Modems

Correct Answer: Network congestion

The most likely cause of intermittent connectivity issues during peak hours is Network congestion. This is because peak hours typically involve greater usage of the network by multiple users. A cable modem shares bandwidth with other users in the same neighborhood. Therefore, when everyone is online at the same time, such as during peak hours, the available bandwidth may not be sufficient, leading to connectivity issues. The other options are typically less likely. A Faulty modem would likely cause consistent problems, not just during peak hours. Similarly, if the modem type was wrong, the issues would again be constant, not intermittent. Overheating of the Modem can cause connectivity issues, but this would generally not be related to peak usage times and the problem would likely persist after peak hours.

Correct Answer: Wireless signal dead zones

The most likely issue when wireless devices cannot connect to the internet in certain locations of a house, even though the modem is functioning properly, is 'Wireless signal dead zones'. These are areas where the Wi-Fi signal is weak or non-existent, often due to distance from the router or interference from other devices or building materials. The other options: 'Blocked modem vents', 'Incorrect modem drivers', and 'ISP outage' are less likely. Blocked modem vents could potentially cause the modem to overheat and malfunction, but this would likely affect all devices, not just those in certain areas. Incorrect modem drivers could prevent the modem from functioning properly but again, this would likely affect all devices, not just those in certain areas. Lastly, an ISP outage would affect the entire network, not just certain parts of the house.

Correct Answer: SNR (Signal-to-Noise Ratio)

The correct answer is 'SNR (Signal-to-Noise Ratio)'. The signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) is an extremely important setting to check if a user's DSL connection is slow. The SNR is a measure of the signal strength relative to the background noise. A higher SNR indicates a stronger signal and therefore, potentially faster speeds. On the other hand, a lower SNR would indicate a weak signal, which could be the reason for the slow speeds. 'SSID' is the name of the network and wouldn't directly affect the connection speed. 'MAC address filtering' is a security measure and it's not directly linked to internet speed. 'Double NAT', while potentially problematic, would more likely cause issues with certain types of traffic (like games or video chats), not generally slow internet speeds.