. I