Pardon me for not knowing this (i'm not in hosting business), I'm just a client.

I've seen a few messages so far about how "Cogent" is awful. I am wondering:

1. What the hell is Cogent?
2. Why does everybody dislike it?

thank you very much.

A bandwith provider supplying low quality bandwidth. Your site doesn't use Cogent, it uses Sprint Bandwidth.

Cogent Communications is a Tier-One internet access providers which provides bandwidth to a number of internet based companies and web hosting NOC.

They are probably amongst the cheapest internet access provider around and assumed to have over-sells their network to be able to offer the low pricing.

For more information about Cogent, you can visit their website at
http://www.cogentco.com

Cogent, Tier One? Since when?

I don't think it's just Cogent people 'dislike', but rather the case that many hosting companies use 'Cogent only' or a single other provider as backup. Multiple providers means more redundancy. As Cogent is about the cheapest provider you can get it seems companies get that and nothing else.

As a personal preference I'd feel far more confortable hosting in a datacenter with a wider range to choose from and use.

NAC uses Cogent as does most datacenters, but that's a small part of dozens of other providers as well. Of course that also means you don't get to lease servers for under $100 with squillions of gigs thrown in either :)

Greg Moore

Well, they said that on their web page, I am just quoted what they say in their corporate profile at http://ir.thomsonfn.com/InvestorRelations/PubCorporateOverview.aspx?partner=Mzg0TkRnd05qST1QJFkEQUALSTO&product=MzgwU1ZJPVAkWQEQUALSTOEQUALSTO

"Cogent Communications (AMEX: COI) is a Tier 1, facilities based, all-optical ISP focused on delivering ultra-high speed Internet access and transport services to businesses in the multi-tenant marketplace and to service providers located in major metropolitan areas across the United States and Canada"

Don't blame me, I just quoted what they say. If it is not true, I believe you get tons of authorities coming after them for mis-information or misrepresentation.

There was a thread somewhere else in WHT defining what Tier 1 means.. Since it's -their- bandwidth and not reselling/rebranding someone else's, then I think they can be considered "Tier 1". It's debatable.

Every thread on Cogent ends up with a debate on whether they are Tier 1 or not....

Personally I think Cogent is great value for money and is perfectly fine for normal webhosting... For that price, it's unbeatable in terms of value for money. Just don't use it for game hosting or anything that requires fast pings cos it can have weird peering and it does affects times.

I don't think they really have much downtime either. The problem however is many hosts who use cogent only bandwidth abuses the cheap rate they got and oversells the bandwidth... That probably adds to Cogent's badname. But I will use it with sufficient backup depending on the usage.

Let's compare bandwidth to cars.

Cogent is the equivalent (in my mind) of something like an older style muscle car. Think of like a 1972 Nova with a really fast engine. When it runs, it hauls ass, but every time you sit down in the drivers seat and put in the key you gotta wonder "is it gonna crank today" and when it doesn't, better hope that old Nova ain't the only thing in your driveway you can take to work. It can be fun to drive but you'd never want to rely on it as your only means of getting around town.