How do I improve Quality during heavy internet usage?

[guest]

Iam using MCI's voip through Time Warner broadband, and continuously have problems with echo and dropout. If there is any significant activity on my network, it is much worse, and if I use any bitTorrent client, the voip is pretty much unusable until I disconnect the power on the cable modem, my router and the voip box and restore the power to each in that order. Any ideas how to get a better quality?

[Mike]

From your description of your power down and power up sequence it sounds like you have the following set-up:
cable modem --> Router --> ATA device

You could try setting up as follows:
cable modem --> ATA device --> Router

This set-up will allow your ATA to maintain QoS (Quality of Speech) during heavy download usage. Depending on the ATA setting it may slow your internet connection down a bit. This can be 'tweaked' by your provider or some providers allow you to do this through the control panel on their website so you can do a bit of trial and error process to get the best setting for you.

Hope this helps. Please feel free to let us know how this works out.
Best Regards,
Mike